Coming to your first ever pole fitness class can be daunting, whether you come solo or with a pack of friends, to a private lesson or a group class, it’s best to be prepared!

Nerves can kick in, and you might be worried about not being strong enough, skinny enough, good enough, confident enough to wear shorts, break the poles, slip off with your sweaty hands, not make friends, be judged by everyone in class because you’re the new starter, etc, etc.

Luckily, everyone in class, from your instructor to your fellow class buddies is so bloody awesome and friendly and fab that everything that’s been worrying you will be forgotten about as soon as you step through the door! Remember that everyone had to endure their first ever lesson once, and we’re all here in class for the same things: to have fun, get strong, and leave the studio feeling AWESOME! We pride ourselves on giving everyone a warm welcome in a supportive and fun class atmosphere.

There are lots of sweaty palms, non-pointed toes, ungraceful attempts to get to grips with new tricks, sometimes the odd grunt, but tons of laughter, support and encouragement in class. Pole is so versatile, it allows us all to find our own unique style of moving, and it’s totally cool to be drawn to one more than the other. Some people really enjoy the flexy side, others the dancey aspect, sensual is the one for some, and gymasticy for others, that’s the beauty of pole, the fact that you can do you 🙂

Let’s have a quick look at the reality of what happens in class:

•We do everything in bare feet rather than heels. It is in heels pole class where you’d need socks or heels.

•People of all ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds come to pole class.

•There’s plenty of sweat, struggle and ungracefulness going on, mixed in with a whole lot of laughter, joy, new friendships and supportiveness.

•You don’t need any upper body strength to start, there are NO prerequisites. The beauty of pole is that you build all strength, stamina, coordination and flexibility gradually, AND at your own pace! This is the fun part, the fact that you do you! How epic is that?! Our mantra is to make the pole skill fit the poler, not to make the poler fit the trick.

•All classes start with a warm up which includes a pulse raiser and mobility, followed by the equipment focussed element of the class which comprises of on and off the equipment conditioning and aerial tricks, movement, flow and combos, and finish with a cool down which includes gentle stretching. The exercises given by your teacher will include progressions and variations to ensure everyone can make individual choices to support you at your level and choose the intensity of the session.

•All poles are safe, professional pole dance poles, mounted to the ceiling, or engineered freestanding poles, specifically designed to do just that. Pole dancing equipment is designed to withstand significant weight and force of several people at once, so no, they cannot physically break from the weight of your one body.

•Cellulite won’t prevent you from learning to be awesome on the pole.

•Everybody is friendly, helpful and welcoming x.

A couple of points to prep and take into consideration before your very first lesson are listed below. These are just some of the things I wish everyone was told before coming to a pole class as a novice. Also, please have a look at our Youtube channel. We’ve got some videos on there, taking you through some of the moves we’ll learn in your first class, session formats and what a group class looks like.

•Make sure you’re wearing sports/fitness/yoga/dance gear, i.e. leggings or shorts, sports bra and a light top that you can move freely in. Comfort is everything! Trainers can be worn during the warm up to minimise impact if you wish. Some of our studios can feel chilly on arrival in the colder months, so layering up is a good shout.

•As you get more advanced on the pole, skin grip will become more and more important. Tight shorts should be worn from a few lessons in to allow for climbs and sits, and crop tops will come in handy once you work on inverted positions. You’re totally cool to wear leggings and a t-shirt in your first sesh.

•Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro, never ever moisturise or fake tan before your pole class. We’d recommend 24 hours even to maximise your skin’s grip on the pole and minimise risk of slipping.

•Please remove all jewellery, especially rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches before class to prevent poles from being scratched and to preserve your precious belongings.

•Please don’t chew gum.

A pole lesson can be a strenuous workout, so make sure to bring some water, a towel or small cloth to wipe the pole and sweaty palms with.

There are a variety of grip aids available to help you stick and grip the pole better which might be of interest to you if this is something you struggle with. However, please be assured that it’s completely normal to have sweaty palms during your first few classes due to nerves. As you relax and progress through your training, your grip will improve and become superstrong!

You will be sore the next day, because even though you had heaps of fun, you actually did a pretty hardcore workout! Winning!

We have a range of flexible membership options at the studio. We always recommend booking your first class drop in so you can check out the studio, the vibe and whether pole is for you. We’ll email you the day after your first class with our offers which you can book straight from there, amazing!

If there’s anything that hasn’t been answered here, please get in touch and let us know how we can help! Please be aware that the minimum age for participation in any of our classes is 16 years, with those aged 16 and 17 years old requiring sign up through a parent/guardian.

See you in class soon!

Anna x

And as per Bob Marley:

Forget everything and dance!