How to fix sweaty hands at pole (beyond just trying more grip)
I get it, I know how frustrating the sweaty hands at pole are. I know how disappointed you feel because you know you have the stamina, technique and knowledge to get through the class combo but just can’t because your sweaty hands won’t let you. I get it because I am one slippery pole dancer. I am also a very slippery teacher who over the years has helped hundreds of slippery students. Below is my complete advice for students who feel they are being held back by their sweaty hands. Not only will I talk about what grips I think work the best but I will give you more advice than just “apply more grip”. Let’s get started.
USING GRIP
Okay, so I know you have probably already tried this (I promise different solutions are incoming), but it’s the obvious place to start and you’re probably going to have to try a few different brands before you find one that works for you. Some grips are easier to come by than others depending on the country you live in, not all grips are suitable for all pole finishes (for example, NEVER use beeswax based grips on chrome poles), what works for your friend might not work for you, and of course how well the grip works can depend on your sweat levels, humidity, pole finish etc…
So what I am getting at is you should try different grips and see how they produce different results for you, but that’s not very helpful advice so to get you started I will also list my 3 favourite grips and also why I use them. For context I live in Melbourne, Australia and both my studio poles and home pole are 45mm brass. I rarely dance on stainless steel or chrome, but will occasionally use 40mm brass poles at other studios.
Monkey Hands - Monkey hands is relatively new on the scene and I’m not usually impressed by grips but this grip was honestly like glue for me. I tried the ‘gluey’ grip (currently sold in the green bottle) and it was the first ever grip that made me stick to the pole like glue. I first tried it when taking one of my friends dance classes (she recommended the grip to me). The class I was taking was a routine class that combined dance and trick combos to music and it really helped me get through the long combos and feel a bit more confident with the butterfly which I was previously feeling a little slippery in which was great, however during the dance portion it was so sticky my hands were sticking to the floor.. My verdict? An excellent grip and I will be buying my own bottle for sure, but I will probably only use it for when I’m training advanced tricks and probably wouldn’t use it when I’m teaching or in a dance class.
Dancing Dust - This has been my go-to grip for the last two years. I use it when I’m teaching, taking classes as a student or training. It comes in lots of pretty colours and scents (or unscented if that's more your speed), it's just pleasant to use. I think dancing dust is the greatest value for money because it does last quite a while and you can actually empty the entire bottle, the only problem I have had is I find the lids on the silver top bottles break easily so treat them with extra care or buy the larger black top bottles. If you’re buying this product because you’re sweaty make sure to purchase the ‘make me dusty’ and not the ‘make me dewy’ as the dewy grips are for dry slip (which we wish was our problem, the grass is always greener..).
Dry Hands - my first love, the OG, the fallen soldier. Unfortunately Dry Hands is very hard to come by these days and there are lots of fakes being sold due to its popularity. If you manage to get your hands on a bottle I would totally recommend it. I love using it and just seeing the bottle bring about some nostalgia for me.
Some grips need to be applied right before use and some before warm-up, just follow the directions for use. You can also use a combination of grips for the best outcome for you. What grip do you prefer to use?
ARE YOU GRIPPING THE POLE PROPERLY?
Are you gripping the pole with good technique? Hear me out…
I know you’re thinking “how could I be grabbing a pole wrong?” but I see a lot of students make this mistake and not just beginners. When students learn how to grab the pole more effectively the results are immediate and mind-blowing. Sometimes students are grabbing mostly with their fingers, you know this is happening if you can easily slide a finger under your palm when you’re standing next to the pole and first holding on in a regular grip. Next time you’re touching a pole try this -
Open your hand wide
Touch your palm to the pole
Now wrap your fingers around
Give it a pull, notice the difference?
Now your hand is making for more contact with the pole which increases your grip. Try to keep consciously doing this until it becomes a habit. If you’re having trouble with other grip points besides your hands often an improvement in technique can result in an immediate increase in grip, this is something your instructor will help you with in class.
SHOULDER STABILITY
Joint stability refers to how efficient a joint moves. A stable shoulder joint moves well and is pain-free. Studies such as [1] have demonstrated an increase in grip strength by improving the strength and stability of participants' shoulders. I have a playlist on my YouTube called “Better shoulders - client exercise tutorials” if you’re not sure where to start with improving your stability try some drills from this playlist.
KEEPING YOUR POLE AND HANDS CLEAN
For brass poles in Australia we use methylated spirits (metho) to clean the pole, normally at the end of class. You can use metho during class, but most people I know prefer to just dry wipe with a clean cloth. For beginners sometimes a dry wipe of both the pole and their grip points can make a huge difference.
If you are overall a slippery person I would also recommend avoiding moisturiser before pole. There are some lotions that have been designed to work with pole dancers skin and formulated to be non-slip such as Pole Physics. I can’t personally comment on this product as my skin-care routine is too lacking to reach the moisturisation stage (whoops) but I do have clients who swear by it.
