Spring is here! Finally! The sun is coming out more often again, it's getting warmer, we meet at the beach bar in the evening and enjoy a cocktail, the thick jacket can finally stay in the closet and will be replaced by the cute, light new one that we bought a few months ago as that sun was nothing more than a memory from last year.
These are just a few of the cool things that make spring so, well... awesome. But stop! There is one thing about the great spring that is not so great. With the rising temperatures, the production of sweat also increases, which is known to be the price of training. I'm already slipping more when training on the pole than a few weeks ago. It's not even June yet and summer is just around the corner.
So quickly got the training bag out and checked. What do I have in there in the deepest shallows and what are the possibilities, products and home remedies to stop the annoying slipping?
DRY HANDS
Dry hands the one and only! Where would we pole dancers be without dry hands? Everyone knows it, everyone uses it, everyone has it. Even most studios have dry hands available for students to use freely. Big praise for that, by the way, dear studio operators!! I have to admit that it only helps to a limited extent for me personally in summer when it gets really hot. The effects don't always last as long as I would like. It sometimes happens that I have to lubricate about 10 times in a 90-minute unit. Nevertheless, I cannot and do not like to train without dry hands. Because when it works, it works brilliantly.
Summary : Dry Hands is primarily used on the hands. Can also be applied to other parts of the body. It's a liquid-based remedy with magnesium, so it's meant to recite sweat. In the transitional periods at moderate and slightly higher temperatures, great! Slight deduction in summer at very high temperatures or for people who tend to sweat profusely. But it only works to a limited extent. It lasts longer because it should only be applied in small quantities. Attention, always let it dry well and let it soak in before you get started!
TITE GRIP
Tite Grip is something like Dry Hands' smaller and lesser-known brother. It hardly differs from that. Price, quantity, method of application,… the two remedies are the same in almost every respect. Personally, I think Tite Grip lasts a little longer in terms of effectiveness. At least for me. However, this differs from person to person. Each of us has our own and specific skin surface, sweat composition (sounds kinda weird now but you get my point) and also a different perception.
Summary : Like Dry Hands, Titegrip is mainly used on the hands, but can also be used on the whole body. A small amount is applied and rubbed in before training. My opinion: try both and find out for yourself which one suits you better.
MIGHTY GRIP
Mighty Grip is THE producer of all kinds of grip aids. Gloves, powder, protectors, ... these people have a clue and know what they are doing. Mighty Grip is also well known and sponsors a number of pole and aerial events around the world. The two remedies they offer are very good and help for a long time. Personally, I'm not a big fan of it, but only because I don't like powdered products. This mess when opening, applying and closing drives me crazy. Nevertheless, it should be said that the effect is excellent.
Summary : Mighty Grip is magnesium in powder form. In terms of price, it is in the same field as Dry Hands or Tite Grip. The powder helps absorb body fluids and bind sweat. Mighty Grip can be used all over the body.
I TAC
Good old I-Tac is a very sticky and pimpy affair indeed. I have long resisted allowing this drug to find shelter in my training bag. A very long time ago…. When I started pole dancing... And people still use rotary phones…. Sorry no! Out of! Jokes aside :) ... Well, when I started pole dancing, I discovered this remedy in my studio at the time. Since I tend to have dry skin and sweat less (except when it gets warmer), I thought to myself: "Cool, I'll put that on my legs and then it'll be fine!" No sooner said than done and off to the bar, one done inverted. So far so good. But then I wanted to go down again, by slowly letting myself slide down. Yes … that wasn't possible then. I couldn't graduate between sticking to the bar and not. Of course I crashed down and right on my shoulder. After that I had problems and pain in my shoulder for about 3 weeks. What am I trying to say with this story? Be careful when using I-Tac. It's a great product and gives really great hold. But it also makes it difficult to change subtleties in your hold. To cut a long story short: it's better to apply small amounts at the beginning and experiment ;) By the way: yes, I like to use I-Tac now, just not always and in small amounts.
Summary : I-Tac is a beeswax based remedy. It sticks really well and gives a strong hold. The jars are available in two sizes. In the small 20g can and in the large 45g can. I-Tac is good for dry skin that sweats less. It is used more on the body. If you sweat profusely, be careful! The sweat can form a film between the bar and the I-Tac, which you can then slip off very quickly.
DEW POINT
Dew Point is one of my favorite winter remedies. As I said, I tend to have dry skin and of course it gets worse in winter. Dew Point is applied with a pump sprayer and moisturizes the skin, but of course it should not be confused with a care product! This way the skin gets a little wetter and sticks better to the pole. So it's not a grip agent in the sense of "I wear it on and it sticks to me" but helps the skin itself to adhere better.
Summary : Dew Point is a great remedy for dry, smooth skin. It is mainly applied to the legs, but can be used on the whole body without hesitation. The liquid is applied with a spray head. Simply apply two or three sprays, rub in and let it sink in. The skin becomes moister and holds better.
GLOVES
The gloves in our range and also those in most shops for pole dancers and aerial arts also come from Mighty Grip. There are two types of gloves: those WITH tack and those WITHOUT tack. The gloves with tack have an inside made of lacquer-like material. This is very rigid and holds super tight to the bar. Spins are no longer possible with these gloves. They agree on moves on the pole where you don't want to slide. Danger! The lacquer material of the gloves is extremely rigid. It doesn't stretch like leather, for example. That's why they tend to tear open the palms of their hands, especially if they're bought too small. So make sure that the glove fits well and tightly, but also that it reaches over the ball of your hand and does not tighten there. The gloves without tack have a leather inside. With them you can still make spins without any problems and also slide easily on the bar. With gloves, however, it is generally important to note that they are not a miracle cure for sweaty hands! If your hands sweat profusely, they will do the same in the gloves, maybe even more. The result is that you will slip out of them. Also, I think it's better not to use them that often. Pole dancing also depends a lot on the strength in your hands and fingers. If you always train with gloves, it will take you much longer to build up enough strength to hold heavy figures. You should also learn to trust your body and not a product.
Summary : We have gloves with and without tack in sizes XS, S, M and L. They are good for practicing moves that initially feel strange and unsafe.
HOME REMEDIES AND MISCELLANEOUS
Shaving Cream : What? Shaving cream? Yes really! Shaving cream! Simply apply the foam in small amounts (about the size of a hazelnut) to your legs and let it soak in. Helps well with dry skin.
Baby powder : Baby powder does nothing but magnesium: it absorbs liquids. So just try it.
Alcohol : Before, after and even during training, it also helps to clean the bar and your hands with a soft cloth and alcohol. This removes sweat, grease and grip agent residues. 96% ethanol from the pharmacy is best. The vodka from the supermarket will do, of course, if necessary. By the way: a well-cleaned rod will thank you with a longer beautiful coating ;)
Wash hands : Same as with alcohol. Wash hands before, after and during training to remove grease and sweat residue.
Magnesium from climbing needs: Our climbing colleagues have the same problem with sweaty hands as we do. So just see what kind of remedies they have.
So that's it ... I don't want to say it now because phew that was a lot. But I hope it helps you a bit. Feel free to comment your experience, opinion or whatever you want to say on this topic below. I'm looking forward!
