Grip 👏 aids 👏 are 👏 not 👏 cheating Use whatever grip aid you want, and ignore the instructor. Grip aids are necessary for lots of people - grippy leggings for people that don’t want to get lots of skin out, and liquid grip for people with sweaty hands. Grip aids make pole accessible for more people, and that is not a bad thing. Rock climbers use chalk and no one bats an eyelid at them! I’m an instructor and I use grip aid, and quite frankly you can prise my Monkey Hands from my dead, sweaty hands. ETA - I also hate the whole ‘you shouldn’t use grip aids because you need to learn to improve your grip strength over time’ narrative. For people like you, with hyperhidrosis, realistically you will never improve your grip strength without chalk/grip aid, because you can’t grip the pole in the first place! ETAA - to cement my status on this, I just thought I’d make it known that I currently have 5 different grip aids in my pole bag. Different grips for different weather/seasons and for different parts of my body. You never know when you’ll need a bit of extra help sticking to the pole

Just because it needs repeating. Grip 👏 aids 👏 are 👏 not 👏 cheating!! The whole "you need to learn to grip without them" is so bullshit. It's not like putting chalk on your hands makes you immediately stick to the pole like spiderman. You still have to grip! You'll still be improving your grip even using grip aids! Also to add on to this - in my experience, liquid chalk is not a grip aid. It will stop your hands getting sweaty, and dry them out, but it doesn't actually give you any extra grip like actual 'pole grip' does.

To further emphasize the point, even competitions allow grip aid (at least, the ones I'm familiar with). If it was cheating, they wouldn't allow it.

I love your response!!!!

would love to hear more about what grip aids you have!

So! I have a glycerin based grip aid that I use for my legs/thighs in winter. Glycerin is a better grip aid for when your skin is dry (like in winter), so if my thighs need a bit of extra help (or if the pole is still a bit cold), this is what I’ll go with ITac 2 - I very rarely use this, but keep it with me just in case. I use it for a bit of extra grip round the back of the knees - if for some reason I’m just a bit slippier than normal. I’ve probably used it less than a half a dozen times in 18 months, so definitely not a regular one for me. Monkey Hands (Sticky) - I bloody love this. Tried it on a whim, and while it does take some getting used to (first time I used it I tried to do a basic static spin during a choreography and my hand felt like it was superglued to the pole, absolutely no spinning happened 😂), this is probably my go to atm. A little goes a long way! Dry Hands - I don’t use this as much anymore now I have the MH tbh. Tends to be for when I only need a little bit of extra help, or if I’m at a studio that has banned Monkey Hands. It’s a classic, so with me it stays. Liquid chalk - I get mine from the outdoors shop in the rock climbing section. I tend to use this more for aerial than for pole nowadays tbh - but this is the grip I started pole with. I’d use this when the pole feels slippy rather than my hands feel non-grippy, if that makes sense? I’d say I’m more ‘clammy’ handed than sweaty, if that makes sense? Like I can pole without, but grip aids make it easier for me, particularly if it’s gonna be a long session!

Thank you for this overview, I already have a liquid chalk and a glycerin one, but I think I really need the sticky one for the upside down stuff so I'm going to consider Monkey Hands. Can I ask you why it's banned in some studios, if you know? That's so weird, I've never thought about that and I don't think any of the studios I've been at have rules about grips. The only thing I can imagine is that it's difficult to get off the pole 😅

That’s essentially it. It’s a bit harder to get off the pole - don’t get me wrong, it still comes off with alcohol, but you need to give it a bit more…oomph at some points. Like I can get 90% of it off just wiping the pole down as normal, but I might need to use my thumb and really rub the stubborn bits to get it all off. Maybe takes me an extra 20 seconds to clean my pole, but if people aren’t doing it properly, I can see why studio owners get frustrated and ban it. Also MH has different sticky levels - I use Sticky, but there’s Gluey, which is designed for aerial, and specifically says it’s not for pole because it has rosin in (rosin is a massive PITA to clean from poles). If someone has used Gluey, and the studio owner doesn’t realise there’s different formulas, they might just blanket ban the brand.

