Back in the day, before pole dancing studios existed and dinosaurs roamed the earth (LOL jokes – it wasn’t that long ago), it was common to learn pole dancing at home. Most polers were practicing new tricks for their club shows, while others wanted to try out this exciting, new form of fitness. As pole dancing grew in popularity, we started to see pole studios opening worldwide and spark the industry we know today.
Now that the internet has opened up a world of pole-possibility, it seems we’ve had a full circle moment as many pole dancers choose to have a home pole once more. Whether it’s the convenience of training whenever you like, reducing travel time, saving money or feeling more confident in your own space, pole dancing at home can have many perks and we’re glad to see it’s trending again. Although, let’s leave the legwarmers in the past okay?! #iykyk
While there are many benefits to pole dancing at home, mustering up the motivation and getting on the pole can have its challenges. To help you set yourself up for success, we’ve pulled together our top tips for getting the most out of at-home pole training.
Make time to learn and to practice
This is key to upskilling yourself at home. If you don’t dedicate time to learn new tricks and then revise them, your pole becomes as useless as those decorative vases displayed around your house.
Dedicate time each week to learn new pole skills, whether that be static tricks, spin pole tricks, dance flows or basework, and allocate time later in the week to practice these new skills. We highly recommend booking into an online class at least once a week to stay on track and to learn from an experienced pole instructor.
Why not try an online class with us as The Miss Filly Institute of Pole? We offer ‘hybrid classes’, which means that you can Zoom in with pole classes happening in the studio, in real time! Plus, you’ll get the recording for 6 days after which is perfect to help you practice later in the week.
Just like attending an in-studio pole class, setting a day and time for your own ‘class’ is essential to successfully train pole at home.
Equip yourself…
Of course there’s one thing you must have to pole dance at home and that’s a pole! We cannot stress enough how important it is to have a quality pole at home. Your safety is everything, and we don’t want that pole to come crashing down with you on it!
Do your research into reputable brands and ask people in the industry if they have any recommendations. Some of our go-to suppliers are X-Pole (who have all kinds of poles including pressure mounted and stage poles, perfect if you rent a house), Proformance Poles and Pussycat Poles. Yes, they might be more expensive than the pole on e-Bay, but you pay for what you get babe so, invest in your safety.
Another great investment is to say goodbye to your cushions and buy a proper pole mat. You can find pole crash mats online and a lot of these mats can be folded up for easy storage. They’re great for times when you want to practice a new trick or pole flip and haven’t got anyone around to spot you.
… and grip yourself!
Our next favourite thing to have ‘handy’ when training at home is your pole grip! Unlike the prehistoric pole days of shaving cream and hairspray, there are so many pole dancing grips available now! Sweaty hands, dry hands – you can also buy products to help your body grip better to the pole, which is perfect for those cold, winter months.
From our POV, the best pole grip for pole dancing is:
💚 Dancing Dust, Make Me Dusty – a great pole grip for sweaty hands. It has the perfect balance of sweat absorption and tackiness to help your hands grip perfectly to the pole. It works well for brass poles and stainless steel poles, and comes in a variety of colours and scents. Delicious.
💚 Dancing Dust, Make Me Dewy – a literal lifesaver when your body isn’t feeling very ‘tacky’ or grippy. It comes in a spray so that you can avoid getting it on your hands, and again comes in different scents. It’s a must-have if you live in a cooler climate (or just want to smell amazing on the pole!)
💚 Pole Physics – what, a vegan body moisturiser formulated specifically for pole dancers?! Enough said. Choose from different options, including a gradual tan moisturiser and even one that’s safe for pole mamas.
Glow up and show up!
You have your pole space ready to go with a pole, mat and pole grips, but are YOU ready? You’ve gone to the effort to set up your space and book your online class, so make sure you go to the effort to show up for yourself!
Start with a proper warm-up and allow 10 to 15 minutes to get your muscles toasty before performing pole tricks. Also, have a good stretch before working on chorey or trying new dance styles (your hamstrings can thank us later!).
To keep the vibes high, blast your favourite songs (here is one of our fav playlists) and wear your favourite pole wear. Nothing adds more sparkle to your training like new pole shorts and pole dancing heels. It’s a no-brainer – if you feel great, you’ll pole dance great! And if you end up having a not-so-fabulous pole session, at least you looked smokin’ in your latest pole threads!
Surround yourself with plants
Okay so we might be biased, but we love our plants at The Institute of Pole (go check out our Instagram to see the jungle!). We love pole dancing in our sunlit studio surrounded by a variety of plants – it makes us feel alive!
The key point here is not to unleash your inner green-thumb, but to surround yourself with things that inspire you in your pole space. You might be a dim light, neon-loving poler, or you may prefer a bright space with minimal things around you.
Whatever it might be, set up your pole space to be a place that you want to spend time in. And perhaps throw in a peace lily or two. 😘
Find your pole mojo when training at home! Learn to pole dance online with Miss Filly and her team at The Institute of Pole, no matter where in the world you are! To view our current timetable click here and get started.
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