If a gymnastics coach told gymnasts they couldn't use mats when they're on the beam or uneven bars because they're less likely to fall if they know they'll hit the hard floor, we'd call that abusive. I know pole is not the same, but it's just a wild argument, and I think the opposite can also be true. Sometimes I freeze and bail when I'm scared to try a new trick, and the mat gives me that little extra confidence I need to fully commit and get the trick.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking of gymnasts as I made this video! Like, who would dare tell Simone Biles she couldn't have a mat below her even though she's the best in the world?

@PeachPlastic

Жыл бұрын

The majority of my struggles in learning new pole tricks are based on a fear of a head-on hardwood-floor-collision that I would not feel as immediately if the studio I train at ever offered me a crash mat. I'm about nine months into pole, investigating all the construction details of the new apartment I'm about to hopefully, finally install a home pole in. Besides the pole itself, a crash mat is absolutely the first thing I'm getting.

I don't understand the attitude towards safety equipment. I'm learning pole in my middle age. I have enough aches and pains from old injuries. I intend to baby myself like crazy as I learn. I hurt my shoulder last week and took several days off from training. I'd rather baby any minor injuries for a few days than have to take weeks or months to heal. Thanks for bringing this up

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I also fully intend to "baby" myself!

What do they mean "no hard consequences"? Are they seriously calling pole dancers who come back to learn more tricks "lazy" and "sloppy"? 😂How about pole dancers with invisible disabilities who need to take all precautions necessary? Thank you so much for addressing this. 😊

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Oh, that's so true! I didn't even think to research the disability element-- that's definitely something I should discuss further!

@GioMero4Eva

Жыл бұрын

Exactly. My ankles are already weak and arthritic, not trying fall and break them 😬

@kiascanvas

Жыл бұрын

And also just accidents... Like imagine you slip once and get a concussion/ break your back or whatever

You are so right and thank you for giving me this new perspective. I also thought that the mat would make me "lazy" because I would just let myself fall. I loved your answer "so what?". Exactly: so what? I will exit gracefully when I am ready, not because I am afraid to break my neck without a mat!

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Yes! Exactly!

Omg, what kind of instructors are they? My pole teacher is reminding me in every session to not try dangerous moves at home alone, because I don't own a mat yet.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I agree with your teacher! I would avoid any moves with your head below your legs until you can get a mat!

LOL I love your positivity! Safety is the key

OMG that first bit made me LOL XD (eating nothing but still chocking as i do some times ) XD

hi kelsey! I thought I would share my perspective albeit watching this pretty late :) I am one of those people that don't use a mat most training sessions. I do use one if I'm trying something brand new to me or a dicey shape I haven't tried in a few years. I also dont think anyone should be shaming anyone else for their comfort level around mats- that goes both ways! If you see this, I hope you maybe see some of the perspective that might have been lost due to snarky instagram comments. My reasoning: 1. I like to perform and compete. So I need to be confident without a mat in the tricks I do. If mats became regulation standard in competition, it would cut out so much beautiful gooey low flow elements that has developed in pole over the recent years. Not to mention it would completely erase heel routines, which would be awful given the strxpper history of pole. 2. Even if Im not preparing for a performance, I enjoy experimenting with level changes in my regular practice- I might freestyle in a floorstand, move to my knees, move to my feet, move aerially, and then reverse down. (Sidenote- I highly recommend this as a freestyle exercise in general :D ) If I forced myself to use a mat just for going aerially, I would have lost a lot of progress I've made in flow and connectivity. 3. I do believe there is an aspect of falling safely that has to be learned. For instance, I agree that its possible that on the 100th time, your grip just might not be there that day. That is always a risk. Over my pole journey I have learned ways to catch myself that have become second nature muscle memory- for instance, using my free leg to catch myself if my brass monkey grip slips, or if my jade grip slips like in your video, I would whip to an inside leg hang without thinking about it. God forbid, if I slip somehow on stage, I have that muscle memory to catch myself because I am not used to just flopping to the ground and *fingers crossed* would not get devastatingly injured in front of an audience. You can train this element of pole with a mat, of course, and I highly highly encourage it for long term safety and becoming a stronger poler, but I find that I personally tend to get lazier about my "accidental exits" when I have the security net of a mat. For *my* pole journey specifically, I don't consider myself mastering or "having" a trick unless I feel comfortable doing it without a mat under me. Your reasons for wanting to use a mat are also valid, as thats your own journey, of course. I would also probably be more hesitant if everything new I was learning I was alone in my home for! The differences I personally see between pole and other aerial sports is that 1. the pole is attached to the ground and therefore it is far more accessible to catch yourself in a fall, as in my #3 point above 2. Modern pole dancing can include just as much, or more floor elements as pole 3. we want to wear pretty heels