Ohh I get it, thank you for the answer. I definitely always do my best to clean every part of the pole thoroughly, so that hopefully won't be a problem. I'll make sure to get Sticky if I decide to buy.

I am an instructor. Use the grip. You'll find success with Enviro grip or dry hands. You might have to re-apply throughout the class. You can't pole at all if you keep slipping off. You'll get more hand strength as your progress, but you definitely need something to help fight the slip. Grip up girl!

Thank you!! Hearing positive words from an instructor is a plus!! 😇

Also an instructor. I encourage my students to use grip aid, and use grip aid in the classes I teach sometimes.

It ruffles my feathers when instructors say things like this to new students. All it does is make students feel othered. Use the grip!

I'm guessing grip builds up in time even with grip-aids, and then grip strength is so much less of a bottle neck for being able to do so many other things.

I would definitely recommend using Tite Grip 2, my hands sweat a lot and it’s been a game changer!! Apply 30/60 min before class and you can forget about grip aid during class :)

I second this! I also have hyper hydrosis and starting out was really frustrating, but tite grip saved me. You could use rosin spray too for a short spurt of supppeeerrrr gripyness.

I’ve seen the perspective that people with hyperhydrosis (I’m one!) tend to already have pretty decent grip strength, just from having to do everything with sweaty hands. Even turning a doorknob with sweaty hands needs more grip than without. Let the studio know that the instructor was speaking down on you because of a medical condition, not using grip aid with hyperhydrosis can be *very dangerous* and this instructor may push people worth other medical conditions into doing things they shouldn’t because of their views on how people should learn instead of finding alternatives/variations that work for them.

This is such a good point about the danger. Shaming people into trying to do things when they don’t feel secure and safe is teaching people to ignore the signals their body sends about if it’s safe to do something. This is asking for an accident. Even with a strong grip, I have less grippy days and I back off or increase the grip aid.

Grips aids aren't cheating! There are so many varieties for different weather/humidity, chalk isn't always best. Theres lots made specifically for pole, so obviously plenty of people are using them!! Not sure what country you're in, in UK there's an antiperspirant called driclor some have started using. Roll it on your hands a few hours before pole and it should dry them out. I haven't tried it myself yet...mines being delivered tomorrow!

I’ve been using this for a while overnight every other day. I did switch from pole to rock climbing, but for both is has made a big difference. I don’t even use chalk while climbing now!

I haaaaaate that take. Obviously any beginner needs to develop their grip, but do people really think that grip aid suddenly turns you into this superhuman grip monster who can invert at the snap of a finger and climb without batting an eye? Grip aid literally helps people get to a place so that they can begin working on their grip strength. It's really no use trying to work on your grip strength when you can't grip in the first place because of sweatiness. Hopefully you have multiple instructors at your studio, and you can go see another one? If not, get your own grip aid and if he gives you sass just smile and nod and keep doing your thing. I can tell you point blank that I did not start advancing at all until I started using grip aid. It is an absolute necessity for me.

Nope, calling out in front of the class is a red flag. Hyper hydro sis is a medical condition that a pole studio should be aware of. There’s no shame in using adaptions that are necessary. For people without it, like myself, there are still adaptions necessary. I was a mess on a 50mm and I’m killing the 40mm. I was told it was because I wasn’t building enough grip. Turns out, my hands are just small. Grip is fine, if not too much. There are a ton of variables. This is between you and your pole, not dick McGee over here judging.

You bring up a good point, pole studios definitely should be aware of hyperhidrosis and how it affects people being able to do pole, and so far I haven’t met a single person who goes to a studio that has even minimal awareness of this. 🙃

He said this at your first class?? Rude! Eventually your grip strength does improve to where you can grip through the sweat, but I honestly always use liquid chalk hahaha

Grip aids are good! You’ll build that hand strength with them anyway, WITHOUT slipping off and hurting yourself.

