So, you just got your new X-Pole dance pole and you are wondering, “why is my X Pole so slippery? How on earth am I meant to do all of those amazing pole tricks?” Well, never fear! We’re here to help you get gripping with your X-Pole.
Reasons Why Your X Pole Is So Slippery
Firstly, am I right in guessing you have a brand new Xpert chrome pole? If so, you are not alone, the Xpert chrome is notoriously slippery when brand new and we’ve had a lot of queries about this, so I hope we can shed some light.
The Xpert chrome is made up of two main parts: the actual pole and the chrome plating (which is what makes it look like chrome). As you know by now, most poles are chromed using a process called Electroplating, which means that the chrome layer is applied externally to the pole. This is what gives your pole it’s shiny exterior.
While this makes your pole look fantastic, it does come with one or two caveats.
The most prominent being that the plating is super slippery when it’s brand new. This means that you will fall quite a bit, during your first few weeks of learning to pole (much like hundreds of other girls before you!).
Just be sure to have your crash mat armed and ready!
I am sure none of this matters at this moment, though, because all you care about is getting your grip back so you can start doing some moves.
So, here are some things you might find useful for your slippery pole:
How to Make Chrome Pole Less Slippery
Tip 1: Grip
The first tip on how to make your chrome pole less slippery is to make sure that you are using the right kind of pole dance grip aid on your new X-Pole. We have written a post all about pole grip here.
You’ll need to use an ‘all weather’ grip aid on your dance pole. As you dance or rub your hands together, your body heat activates this type of grip aid and it becomes sticky.
The grip aid is designed to react with your body heat and become sticky under pressure, so the more you rub it on the pole, or dance around it, the stickier it becomes.
Tip 2: Heat It Up
If you are slipping off the pole during cold, or, winter months, you should know that dance poles are very slippery when cold, and sometimes just heating up the pole with a towel, by rubbing it, or turning on the heating in the room for 30 minutes will do the trick!
Some people even plug in the hair dryer and thaw their pole that way. This is an even quicker solution, just be sure to heat your pole from top to bottom.
Tip 3:
Try out some chalk. Many pole dancers swear by liquid chalk. This stuff is very easy to get and keep in your pole bag and helps out tremendously if you’re having an ‘off’ grip day.
There is a huge variety of pole dance grips and it may be that the gel type does not work for you. After all, what works for one person might not be quite right for someone else.
Tip 4:
Clean your pole. Cleaning your brand new X Pole with a natural vinegar mixture will help to make your pole less sticky, whilst not destroying the layer of chrome that is on top.
You just need to mix natural vinegar and water into a spray bottle and then give your pole a good spray each time prior to use.
Tip 5:
Xpert dance poles are known to become “stickier” over time – keep using your pole consistently and you will find that eventually, you will wear it in, in a sense!
