A question a lot of people ask after watching my dtube pole videos is:
How are you sticking to the pole?
WHAT MAGIC IS THIS??
edit (@norweignyogis's comment cracked me up) SUPER GLUE - HAHA jk!
Well, today is your lucky day, as I am writing a more in depth post revealing insider secrets to sticking to the pole. I like to think that in a way that the way we float on a pole is magical, but I guess there are certain factors that also contribute to a polerβs skin grip or as we like to put it βtack.β :P
First of all - general tack 101 β it is important not to slather yourself in lotion or oils before jumping on the pole. Pole can be very dangerous if you are attempting tricks where you go upside down and you have no tack. The pole can also be affected by the humidity or environment. Polers use a mix of water and alcohol (1:1) in a spray to wipe down the pole when it starts to feel slick. The metal that the pole is made out of can vary β chrome, stainless steel, titanium gold, brass... just to name a few, and some materials are known to provide more tackiness.
There is both hand grip and body tack to consider, and both of these require different consideration. Depending on the day and humidity, I sometimes can go without hand tack. The less you need to use the better, so you donβt have to rely so much on a grip aid and grip strength can be built up. I like to use a hand tack called dry hands, and there are also other brands that leave your hand with a little bit of extra grip, some leave a chalky substance similar to the chalks that gymnasts use before their routines.
Skin naturally provides grip to the pole. Clothing such as leggings, unless it is specialized pole leggings will slide right off the pole. Body tack is great for sticking. A little goes a long way. For example, I will usually apply tack to the insides of the knees and front of the shins for climbing. The amount of tack used must be balanced. Too little, and you will slide off the pole. If you use too much on certain tricks requiring momentum, and you will get A LOT of friction and it will probably hurt like a $%@$.
This brings me to the last point, polers may look like they are effortlessly suspended on the pole in some crazy manner, but they are actively using muscle to squeeze and hold themselves in these positions! Points of contact are essential! The less points of contact, usually means the more difficult the trick. A lot of times there is a counterbalance going on as well or jamming of an arm or leg to get some hang time. There are tricks, where it is just a βchicken wingβ or arm pit or just legs used to hold the trick. It actually took me a lot of practice, to finally gain the muscles to activate and squeeze enough to hold my body weight solidly!
Thanks for reading! Hope you found the secrets behind sticking to the pole interesting. Steem on and have a fabulous day!
Jess
P.S. Inviting all aerialists or aerial art lovers to browse or use the tag #aerialists! Letβs build a Steemit aerial arts community <3
Hahaha, I thought this whole post was just going to be a photo of your super strong hands...
It is amazing how our skin interacts with different materials... we find that with laches all the time... some metal poles I can super fly off, others I kind of stick to which kills my momentum, and others are so slippery you don't want to build up too much of a swing in case you fall backwards.
Those moves where you slide downwards upside look so amazing. I still think the secret is that you're a pole magician.
hahah yeah, the more I got into pole - I was surprised to learn of all this as well. :) Thanks my ninja friend!
Well that answers is easy you use super glue..
Right? Tihi... ππ your awesome and got the moves indeed π― thanks for the super glue tips...
HAHAH you crack me up! Yes, super glue is key.
I was waiting for you to give yourself and other pole folks that amazing credit you all deserve!! I took a very nativist approach with my limited pole experience and was just using the alcohol (and lotion abstinence, of course!). No inversions involved in the first level so the grip was only missed when I stag-spun off and just kinda plopped to the side of my pole. I learned quickly to keep a rag ready to reapply haha
Thank you, you are too kind! I too after poling, have so much awe and respect for polers -it is an intense sport that requires a lot of dedication and work! hahaha yeah sometimes that happens! I try not to fly off the pole :P
As an introductory adventure, it was hard to justify buying additional product, but I WILL return to pole, likely once I have my own to keep up regular home practice. And when I make my triumphant return, I will have improved my grip strength AND have bought some goop :p
that's awesome, for some reason I find this very interesting ;)
hahah thanks! glad you did :)
You must be so light. I can't do what you are doing. You are really good. Love it
thank you so much! :)
Now I got the trick!
I've always been scared for you; thinking you might fall off the pole.
Now, I feel I can do it too.
Nice work @polebird
hehehe thank you :) I sure hope you get the chance! Please let me know if you do!
allow me to reblog this great content
sure, thanks!
I'll make sure to use the #aerialists tag from now on! Totally on board with building a Steemit aerial arts community.
woo hoo!! excited to see what you come up with! It's all about the pole pole pole pole pole life!!! :D
Absolutely! haha I just decided to register for my first competition this summer! Eek! #aerialists #aerialistsofsteemit
I love this explanation. I now understand some of the tactics involved in poling a bit.
I've always been curious.πππ
haha I had your question in mind when I was writing this post! :) Glad to present the facts of sticking to the pole !
Thanks for making out time to explain. ππ
UMm ya... Iβm bruised everywhere when I pole! Looks like I was thrown down the stairs ππππ
hahaha you will toughen up even more than you already are, and you will just be jumping on and flying then!
Super interesting! Pole is a lot like climbing in this way- grip strength, dry hands, counter-balance, and overall strength and agility. Very cool!!
heheh thanks! :) I try to climb sometimes for cross training, it's got some awesome overlap - especially for grip strength training
A friend once told me that she could only do it 30 - 45 minutes a session only because the sweat would be just too slippery after that.
hahah I actually don't really sweat too much when poling so I can pole for 1.5-2 hours sometimes. Of course, not continuous - and with breaks between combos!
the truth comes out... it isn't magic
haha POOOF! :P
how do you prevent motion sickness from spinning a lot from doing tricks? From feeling dizzy.. By the way nice moves (:
haha thank you :) hmmmm you can jump up and down lol, maybe I will make a post regarding dizziness :P
Unbelievable. I can't get enough of you @polebird
Love, love watching you, but in a good way you make me sick how smooth, beautiful and easy you make it look. Hehe.
hehehe thank you :P
Wow such an amazing moved you can pull!! I didn't know about the rack and oils and all that, I though you just threw yourself to the pole haha but it makes sense now that you explain it
hahah thanks! it IS partially throwing yourself on it and just jamming yourself too :P so you were partially correct my friend!
gracefully jamming yourself into it, otherwise it will look like a tragic failure xD I can see myself throwing to the pole, hitting my head and getting picked up by an ambulance lol
The magician reveals her secrets!
That makes sense though. After playing around on our pole a bit I quickly realized how my lack of muscles failed to do a lot of things that my mind thought I could do lol.
PS: That upside down pic at the end is insane!
hahah it just takes practice and consistent training! You'll be hanging upside down in no time, if you get to it! :D Hope to hear some updates regarding that!!!
So that's the secret, hmmmm....
Can Watson do some pole dance...lol
I have a question.
Are skin hair also a factor???Thinking of male pole dancers!
hahah watson cannot..... YET!! I think it doesn't mess with the tack too much unless a LOT?? haha not sure, never thought abt it, should ask my friend lol
Great. I have been in love with pole fitness for a year now. You have to train with perseverance and sacrifice to go up the level. The hands-split is my favorite figuric <3