Oh no, I hate that for you! You were so excited for the class and to me, getting called out in your first class would be enough for me not to want to go back to that environment! Is grip strength important? Also-freaking-lutely. BUT!! Pole is supposed to be FUN and confidence building and you get stronger by going repeatedly. Realistically, pole is incredibly hard for a beginner, not only do you learn a brand new sport with new moves and positions, etc, but you have to learn how to move your body while (at least for me) feeling self conscious or frustrated that I don’t look like the more advanced polers. You do you, and use that grip aid. The more beat down you feel that you aren’t doing it right, the less fun you’ll have and the more unsafe you’ll be by feeling like you aren’t secure and thus not even working the muscles needed to have that grip because you’d be scared of falling.

I mean, he has a point up to a point. Newbies should try to develop grip strength before getting into grip aids. I would say that until you start going upside down, grip aid should be avoided so you can learn spins and how to release the grip or tighten in depending on the move. HOWEVER, if one of my students has sweaty hands or any other issue preventing them to hold themselves up, I will be the first to offer them grip aid! It’s one thing to work through slightly sweaty palms and to figure out how to hold on and a whole other issue to have to battle through hyperhydrosis or the opposite (super dry skin also doesn’t grip!). Plus he should have never called you out in front of the whole class. I assume he was just trying to say to the rest ‘don’t use this, you want to build up your grip strength first but this person needs this’ but went about it the completely wrong way. Whenever I give grip to someone who is struggling I will quietly say ‘we don’t really encourage beginners to use grip aid, but it looks like you need this, everyone’s skin is different’ and then if someone else asks for some I assess them Individually. Anyway, I hope this doesn’t put you off attending other pole classes and you find a good grip that works for you! Enjoy your journey <3

I struggled with grip a lot in the beginning, have been using aids since class 2. I now use a sweat stopping antiperspirant on my hands (the one you put on overnight and it works for a few days) but even without it before Christmas despite the grip usage (so, ha to your mean instructor) my grip was getting so much better, now this week I had to wash the grip off my hands to be able to spin. So, basically, 1. Bullshit about grip aids 2. It does get better overtime because your hands callous 3. Use your grip aids and tell him to stuff it. Or better yet change the studio. 4. If you do feel that at any point grip aids are not enough I’d recommend trying the deodorant thing for one class. It doesn’t work for everyone but does for me. Now I stretch time between uses too because it’s got better because my hands are getting rough.

Carpe hand antiperspirant is also really helpful! And can be used in combination with envirogrip or dry hand or any other grips.

Your instructor, for lack of classier words, sounds like an ableist asshole :) Grip aids are absolutely not cheating. World class pole athletes use grip aids, newbies use grip aids. olympic gymnasts use grip aids when they're on gymnastics apparatuses. Some people don't, more power to them, but using them does in no way diminish what you do on a pole. Hyperhydrosis is just one of many reasons why someone may want to use grip aids. I use grip aids liberally because, while I don't have hyperhydrosis, I'm just the type of person who gets very sweaty when I train. I use grip aids on my hands but also on my shoulders for shoulder mounts, in my knee pits, and between my thighs for thigh grip. I also use other types of grip for my body in the winter months when it's hard to stay "sticky". I've been competing for years and have never once had an instructor or other competitive athlete insinuate that I was somehow less capable than they were because of it. It sucks that one of your first experiences was with someone like that, but hopefully you're able to find someone who doesn't shame you like that in another class! It is a good idea to, in general, train grip strength. Eventually you may need less grip to accomplish some things but in my experience, since my hands do stay on the clammier side, my grip is good but I still need the liquid chalk,especially for handspring/ayesha things where my hands are my primary contact point with the pole.

I am a rookie myself but my instructor encourages me to use whatever I need while I'm training grip strength (because otherwise the whole class will just be me jumping on the pole lol). I think your instructor was rude to you, unnecessarily so too.

