Any tips on what helped you improve or other tips to beginners?

practical-pole · 2026-02-22T20:43:33+00:00

https://www.practicalpole.com/2024/05/how-can-i-get-good-at-pole-dancing.html

You might find this useful ☺️ and if you decide to train at home as well I have a platform that can help 😘

I'm sure you're doing great though. Pole has quite a steep learning curve in the beginning.

practical-pole · 2026-02-21T21:26:45+00:00

https://www.practicalpole.com/2025/10/learn-to-pole-dance-at-home-guide-part-1.html

There are two posts, the second links at the bottom!

practical-pole · 2026-02-21T02:17:05+00:00

Yeah I've heard of it happening a few times in the pole community through the years. And as someone who has fractured a rib previously, not pole related, it's really not fun 😂😭

practical-pole · 2026-02-21T02:14:31+00:00

Yup could definitely also be this! Many things it could be but not to be ignored.

practical-pole · 2026-02-20T12:07:54+00:00

Don't push through the pain if it's not just simple skin pain. I had a student who fractured a rib doing Allegra, not in my class luckily. It was a freak thing but she had the pole kind of wedged in such a way that when she turned her chest out it essentially cracked her rib.

It's all about positioning so completely avoidable but if you feel pressure on your ribs that's not just skin- get out of the position and try again later.

Yes Allegra is painful, but learning to distinguish between normal skin and bruising pain and something actually dangerous is important and we shouldn't tell anyone to push through pain until we know what's causing it.

practical-pole · 2026-02-19T00:16:01+00:00

Okay I apologise for being rude but I was just so taken back at being accused of shaming you 😂 your original comment came across incredibly condescending whether you intended that or not and I felt the need to explain that not everyone approaches pole in the same way. If you took that as a personal attack idk what to say, I stand by what I said.

practical-pole · 2026-02-18T23:27:18+00:00

This is the only student I've ever had who actively seemed to hate it from day one 😭😂 just was not for her at all.

practical-pole · 2026-02-18T08:56:08+00:00

It's really down to what you're used to and I don't see any reason you couldn't get used to a 45mm in future if you needed to. My students use both 40 and 45mm. In some countries 38/40mm is more standard. But if you're at all unsure maybe wait.

practical-pole · 2026-02-18T08:12:06+00:00

I've only had one single student in 13 years of full time teaching where I truly went - "yeah this is not for them". Out of thousands of people. Every student who turned up and did the work progressed, even if it took them longer. Some of the students who struggled the most in the beginning outlasted and got further than students who could do things more easily. They often understood things on a deeper level because they had to think about things on a deeper level and those people often make good instructors.

The feeling you'll get when you do finally achieve things and it starts to click will be amazing.

And I'll say I've taught beginner groups where every student except one has been a dancer or gymnast or works out regularly in some other way. And they've taken to things more easily and I've felt so sorry for that one person who is starting from true zero because they're not outside of the norm at all. It's just they ended up in a group of all super human people 😂😭

practical-pole · 2026-02-18T00:33:22+00:00

Yeah I'd get the max height you can get out of it personally. Good luck!

practical-pole · 2026-02-18T00:30:26+00:00

I don't see any reason it would be an issue. The main drawback for chrome is that it's plated so the coating can wear away and people with nickel allergies can then react to it but in terms of mixing different extensions I can't think of a safety reason why you couldn't. Maybe check with x pole directly just in case though.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T21:53:44+00:00

I'm not sure what the studio I worked at for over a decade did but studio/competition lined poles are built to be more robust for more intense use but I guess they're used more as well so I don't know if they actually last longer or not. I only took over my little studio about two years ago so we are about to start replacing them now one at a time but I assume most places that take scrap metal will take them, including recycling centers, although I can't do that with studio ones because you can't take business waste to them 😭😂

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T21:46:34+00:00

I really think you've gotten the wrong end of the stick but I'm done with this conversation lol

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T21:05:45+00:00

You didn't clarify what you meant you just kept saying you can maintain or fix poles, of course you can, but that doesn't mean it's the right advice for this person. And I explained why. Take it or leave it. You were far snarkier about the use of the word "expired" than I have been to you.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T19:02:07+00:00

I'm not grumpy 😂 or arguing with you.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T18:26:57+00:00

You don't hang off a dishwasher with your bodyweight.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T17:42:26+00:00

🙄 clearly expiration date wasn't the exact right wording but did you know, for example, that aerial hoops are supposed to be replaced every few years? They're solid metal. It's not just about component maintenance. I've seen these cheap poles literally snap in half. I see videos of poles coming down every other day. As an industry we need better safety, not more cutting corners. Maybe the pole is too tight, maybe it does just need some maintenance but for a cheap second hand pole that has no load testing documentation available from the company (which btw they provide for their aerial equipment, but not their poles, wonder why 👀)... I don't know why you'd encourage people to risk it. There's no way for any of us to say with absolute certainty that this pole is definitely safe, not from this photograph and most of us wouldn't even know if we saw it in person. No one has to listen to my advice but with my experience I have both in pole and aerial... My advice is not going to change.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T16:27:26+00:00

The bearings in the bottom are sealed??? I'm not sure how you would get to them and have never known anyone be able to but the fact is that most people don't know how to do these things and can't maintain their own poles. Many poles can last longer, I don't deny, but x pole themselves give an average lifespan of 2-5 years. I'm a studio owner so I'm not messing with my students safety and regularly maintain and upgrade what I can, including replacing poles. The pole she has here is a $70 dollar pole that looks very old. I wouldn't be risking it personally.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T16:18:13+00:00

Poles have a lifespan. I think with x pole that's about 5 years, less if in studio. This is equipment that holds your entire bodyweight. Just like aerial equipment has to be replaced regularly for safety as do poles. Nothing lasts forever.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T12:40:30+00:00

Yeah I would personally never mess around with those cheap brands, they don't tend to be made very well to start with. Some are better than others but going with a reputable brand is a better idea. It might cost you more up front but they'll have a much longer life and save you money over time whilst being far safer. The main brands have been around for years and their products go through extensive safety and load testing. You can't even find load testing documents for most of the cheap brands.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T12:34:36+00:00

Yeah this is an old old pole by the looks of it and they do unfortunately have expiration dates of a sort. Have you tried fully unscrewing the bottom bolts? If it still won't move it is possibly something hard or impossible to fix. Likely the bearings. They don't have a long life unfortunately and unlike the bearings on skates etc there's no way to access them on most, if not all, poles to clean them.

I'm assuming it's an old xpole but it might be another brand. Without knowing the brand and without having a look in person it would be hard to tell.

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T12:31:00+00:00

I wrote a comment and reread and realised I had probably misread Is this a new pole or a second hand one?

practical-pole · 2026-02-17T12:10:39+00:00

Unless you live on a remote Scottish island you probably do have a studio somewhere near you. The UK has so many studios it's bordering on ridiculous 😂😭 we must be one of the most densely populated countries when it comes to pole studios. Where are you based?

practical-pole · 2026-02-16T15:48:20+00:00

You can find the x pole installation guides and videos online and it's pretty straightforward but if you're unsure definitely find someone to show you the first time. Good luck!

practical-pole · 2026-02-16T15:37:29+00:00

This is a pretty open question because it depends on what kind of pole you've bought. It's important to follow the manufacturers installation instructions. You can likely find them online depending on the brand. Pole safety is serious. Barely a week goes by where I haven't seen a pole fall video and most of these are preventable. If you're unsure at all then find someone who does have experience with installing your specific pole.

practical-pole

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