Confidence lost using home pole?
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Another thought is to try shaving cream on your hands etc, not sure how you feel about grip products though...
I have also found a lack of confidence when using my home pole. My (82 year old!) Mum helped me put it up. I think the lack of confidence is to do with not trusting that we put it up correctly, but I think it *is* OK, I just have to learn to trust it! I have the 50(?) mm X-Pole (chrome). I found it very slippery at first. One of the instructors at the studio where I go, suggested coating it with "Tite Grip" and leaving it for a couple of days. This seemed to do the trick. Make sure you "test" the pole *every time* before using it, too! My pole converts to spinning, and I find that I need to convert it to spinning, then convert it back to static and tighten it up again before using it, as sometimes one or other of the sections of it spin a little until I've re-tightened it.
I have my home pole in the garage and also sometimes get worried about falling on my head onto the (concrete) floor! So what I do is take the sofa apart and put the big foam bits that make up the seat and back of the sofa under the pole and learn new tricks with them under me until I can do the moves confidently. This enables me to feel safe and if I did fall, I'd be falling onto many inches of foam! I find that this is also more effective than just taking off the cushions because with so many small cushions if I get excited about a new move and do a victory dance I trip up!!! haha 😎
I cleaned it up with the acetone! Worked like a charm, but now im super grippy. Im just gonna keep adjusting my grip until its perfect. I took it down and reassembled it and now I feel much more confident about it. I guess from all the excitement of finally having one just took over during installation. Im going back there to film my SV challenge. My mom keeps sweeping the floor for me everytime shes down there. Its so cute!
Minicoopergirl, I so glad to hear you got it worked out. I have been super discouraged in poling since the summer due to lack of grip. At first, I thought it might be the heat, but now I think it's because I never cleaned it properly with Acetone. Plus, I was using Windex to clean it. Now, I have switched to alcohol but I'm still having issues and have just put it away with intent to purchase a TG Xpert (I have a chrome Xpert). I will have to get some Acetone and give it a good cleaning and see if that helps. I really miss poling, and I was hoping to be much further along in my pole skills by now (I got my pole in April 2010 and haven't done much due to lack of grip). Thanks for posting this, and thank you to all of the responses (especially Charley) who have shared their experience and issues. I'm ready to try the acetone :)
I did not know about the coating on new xpoles, Can't wait to get rid of it. Lots of good ideas, might try them all!
right, trying to find out where I can buy 'rubbing alcohol' in the uk. Are we talking surgical spirit or Isopropyl Alcohol here? or does it matter? Daft question I know, but I don't want to do this wrong.
Lainey - I could never find rubbing alcohol when I was living in the UK. I think there was some stupid reason why it wasn't sold but I can't remember - it was three years ago. On occasion I 'grip up' poles. Not sure if I am super lucky and have ridiculously grippy hands but so far so good. I always paper kitchen towel. I never use an actual towel because I find that makes it slippy. I presumed it may be either a detergent residue or something in the fabric that makes the pole slippy. Might be worth a try.
Lainey C: 'rubbing alcohol' can be one of two things, but it normally refers to isopropyl alcohol. You can buy it in electronics stores like Maplins - it's used for cleaning grease off computer components. Boots sell it too, but you might need to ask at the pharmacy counter.
"Have you given it a good cleaning with acetone? Dawn dish liquid? " someone please help me. acetone, like nail polish remover. and how do u use the soap?
Use it hot, use it cold, clean with this, don't clean with that, take a shower, don't shower before use, moisturise, don't moisturise, choose brass, choose chrome, choose wood, two piece pole, single piece pole.........one thing you can take heart from is most of us have had to consider all these different factors when it comes to using our own pole at home. Things that are done with comparative ease in class or when others are around become next to impossible in the privacy of our own pole room. I found it difficult, but once a friend joined me things got better quickly. I think it was to do with a subconscious fear that I would have an accident and there would be no one there to help. The other plus is you have someone who can spot for you and give feedback. Stick with it, don't beat yourself up it will get better......honest! Hugs! Andrew
Hi guys! I've received my brand new Xpole Xpert a couple days ago and I've noticed it was pretty slippery too. I called Xpole in the UK and asked them about the acetone, the man on the phone told me to absolutely NOT do that and said it would damage it because it's too abrasive... However, he did say that he'd seen some girls in competitions put some sticky beverage on it (coke, redbull,spite,...) and wipe it down with a cloth and alcohol. I'll try and tell you what I think but I fully agree with Smalltownboy!
Ive been cleaning mine with the acetone (yep the stuff thats used to remove nail polish), and its been working out great. I also do more of warm up than I do in class. I think that has to do alot with it too. The poles in the studio are 5+yrs old, so they have seen thier fair share of warm up and abuse. Plus when there is 2 other pole classes in that studio before I take my class, its pretty well warmed up. Ive been using my home pole 2 days a week for the past month. Things are improving and im geting better about the idea that I am alone and if I injure myself there is no one around to help me get out of it safely. The floor in the laundry room is a concrete-esqe floor so I know if I land on it, its gonna hurt. Im gonna get some foam mat pieces so I dont feel so bad when Im trying to work on new stuff. I did invert for the first time at home!!! My calf cramped up like I used to so I figured its gotta be from me overpointing my toes when im nervous.
thanks - I just braved the gale force rains of glasgow to go buy some. I shall test it out on the off cuts from shortening my pole first. I am sure it will be fine though. I did not like the sound of using acetone as I have seen what it does to fake nails/hair. Did not want to use it on crome as my bathroom taps are cheapy chrome finish and flaking apart from cleaning products. Xpole would obviously be better quality but If I made it flakey somehow I would be beyond upset!!!