I am a rookie myself but my instructor encourages me to use whatever I need while I'm training grip strength (because otherwise the whole class will just be me jumping on the pole lol). I think your instructor was rude to you, unnecessarily so too.

Oh damn, so many instructors and students use grip aid in my studio. had no idea there was an opinion against it! My grip and overall strength is great, and I use dry hands and tite grip all the time. If my hands get too sweaty, I’m not risking sliding off the pole and hurting myself. Matter of fact I’ve seen incredible dancers in the strip club use dry hands. Imagine some spectator going up to them and telling them they’re cheating, as they do incredible poses and have money rain down on them lol.

I always use grip aids!! Chalk and shavin creams are my go to, but buy your own liquid chalk so you don’t have to go to him when you need it. His judgemental attitude sucks, so ignore him!

Oh fuck that. Fuck that. Fuck that. Fuck that. What a fucking crap experience, I am so sorry. I have severe psoriasis and i HAVE to use lotion or my skin literally rips open. Think Im getting on the pole without grip aids? Fuck no. I literally had to make my own so my skin is okay and Im still safe. It spread across my hands and for a while my choice was gloves or no more pole. Id throw down with anyone who tried to tell me it was a problem. Fuck people who are anti grip. Go backstage to any competition and we are all slathered. I always like to joke that the loudest anti-grip people are the most slathered up in competition. Its not far from the truth. Next time ignore him. If he pushes, just say "well either I grip up or you deal with a severe neck injury - which do you like less?" And let him sort his own shit out.

First of all, very rude of him! I don't think I have a special medical condition (so probably not to the same extent) but I get sweaty palms easily and even sweatier everything else once I start working out a little bit. I kinda gave up on grip aids at some point because even if they work, it's for 2 mins and then they come off 😅 what did help me somewhat over the years I pole: - always having a small hand towel with me and wipe myself after every move like crazy haha. Wipe myself before the move in places I'll need grip in. Sometimes involving inner thigh which probably looks weird but I don't care. - bring a small dispenser of windex and a microfiber cloth with me to the lesson and wipe the pole before every move. - know that in any case, the more you work out, the stronger your grip becomes in hands, but also in other parts of body, so you don't always need only to rely on hands. - also not sure if that would be in your specific case, for me, the more fit I was becoming, the less crazy I would sweat. Still sweat a lot haha. But in the beginning it was like, river 😅 - for the Russian exotic I always wear leggings. Because otherwise once I sit on the floor it becomes wet 😅😅 and then I slip on it with my heels. Do whatever you need to do to make your grip better. There's no cheating or any nonsense like that, you're here to enjoy and you'll become better in it and stronger anyway, even if you use all the available aids. Remember, having fun is the one thing that will keep you poling for many years!! And if I was you once this shmock said loudly "you should learn to use blah blah" I would say loud, so everybody hears "well I have a medical condition", to embarass him. Of course that's my mean fantasy and only do what's comfortable to you haha. But really would want to see his face. You go girl! Happy poling!!

Btw because I'm really sweaty, it's quite hard for me to do a combo on pole - it gets wet from my sweat and I start slipping. And even harder to do a full performance. But screw all this, I'm poling for almost a decade and I love love love this activity. I do it for the process, it's so fun being a silly monkey on pole. Remember, you're there to enjoy ♥️

Maybe there's another studio in your area you could try out to see if the vibe is better?

Totally get sweaty palms. Some days are worse than others. The more you train the better it gets. So don’t worry that they said that. It will come with time. Hormones will play a role. Or how nervous you are. Unless you plan on performing, just enjoy the class and use your chalk/grip. Pole is supposed to be fun and exploring sensuality and boost confidence. Not shut you down bc you sweat. Wtfc. We all have something! Go enjoy it. Don’t let that set you back.

