Everything you need to know before your first pole class

You've finally been brave enough to book your first pole class, now what?

It can be daunting attending pole dancing classes for the first time, particularly if you haven't partaken in exercise since school. Many new students have little knowledge about the pole world, have never seen the multitudes of pole videos on youtube and/or have been dragged along to class by someone else (this was me). 

The great thing about this is that you have no expectations! It's a great way to enter in to a relationship with the pole community. 

However, there are some things you need to know, my beautiful readers.

Preparation:

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Know where the studio is. 

You laugh but pole studios are often in hard to find locations and if you miss the warm up you may not be allowed to join in with the rest of the class.

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Wear something comfortable.

Some studios may ask you to wear shorts from the first lesson. We allow students to wear leggings or jogging bottoms for the first few weeks if they prefer. Most studios are barefoot. Some people do wear trainers, ballet shoes or heels to pole! I recommend bringing a pair of socks for choreography every week, it's hard to slide around beautifully on bare feet. Leg warmers are also great for winter, but not necessary. DO NOT MOISTURE ON POLE DAYS. I REPEAT DO NOT MOISTURE ON POLE DAYS.

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Research your studio.

You've already booked, but you should have done some research as to the pole schools in your area. Every studio is different! Not all are created equal and there are many different sides to pole. Do your research, ask questions. Always try different studios, and instructors, if there is more than one available to you.

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On the day:

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You've arrived!

Ensure you get to the studio early as there may be forms to fill out. Find out where everything is; the toilet, water, where you can put your things and get changed if you need to. You will be introduced to your instructor, who will explain everything you need to know. Don't be shy to ask questions! Take LOTS of photographs and videos, you'll want to look back on these later down the line, and you should be proud of your achievements! You're a badass pole dancer now.

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The class.

Every studio structures their lessons in a different way, depending on their style. Below is a break down of what a typical class at Saints & Spinners looks like:

Warm up: a full body warm up with particular focus on the arms and shoulders, as these are the muscles we will use the most! One to two songs in length.

Strength training: exercises on and off the pole designed to warm you up further and build strength for the moves you will eventually learn. This is an important element and will help you to progress more quickly and safely.

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Stretching/Choreography: certain weeks we ditch the strength training and do something fun! This may be some stretches to help with flexibility, it may be choreography, it may be learning to freestyle (dancing without a routine) or playing games.

Tricks and moves: You will then be taken through a certain number of tricks and dance moves individually, ensuring you have a good understanding of each one. To finish you may link these moves together in a combination or routine. This will form the bulk time of your lesson.

Cool down: This part of the lesson is super important to injury prevention and increasing flexibility. You will be given some time to wind down your practice and then be taken through stretches which focus on the muscles you have used. 

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Etiquette.

Each studio will have different rules regarding safety and behavior in the studio. They will likely run you through this at the beginning of class, or give you this information as the lesson goes on. But primarily; do not talk over your instructor, be kind to other students, do not play on the poles before warm up, do not try moves you have not been taught directly by your instructor, do not touch the poles after cool down. These are basic studio etiquette but there may be more. For example, in my classes, anyone heard talking badly of themselves has to do press ups or burpees!

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Enjoy!

Don't put pressure on yourself to achieve certain things or compare yourself to others. Every individual has a different background and different starting point. You may be the unlucky one to end up in a class full of ex-gymnasts and dancers. This doesn't mean you're rubbish, it just means they've been training their bodies their entire lives, and you haven't. Only compete with yourself. If you improve week on week then your instructor will be happy and proud. Don't give up on self growth because others are further ahead on the journey. They are not important, you are. Have a good attitude and you will go just as far.

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Poles:

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Spinning or Static.

The poles you use may be spinning or static. Your studio may only use one or both. It can take some time to get used to the spinning motion on either type of pole, usually within a few weeks any symptoms of dizziness or sickness go entirely. Take it slow to begin with, you will learn to control your spin speed, and let you instructor know of any concerns. They will adjust their teaching to help you!

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Small hands/Big Hands.

Poles also come in different diameters, the smallest are generally 38mm,up to 50mm. At Saints & Spinners we primarily use 45mm, with usually at least one 40mm and 50mm in each class. If you have small hands you'll want to use the smallest pole you can find! Most students dislike the old fashioned 50mm poles; but you find the odd person who still loves them. Try every pole.

