What is the best pole (type and Brand) for fitness used in an appartment complex?

I heard brass works much better for tight grip on slow moving exercises but is it ideal for a beginner? I want to make the right decision for an exercise pole at home but don't know if I should just go with what my instructor's studio has. I don't like the "over-spinning" workouts. I want to focus on upper body strength since that is what I've always lacked.

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Best Pole for Apartment/Strength Moves
by: Susan from PDFF

Thanks for your question! It can be a bit overwhelming to decide which pole is best for your specific situation. I hope I can help you sort things out.

It seems to me that you're asking two questions:

1) Which is the best pole for use in an apartment (presumably because you're renting you want one that won't damage the floor or ceiling), and

2) Which is the best pole for your specific needs and goals (ie what type of material is best - brass vs stainless vs powder coat, etc)

I'll talk about question #1 first, then #2, then we'll see what your best options are. Here we go!

Those who rent their homes are legitimately concerned about not causing damage to the rental premises. While it's true that installing a permanent pole dancing pole can cause significant damage (this type of pole is screwed into the floor and ceiling, typically with 3-4 heavy duty screws at each end), there are options for dance poles that are very safe and very...shall we say, "non-invasive."

Many people think immediately of a friction fit dance pole as the only type of pole that's suitable for rented homes. Trouble is, if you're at all concerned about safety (as in, what are the chances that the pole will come down?), a friction fit pole might make you a bit nervous.

The good news is that there is a middle ground. Lil Mynx makes a removable, or semi-permanent dance pole that's almost as safe as a permanent pole. Just as importantly for apartment dwellers, the mounting system requires only one relatively small bolt into a ceiling joist. This means that when you move, you simply unscrew the mount and pop a small bit of polyfil or spackling paste into the hole, much as you would fill nail holes from picture hangers.

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Best Pole for Apartment/Strength Moves Pt 2
by: Susan from PDFF

Of course, if you do want a totally removable, "no-trace" pole that's not going to leave any holes where you had it mounted, then a friction fit pole is your best bet.

Keep in mind though, that friction fit dance poles are inherently less safe by virtue of their design. And if your friction pole comes down, there's a chance it may do more damage to your living space than the single screw hole in your ceiling that's required for the safer removable/semi-permanent type of dance pole.

That said, if you think a friction fit pole is your best bet, X-Pole makes very good quality friction mount poles.

If you're waffling between a friction pole and a semi-permanent mount, an excellent compromise would be the Lil Mynx Pro Pole. This is 2 piece friction fit pole that also comes with a bolted ceiling mount in case you want the extra security of a semi-permanent mounting system. You can switch back and forth between the two options, or even use them both in different parts of your apartment.

The Pro Pole comes apart easily and stores in a hard case (which also comes with accessories such as a stud finder, tape measure, grip ring, etc.).

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Best Pole for Apartment/Strength Moves Pt 3
by: Susan from PDFF

OK, now that I've given you a couple of options to consider for your apartment living situation, let's take a look at the different materials that dance poles are available in today.

As I understand it, you mainly want to work on upper body strength and you don't care as much for spins. In this case, I'd definitely recommend that you buy a pole that has a "grippier" finish. While stainless steel is a slightly less expensive option and a good all-purpose pole for those who either aren't sure or who like all aspects of pole dancing equally, it can be more challenging to hold onto when it comes to climbs, releases, and aerial poses.

Brass is an excellent choice if you want to work on these types of moves. It's definitely got the best grip, which is part of the reason it's the traditional material used in making dance poles.

Unfortunately, due to the cost, real brass poles for home pole dancing are not so easy to come by.

X-Pole doesn't offer brass, but they do make a "Titanium Gold" model. A description from their website reads:

"Titanium Gold is gold in color and has an electronically coated surface that increases the grip. It is made to emulate the grip of a brass pole and is ideal for climbs and inverts."

The "Titatium Gold" finish is a little less expensive than brass, but still more costly than stainless steel. The X-Pole also uses a friction fit system so there are no screws or bolts required.

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Best Pole for Apartment/Strength Moves Pt 4
by: Susan from PDFF

There is one other option you may want to consider if you're looking for a pole with good grip.

Lil Mynx is the only company I know of that offers a powder coated dance pole. This is actually their least expensive pole, which is a nice bonus!

Powder coated poles come in black, red or pink. I find them somewhere in between a stainless pole and a brass pole as far as grip goes, and for many of my students they're a favourite in class. They also look pretty sexy too!

If you tend to sweat a lot on your palms, I'd still recommend brass over any other material, but if you're a light sweater you may find these powder coated poles do the trick nicely.

The downside is that they're only available in a one piece removable pole with the bolted ceiling mount I mentioned earlier.

Wow, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, so let me try to recap!

Lil Mynx offers a totally portable, 2 piece pole with both friction and bolted mounting systems. It comes with a carrying/storage case but is only available in stainless steel.

Also available from Lil Mynx is the one piece powder coated dance pole in a variety of colours. It has better grip than stainless, though not quite as good as brass. It's only available as a one piece dance pole with a bolted ceiling mount.

X-Pole makes a brass-like dance pole that is friction mounted and comes apart in several pieces for easier storage. Some models come with storage/carrying cases as well.

I sincerely hope this helps you choose the right dance pole for your needs, but if you have any further questions or need more clarification, just leave me a comment below and I'll be happy to help further.

I'm sure your question will help other women choose the dance pole that's best for them too, so thanks very much for taking the time to stop by and ask!

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