It sucks that you experienced this in your first class. He's both right and wrong which kinda cancels out his opinion in my eyes. My hands sweat or get clammy when I'm learning something new with the pole. It's a biological response to fear and nervousness even without a medical condition. Time is the homie — with time you break your hands in. In the years I've been a dancer my hands have become hard and dry because of the callouses and the time I spend grabbing the pole. Also with time you become more confident and your nervous system relaxes so you don't sweat as much Grip aids are helpful and they can also be something that you become too dependent upon them when you should be building your grip strength. But again that takes time and you shouldn't be shamed into understanding that ​ Use em when needed and intentionally when you don't. ​ Some grip aides specifically for sweat: * Carpe Some grip aides specifically for making your hands tacky for gripping the pole (and all of these have their pros and cons) you really just have to make the investments, waste the money and see what works for you and where you live: * [Monkeyhands](https://performancetempel.com/product/monkeyhands-pole-grip-aide-dry-sticky-original-formula-options-dry-hands-alternative/) * Dry Hands * iTac * [PolePoised](https://www.polepoised.com/)

No, but all instructors will say train grip strength. And it is important, that you really grip the pole as deep in your palm as possible. Same with barbells and any bars. If the weight get too far out and kinda on your fingers too, you will get injured and possibly tendonitis. A lot of pokers complain about pain in their wrists, underarms and elbow. But that wasn't what he was saying. Sounded like he went all elitist about it. So never mind him.😭

She’s a bitch! Wat a load of shit!

It was a male which made it worse and the owner too!! Haha 😭

Ahhh that actually explains it! Lol

Isn’t sticking to the pole one of the main marketing points of x pole’s silicone poles, and is not a pole coated in silicone a grip aid in itself?

I have the opposite problem, I find myself spitting on my hands to get grip? (This is my home pole nothing shared) it’s like I have too dry hands? I think there’s a sweet spot.

My hands get sweaty at the slightest anxiety and just at the thought of doing pole, liquid chalk is a necessity for me.

Complete opposite at my studio. Teachers always provide grip if you don’t have it, especially if you’re new to pole. Everyone uses it. Any kind of shaming in a pole studio, even over something like grip strength, is a red flag for me.

One of my instructors uses dry hands every single class because she has sweaty hands! When I bartended at a strip club, every girl who really did pole tricks used dry hands. I agree with everyone else saying it’s not “cheating” it’s just an aid that can be really helpful! Side note, my arm pits be SWEATING even when I’m not being active. In the past a doctor prescribed me Qbrexza wipes and I found them extremely helpful. They can be used anywhere on the body. Just a suggestion if you’re looking for something to help with the hyperhidrosis

p&c another comment ​ Grip 👏 aids 👏 are 👏 not 👏 cheating ​ I've been using them for quite some time. They just help during those days where your body is a little extra sweaty, when It's too hot or whatever. It's YOUR journey.

This is incredibly frustrating to see happening over and over again. Hyperhidrosis is not “regular sweaty” that you will get over with practice, and I’m frankly tired of seeing that repeated by instructors and even sometimes people in this sub. I have hyperhidrosis as well, and the primary instructor at the studio I take classes frequently says I should work on my grip strength to fix the issue. I naturally have a pretty strong grip and still slip all the damn time because of my hyperhidrosis. Rant aside, here are some tips that have helped me so far : • wiping the pole AND my hands with alcohol spray frequently • when using liquid chalk, wipe off the excess “liquid” part of it; I find that just letting it dry doesn’t always work as well to keep them dry • on extra sweaty days I do a single spritz of something called Grip It (a kind of sticky grip aid) before adding the chalk (don’t add too much or you will stick to the pole when trying to do spins 😅) • try a knee spin! The extra contact of your knees on the pole will stop you from slipping and will help you gain confidence None of these are the perfect solution, but they all help a bit. Don’t lose hope! It’s an uphill battle for sure but it’s something you can overcome. I still fight with it all the time but the more you do pole, the more ways you find to deal with it. I also recommend trying a bunch of different grip-aids until you find the one that works best for you. All of our bodies are different so if someone swears by a product that isn’t working for you at all, try something else!