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Sweaty Hands.

Sweaty hands are the curse of pole dancers everywhere. There is lots you can do to help.

As previously mentioned NEVER MOISTURE ON POLE DAYS. This is the cardinal sin of pole dancing. Not only will you be slippy, but you will make anyone who uses the pole after you slippy also. They will hate you. 

Wash your hands before and during class. It's not a long term solution but it can make a difference. 

Use a smaller pole - the smaller diameter will help if hand size and strength is the issue.

Clean your pole. Most studios will provide a pole cleaner and cloths. Always clean your pole before class, regularly during, and after. Beginners never clean their poles enough. On slippy hot sweaty days you may need to clean your pole between every move!

Buy a grip aid for sweaty OR dry skin. Grip aids come in many forms and are used across the board by pole dancers it is not cheating! There are different grip aids for different ailments. Always ask your instructor, some grip aids are not to be used on certain pole finishes and your instructor may have a product they prefer.

Use a grippy pole! If your studio has poles of different finishes, there may be one type that suits you better. Chrome is the most common pole finish but not the most grippy! Look out for brass, stainless steel, silicone or powder coated and other finishes. 

And remember; your hands and arms will get stronger, allowing you to hold your spins and moves for longer. Patience is the best solution for slippy hands!

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After Class:

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Feedback.

Let your instructor know how they did! Honest constructive feedback is a helpful tool for growing a business. Whether bad or good, we love to hear it. You may even wish to pop a review on the facebook page. 

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Share your journey!

Post up your photographs, your videos, let everyone know about your new hobby. Some individuals still have an issue with pole dancing, but the majority of people now understand that pole is not a dirty sin to be hidden but a wonderful form of exercise and expression. Don't be shy! And your recommendation, your enjoyment, does more for our industry than any advertising we could pay for...

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Look after yourself.

I remember being sore for an entire week after my first class. Putting on and taking off clothing was interesting, to say the least. Take a warm bath, do some gentle stretching. REST. In the weeks to come your recovery time will get shorter. It will get easier, your body will get stronger.

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Get excited for your next class!

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So, you want to take a pole class? - The Ultimate Guide

Everyone in the pole world had to start somewhere. Contrary to popular belief you don't need a background in dance or gymnastics in order to take a lesson - in fact, you don't need any kind of talent whatsoever to become one of best pole dancers in the world. All you need is determination! When I started pole dancing I was a lazy alcohol drinking cigarette smoking junk food lover who could barely walk to the end of the road without getting out of breath. Now I do not smoke, am more healthy in my eating choices and am very active! Taking that first class was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life.

There is some weird pervading myth online that to partake in pole dance or fitness classes you already need to be flexible, strong and a good dancer. I call bullshit. Here is a guide to beginning out in pole fitness for those of us who are unhealthy, over or under weight and who have as much grace and flexibility as a herd of wild buffalo (and for anyone else who has an interest but no idea where to start).

Is pole for me?

Pole can be hard, really hard, but it is also a LOT of fun and addictive. This is what keeps so many people coming back! On top of that pole really is accessible for all types of people; old, young, disabled, fat, skinny. We have students in their 50s and 60s who are grandparents! Women, and men, from all backgrounds, all jobs, stay at home mums, ex dancers, coach potatoes. There are amputee pole dancers. Honestly, with a little bit of patience and determination almost anyone can make progress. A good instructor will have plenty to teach you until you build the strength for those amazing feats you see online! You can achieve the same as anyone else. Have no judgement or expectation about what you can achieve, and you will surprise yourself!

Will I break the pole?

One of the most common worries I hear from most people is whether the poles will hold their weight. The weight a pole can hold varies depending on a LOT of factors but as an example; the X-Pole X-Stage (a portable stage pole) can easily hold the weight of two rather stocky men of about 13-15 stone each doing doubles, we have tested it, and the X-Pole X-Pert/Sport (the kind of pole you’ll most likely use in the studio) can hold a lot more as long as they are put up correctly. I've seen 6 people on one pole before. So, no excuses! Lulu is a great example of a larger lady working the pole without breaking it!! 