Sunscreen, particularly if you live in Australia, cannot be avoided so I recommend showering before your pole class where possible. Before class, get into the habit of washing your hands, not only will this mean your hands are clean of oil and dirt but you will find most grips work better on clean hands.
CHOOSING THE FINISH OR DIAMETER OF YOUR POLE
Choosing a different finish or size of your pole is obviously not a complete solution since you most likely dance at a studio and have no choice, however, I have had students who were purchasing their own home pole ask me “Should I get the same pole as the studio?”. This can be a very difficult question to answer when you’re a beginner because you may not know what type of poles are available to have at home, if this is the case I recommend reading our other article that’s all about choosing your own home pole.
Let’s say you’re an intermediate or advanced student. You have tried a few finishes and pole sizes and are reasonably aware of what's available, what then? Should you still get the same pole as the studio?
If you had asked me when I first started teaching I would have absolutely said yes, but the pole world was very different back then. Nowadays it feels like there is a pole studio in every suburb with poles of all finishes, heights and diameters and it's much more likely you have attended multiple studios in the last year. Also, even though I will always love the 45mm brass because it is what I first learned on, I can say with confidence I can hold on much easier to a 40mm pole. If you feel safer using a 40mm you should use a 40mm for your home pole even if your studio pole is larger. When you train at home you are much more likely to be training alone so you should use the option that feels the safest. If using a smaller pole helps your grip, then go for it.
CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT
This one might not be viable either because in a studio it’s likely you don’t have a choice. However, humidity will make the sliding worse so if possible keep the airconditioning turned off, encourage ventilation if the room is getting more humid than outside and try your best to get the pole in front of the fan.
GLOVES?
Use gloves? Okay there is a question mark after this because I have never personally used the pole gloves so I cannot comment at all on how well they work. I have only had 2 students use the gloves, however those 2 students did have positive things to say about them. Even though I have never personally used the gloves I am aware of their existence so I thought it would be wrong to not include them in a complete article. These gloves are designed kind of like the sticky leggings, you wear them and they help give you grip. When researching these you might come across some purest comments about the use of gloves being ‘cheating’ (it’s not, don’t worry), although I know there are many competitions where gloves would not be allowed so if you’re planning to complete in the future I would steer clear of this solution all together. While uncommon I have also heard of studios who ban pole gloves so chat with your studio owner/instructor before purchasing them. I don’t know the exact reason for the ban on gloves but honestly as an instructor I would guess some people would be worried about any extra risk associated with the glove potentially slipping during a move. Although I wouldn’t stop a student from wearing gloves I would encourage them to really test them out with safer pole tricks before moving to anything advanced. Like I said, I have no experience with the gloves so would love to have others with more knowledge weigh in so I can update this section of the article.
PALMAR HYPERHIDROSIS
If you have googled sweaty hands you have probably come by the term ‘palmar hyperhidrosis’ which is a condition where a person sweats excessively from their hands. Palmar hyperhidrosis does affect a small percentage of the population so there is a chance it affects you if this has been a major struggle, however this is outside of my scope of practice and if this is something you are concerned about I highly recommend booking an appointment with your doctor.
EMBRACE YOUR SWEATY HANDS AS A SUPER POWER!
Finally, embrace the sweaty hands! You’re not going to believe me right now (I also thought this advice was bullshit when I was a beginner) but the sweaty hands will play a role in making you a stronger and confident pole dancer. Many training sessions will be frustrating but by applying these tips in your practice you will become more in-tune with your grip points and this increase in bodily awareness will help keep you safe and evolve you into a confident trickster. I used to have a sweaty instructor when I was a student and I remember her being in a true grip ayesha, chatting, explaining the trick, just slowly sliding. She wasn’t concerned at all and told us not to worry. It's okay to slide down as long as you keep your trick shape held strong. If one part has to slide then it all has to slide together and this will actually be great for your strength and muscle memory in the long run, even if it means you lose a little height.
DID THIS HELP?
Apply this advice and let me know how you go. I am genuinely interested in your feedback and how you’re progressing. Do you have any questions about pole, fitness or health you think I should write about? I would love for you to reach out on instagram or in the comments below.
Business things - Vertical Flex instagram
Pole page and personal things - Elizabeth Wain (instagram)
REFERENCES
Kobesova, Alena et al. ‘Effects of Shoulder Girdle Dynamic Stabilization Exercise on Hand Muscle Strength’. 1 Jan. 2015 : 21 – 32.
About the Author
Elizabeth (she/her) is a certified personal trainer, pole dance instructor and massage therapist from Melbourne, Australia. Her favorite exercise is the chin-up but loves a leg day.
Elizabeth works with many clients, but mostly pole dancers to level-up their strength and flexibility training.
If you want Elizabeth to be your coach online or in-person, get in contact with her here.
