What do I take to my first pole class?

1. Wear a sports bra and shorts (or just shorts if you're a male). You may want to wear a top and joggers to get to your pole class so you're more covered up, but ideally when you're at your class you'll want to be able to take these off without going into a changing room as not all studios have these.

The reason for wearing minimal clothing for pole class is because you need your skin to grip to the pole. Imagine dusting a door handle, now if you try and grip the door handle whilst holding the duster your grip isn't going to be that great, get rid of the duster and now we're talking.

 

2. Pole Liquid chalk. This might not be essential for your first class but if you carry on your gonna want some chalk. There's nothing you want less than hanging from a pole with sweaty hands.

All pole dancers go crazy for Dry Hands which you'll soon realise is pretty hard to get hold of, at Xana Polewear we get Dry Hands in stock once a month and it sells out within minutes.

BUT there are some great alternatives which work just as well:

• Sticky Molly Liquid Chalk
• Envirogrip

3. Water. A lot of people assume that pole fitness is not a workout…until they try it. You're gonna want to stay hydrated.

Most classes will have a 10-20 minute warm up, straight into 30-40 minutes of pole conditioning and fitness which is a lot of strength work and then stretching/cool downs to finish.

4. Phone and tripod. Most people will take their phone wherever they go but if you're doing a phone detox you may want to reconsider this for pole class.

You'll notice a lot of the dancers in your class propping their phones up to record videos of new moves or routines they've learnt…you will also do this. It's super easy to get a tripod off ebay or amazon for very cheap and we would 100% recommend doing this.

5. Heels. Now depending on what kind of class you're attending you might want to take pleasers. These are essentially platform high heels. If you're attending a pole fitness or aerial class you might not need these. If you're attending a heels, floorwork, exotic or sexy pole class you're gonna want some pleasers.

 

For your first pair of pleasers we recommend:

• Pleaser USA Adore-708 7inch Ankle Strap Heel - Clear

• Pleaser USA Aspire-609 6inch Ankle Strap Heel - Patent Black

If you're wanting something a little more daring, we recommend:

• Pleaser USA Flamingo-1021 8inch Peep Toe Boot - Patent White

• Pleaser USA Flamingo-1020FS Faux Suede 8inch Boots - Baby Pink

• Pleaser USA Flamingo-1020FS Faux Suede 8inch Boots - Emerald Green

• Pleaser USA Flamingo-1020FS Faux Suede 8inch Boot - Burgandy

6. Don't moisturise. Like we said earlier there's nothing worse than trying to hang from a pole with sweaty hands. Well the same goes for moisturised hands, legs, waists and bums. Try to avoid moisturising 24 hours before class as the residue and grease left on your skin will make things super slippy.

7. Leave your jewellery at home. The last thing you want to do is annoy your pole instructor by scratching their (very expensive) poles with your engagement ring…leave the ring at home.

8. Lastly, enjoy yourself. Pole class is a beautiful and non-judgemental environment where all people are welcome. Don't worry if you fart during a move, stay in the move so you can get a picture. Don't worry if you flash someone, we love it. Don't worry about rolls, cellulite, skin conditions or chubby ankles, all bodies are beautiful, no one cares about what you look like, they care about if you point your toes, okay? Okay.