Pole Dancing Safety Tips Everyone Should Heed

Pole dancing for fitness is a fun and rewarding form of exercise. As a beginner pole dancer, it can tempting to rush in and pole dance your life away, but besides the fun, there is a more important concern – safety. All kinds of mishaps can happen on the pole, and you don’t want to ruin your fun with an injury. Our pole dance safety tips will protect you while you have all the fun of pole dancing.

1. No Lotions or Oils

When you’re on the pole, grip is the most important thing – you don’t want to slip, slide or fall off the pole, especially when you are doing spins or trying to hold yourself upside down. A fall in these compromised positions could potentially be fatal. Oils rub off on the pole, making it more slippery and harder for you to grip properly. So no lotions or oils on any part of your body with 24 hours of when you plan to pole dance.

2. Take A Class

It may be tempting to just get a pole and starting swinging around it at home, but there’s a good safety reason for taking a class. Improper form and technique can cause injuries and not having the basic foundation of movement down can build up and cause problems later on down the line.

A proper instructor can catch errors in form and make the necessary corrections. This is something a DVD or Youtube video cannot do. If you care about your body’s health and doing things the proper and safe way, invest the money in at least a couple classes with a certified instructor.

3. Wipe Down The Pole

Your natural body oils rub off on the pole and make it slippery, so it is important to clean your pole regularly during your session, about every 20 minutes or so.

Thankfully cleaning your pole doesn’t require any fancy equipment. Some simple rubbing alcohol sprayed on a cloth will do the job just fine, and simply wipe down as much of the surface area of the pole as you can. It is simple and take about 30 seconds, if that.

4. Wear Appropriate Attire

Wearing skimpy clothes is not just for fun. The more skin you have exposed, the more your body is able to stick to the pole. Excess fabric reduces friction – which means more slippage. Also avoid jewelry, like necklaces and earrings. These could potentially get in the way and provide at best a distraction, and at worse, a serious hazard.

Same goes for shoes – skip shoes that have an excess of rhinestones, studs, buckles or laces, or that don’t have a secure ankle strap. They can also reduce your grip on the pole, as well as fall or fly off and damage you or nearby bystanders. So when it comes to pole accoutrements, follow this rule – Keep it simple!

5. Have A Mat Or Spotter

Do not attempt any difficult moves without at the very least a safety mat under you. This will reduce the impact should you fall, protecting you from nasty injuries to your head and neck.

Even better, make sure you have a partner spotting you for a move that you feel unsure about or that is potentially dangerous. Having a spotting partner will greatly reduce the risk of you getting hurt, and in the event that you need help, someone will be there to give you assistance.

These rules of pole safety will keep you having fun during your pole dancing session, while reducing the risk of injury to your beautiful body. This is not to scare you or discourage you from pole dancing, but when you are aware of the risks, take the appropriate precautions to protect yourself.