Frequently Asked Questions

Solving all your pole-related questions and conundrums…

Where are the classes held?

Classes are taught in James Dining Hall near the Roger Kirk Centre (at the University of York, off Heslington Lane). If you’re new to the area, then here’s a map.

I’m not a student. Can I come too?

Yes! Although most people who come to pole are students, we also have quite a few non-students who attend regularly too. Feel free to come along to one of our classes if you want to see more (there is parking just outside Goodricke) or get in touch if you have questions and we’ll do our best to help you.

What are the classes like?

Classes are split into four sections:

• The warm up
  An essential part of any exercise, we make sure that your body is completely warmed up, and that your limbs and muscles are properly stretched out.
• Floor work
  This section of the class involves stretching and strength building techniques. You will learn how to link pole moves on the floor, whilst at the same time developing your strength and finding ways to move your body in a more flexible manner.
• Pole work
  Here we work directly on the poles (yay!). Each week you will learn new pole tricks whilst practicing and working on past tricks. We teach each new trick by a step-by-step process, so no-one feels any pressure to learn faster than they wish to.
• Warm down
  The final part of the hour session, we make sure that your body is stretched out and relaxed at the close of the session.

How much are the classes?

Membership for our club costs £5.

Classes cost:

• £3 per session for both students and non-students and £5 if you stay for both classes
• We also ave a loyalty card scheme where the 6th class is free (pick up a card at class and bring it to each class to be stamped)
• £40 per term for unlimited classes (or £25 if you buy after week 5)

If you’d like to see what it’s like before committing, you can come along for a trial class before joining the club.

What’s this about York Sport?

All regular members of classes must be members of York Sport (née Athletic Union) for insurance reasons. York Sport lets you join all of the sports clubs at York and gives you access to a wide range of discounted activities from netball to sailing to rock climbing.

Membership is £40 for students and non-students.

Non-student membership doesn’t give you access to the Sports Centre’s facilities; if you’d like that too then a more expensive £55 non-student membership is also available. Details are on the York Sport site.

If you’re a student, please join York Sport here. If you’re not a student then you can join at any class – come and see us and we’ll sort it out for you.

What kind of clothes do I wear?

Please wear shorts and t-shirts. Tracksuit bottoms may be worn for warm up and warm down. Members may choose not to wear shorts, but the exercise begins to get harder as the legs are needed to create resistance against the pole. High heels can be worn, an ankle strap must be around the heel of the foot, for example boots, or items shown on our merchandise link, so that the shoe is securely on the foot at all times.

Do I need to bring anything else?

Please bring some water and a small towel. Also please remember not to moisturise your hands or body! It makes the pole very slippery!

I can’t dance or move my body AND I’ve got no flexibility or co-ordination. Can I still come?

Yes!

What, really?

Really! So many of our members have discovered that Pole Exercise is a great way to learn these things. Almost everyone who starts with us has had no previous experience of pole dancing, so you’ll be at the same stage as many other people. Obviously strength and flexibility are important for pole work and we spend part of each session developing these with you. You can learn Pole Exercise in your own way and at your own pace, and have a great time doing it. Just give it a go, bring some friends, and have a giggle!

My muscles ache after class and I seem to get bruises sometimes. What can I do?

Muscle ache after class is a perfectly natural response to the body working out during the session. We recommend that after class you take a hot shower or bath to allow the muscles to relax. Aching muscles are a sign that you’re getting better, so learn to enjoy the feeling and see it as a step towards getting better. As for bruises, these tend to stop occuring as you continue classes. At first you may bruise your legs if you attempt a trick incorrectly - no worries, try to get some arnica cream and massage this into the area of bruising. You can get tablets and cream from any health shops (Holland and Barratts) as arnica is a natural, herbal remedy. You should find this helps reduce bruising over time.

Can men take part?

We do have a male instructor, who teaches a class at 5.30 on Sunday. Men begin the exercise with a natural strength advantage, The unique aspects of Pole Exercise build muscle and strength, increase flexibility and push you to a different level of fitness. This exercise even benefits the athletically involved individuals, such as gymnastics, climbers to even skydivers as it works to specifically enhance the area in which you wish to work on!

I don’t seem to be progressing as much as I want. What can I do?

We understand that it is hard for some of our members to come more than once a week, and sometime people wish to progress a quicker rate than their other commitments allow. In this instance, we recommend that you invest in a pole for your home practice. The club is now a retailer of the X-Pole. X-Pole Sport are static only poles and are sold for £149.99 in chrome or £169.99 in Titanium Gold (which is fantastic for those of you who need a bit more grip). Each Xpert pole can be set to a spinning or static mode, and costs £199.99 in chrome and £225.00 in Titanium Gold. All the poles are completely removable and leave no marks on the ceiling (great for rented accommodation).If you want to place an order, please email us, and you can pay the club directly.

How can I find out more?

Please send us an email if you have any questions and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

If you’d like to be kept up to date with class times, pole info and all of the club’s other happenings, feel free to subscribe to our mailing list and we’ll keep you posted. You can also find us on Facebook.