The other concerns are usually focused on strength, flexibility, grace and dancing skills. Our classes are designed for complete beginners, you do not need to be able to hold your body weight to begin with! Strength, flexibility, grace and dancing skills will come with time and practice. Don’t compare yourself to others; this is YOUR journey alone. If you achieve something new from yesterday or last week then that is amazing. Take that attitude with you and you will achieve so much so fast you won’t even believe it! The only competition is against yourself.

Finding your studio:

The first question to ask is what are you trying to achieve? Are you going for fitness? Confidence building? Dancing? Tricks? A larger studio may offer ALL of these things but many studios are part time and may only have one instructor who focuses on one particular area. At SASS you can do all of this and more! Check out our instructors page to find out more.

Ensure your instructor is fully qualified and experienced. There is no shame in asking what their background and qualifications are, they'll likely already have it on their website! In our opinion it's important that an instructor has some kind of REPs approved qualification, ideally in gym instructor/exercise to music or personal training, but pole specific qualifications can also be great. If they're PDC (pole dance community) registered that's usually a good sign, though many amazing instructors choose not to be. They absolutely should be insured and first aid trained.

Like many industries and areas of life - there are good and bad instructors. For the most part the bad ones just don't know what they don't know, and there's no laws to regulate our industry. This makes it hard to know, as almost anyone can set up as an instructor. It's so important that you find a good instructor if you want to be safe and to progress. Often times it's not that a student is rubbish, but that their instructor is!

Warning signs: no warm up or cool down, high student to instructor ratio, more than 2 people to a pole, ridiculous tricks in the first few weeks, little instruction, unable to answer your questions or fix your mistakes, absolutely no crash mats or spotting.

No instructor is perfect, I consider myself to ALWAYS be learning, and I learn a lot from my students, but the above can be some big warning signs that your instructor is not up to par.

Attending your first class:

What to wear: 

Whatever you would normally exercise is usually fine the first week! Shorts are often not needed until a few weeks in. Barefoot is most common, some studios may require heels but are in the minority.

What to bring:

Just yourself! And ensure you have a way of paying if you haven't pre-paid.

Arrive early:

The first time you go make sure you leave plenty of time to find your studio. Pole studios are often in hidden hard to find places. If you are late and miss the warm up you may be turned away.

Do not moisturise on pole days!!!

Moisturises will make you, the pole, and whoever is using your pole in the class after you, slippy. 

First class breakdown:

- Warm up! You should feel warm by the end of this, the content can vary a lot but shouldn't be too intense.

- Strength training. You will likely do some exercises using the pole to build your strength and conditioning. This is vital for making progress and may be done at any point in the lesson.

- Spins and tricks! You will learn some basic spins, tricks and transition moves, before putting them together.

- Cool down. Your instructor will start to wind down the class and end with a stretch. If you go to a studio where they do not stretch consider bringing this up with your instructor, this is absolutely basic stuff and would make me question their credentials. Some studios may ask you to stretch yourself off in order to maximise class time, but this shouldn't be expected in a beginners class.

There are many different types of pole. They come in different sizes, more info below, and finishes. There are rubber coated poles for students with slippy hands, or those who want to keep their clothes on a little longer. There are smaller poles for smaller hands. 

Some studios teach solely static pole, some spinning, others both. If you find spinning pole makes you feel sick or dizzy just let your instructor know! Usually it goes away but in some cases you may need to stick with static pole only.

Keep your pole clean! Your instructor will likely provide you with cloths and pole cleaner. It really does help to clean your pole throughout the lesson. Sometimes washing your hands also helps if you are sliding and there are a range of grip aids available online that can minimise slipping. Ask your instructor for more information on these. 

Remember to relax and enjoy it. Don’t beat yourself up if you struggle. There are girls who come to their first class and can immediately do everything we throw at them and girls who barely manage to do one spin. It does not necessarily correlate that if you are the second girl that you are just rubbish at pole and should not continue or that if you are the first girl that you’ll go on to be the best. Even the best pole dancers in the world have their weaknesses. If you enjoy it, who really cares??

You may be sore for the next few days. Have a warm bath, do some gentle stretching, and remember; it gets easier!

Self-teaching:

There are areas of the country, and world, which do not have a pole dancing/fitness studio and even where there are classes available they can be VERY expensive. In cities you can be looking at over £100 for a 6 week course. Self-teaching is not something I recommend for the large majority of people but it can work in some instances; Jess Leanne Norris (Miss Pole Dance UK 2011), self-taught from the age of 15 and has won many prestigious competitions. The main things you have to remember with self-teaching is that pole dancing is dangerous and it is hard; many of you will give up without the structure of a class and you could get SERIOUSLY injured. I’m talking paralysis, broken bones or at the least sprains and strains. If you’re determined then take it slow and find a partner to join you on your pole journey; you WILL need a spotter and most likely a decent crash mat. Learn about warm ups, cool downs, safe stretching, anatomy and physiology. You’ll need it if you don’t have someone, who does have that knowledge, guiding you. There are so many options for online learning now that didn't exist in the past, take advantage of them!

Self-teaching links:

• Cleo's Rock N Pole. Widely considered one of the best for video tutorials, rock and roll style!  
• Pole and Aerial. Video tutorials from some of the world’s best pole dancers; Jenyne Butterfly, Felix Cane and Marlo Fisken among others.
• StudioVeena. Another video tutorial site. The great thing about this site is the community, which you can access without having to subscribe. It really is an online studio as it provides the social element.
• Pole Dance Dictionary.
• PDC syllabus online.
• Youtube/IG/Tiktok in general is good for tutorials.
• Patreon - lots of pole instructors have their own platforms.
•  And facebook groups, instagram etc are great for community and advice!

And finally, Buying your own pole:

It took me only a month of classes to want my own pole. Having your own pole at home is a great way to improve on what you learn in class and get extra training in. For those who can’t afford a weekly class it can be a good option to save money; take one class a month and train at home the rest of the time. So what are your options? Do not buy from a company unless it is included in this section (there may be a few professional grade pole companies that I am not aware of, please inform me if you know of others to add to this post!).

The world of poles is not an easy one to understand and you may wish to talk to your instructor for their opinion first. You’ll most likely want to buy the same pole you’re used to in class and may already know a little about the different features and types of poles out there. This is mainly provided for those who want to self-teach or just don’t have a clue. The main differences between poles are the way in which the poles are installed, the coating of the pole, the thickness of the pole and whether they are static and/or spinning.

The most popular pole in Europe (though it is sold in America and world-wide) is the X-Pole Xpert and the main reasons for this are its affordability and functionality. It can be put up in homes with varying ceiling heights and types; as long as there is a support joist (beam) to prop it up on. You can find these easily using a stud finder. The pole goes up in no time with no drilling (if you have a sloped roof you will need other attachments). It takes all of about 10 minutes from the box. The Xpert also has spinning or static capabilities. The X-Pole Sport is an even cheaper option if you’re not a fan of spinning poles.

Other companies I am less versed in include; Lil Mynx, Platinum Stages, R-Pole, Aurelian pole and Lupit Pole. I cannot personally vouch for these poles, though they are considered safe by the community. 

There is a lot of debate over what type of pole is best for grip and many of the companies offer different coatings from chrome to steel to titanium to brass. Read reviews, try them out if your studio has a variety. Most people go for the cheapest and to be quite honest most studios use chrome as well!

Pole thickness:

38-40mm: Super skinny pole! If you struggle with gripping on to the pole because you have small hands then this may be a good option for you. It can be a more painful pole to train on but most find that in time they become accustomed to it. If you struggle with leg grips then this may not be the pole for you as there is very little to grip on with.

45mm: The skinny pole! Perfect for small to normal sized hands and provides just enough grip on the body without being too painful. I personally think this is the perfect all-rounder of a pole. You get the best of both worlds!

50mm: The fat pole. This used to be the standard pole size in most studios until people discovered how much better the thinner poles are. Some people do still love the 50mms though. It’s all personal preference. I think they are great to have in class when trying a new trick that requires a lot of body grip and not a lot of hand grip. It’s good to have that safety before moving on and trying it on a smaller pole.

So, hopefully this has covered everything you might like to know about pole dancing/fitness classes. If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to pop us a message. Most of all; be BRAVE, take the leap. You may end up loving it!

Bonus tip: There are those that would have you believe that pole dancing originates from chinese pole and Mallakhamb. Whilst these art forms have had an influence on pole; the fact is that modern pole dancing comes from the strip clubs. The vast majority of our pioneers started in the clubs. There is NOTHING wrong with this. You may choose to do pole dancing solely for fitness, and that's okay, but it's not cool to slut shame. We're very lucky our stripper friends had the ingenuity to take pole to the dance studios!