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I don't have a pole mat at home, simply because they appear to be so damn expensive (at least on amazon, if you or anyone has recommendations, highly appreciated!), so I really just train some easy spins at home and never crazy upide down figures or combos from up high. The price is the only aspect why I don't have a mat at home. In the studio however we have actual pole mats and we always get them when we learn something new and especially for the upside down things and climbing. My friend and I always call them our "child lock"😃☺️

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

They are definitely expensive, but so worth it!! Love the phrase "child lock" lol

@LiliyaPanina

Жыл бұрын

I understand, they are being sold for literally more than poles themselves here 😅 I am looking to order foam of the right density and size and then make a cover myself since the ones they sell here are handmade anyway. It may be an option, but do your research!

I bought a mat two weeks ago. Before that, I trained at home without a mat (for 2 years), which was OK. (I do not use a mat in the studio as well, because the floor is kind of soft there.) Most of the time I slide down the pole "elegantly" and do not drop randomly, so it does not hurt. Often enough, however, I also hit the floor hard with my feet during a relatively correct dismount, which hurt enough to buy a mat - e.g. with Ayesha. In my experience, the uncertainty of falling is always there with new tricks and of course I try not just to fall, but to exit as good as possible - mat or no mat.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I could definitely work on my exits, but I love knowing that either way, I'll be falling onto something that's not just the hard wood floor lol

Just because strippers don't use a mat to perform doesn't mean they don't have one at home when they are working on a new routine. Just because the mat is there doesn't mean you're going be "lazy" and use it whatever thta means. It just means you have a better chance of making it through a fall

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

You're definitely right!

Prevention is better than curing injuries. I train with a mat, but I act as if there is no mat. I conclude that if you are learning,doing training, any fall on a hard floor can end up in an injury that you can prevent. Pole dance is an injury sport, it's better to quit exercising because you're tired and overloaded, not because you fell.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I so agree with this!

My studio only has 2 crash mats. They’re like… 8 inches thick or something super thick. They keep one on the side where instructors reach class and on the side where students can use for practice sessions (there’s a divider that can come down fr the ceiling to split the room in half so practice can happen at the same time as class). Anyways it kind of bugged me at first when I first joined this studio that there aren’t more but I’m ok now because I just make sure to use the mat when I need more assistance and won’t attempt scary things without them. My instructors are good at pulling out the mat and encourage us to take turns on it when learning a tricky move especially with inverts. Tbh though I wouldn’t mind them having a couple more mats available.

I'm about 4 months in and haven't used a mat. The studio I started at didn't have mats, just yoga mats. I pole at home now and it's on carpet so I'm not too terribly concerned yet, but I'm really trying to get a cross knee release and I want a mat for it because I'm scared of busting my head on the ground. I'd rather get comfortable with the mat first then try the move later without when I'm more confident. On a similar note, when I first started I could NOT climb the pole without big ol leather boots bc the boots stick and made it easy. Now I can climb without boots. It took a lil time doing it the "easy" way to build some strength and good form.

@KelseyHontz

9 ай бұрын

I definitely recommend doing moves like a cross knee release or a layback with a mat!! Even if you don't end up "needing" it at all, as someone who has fallen directly on her neck before... I'd rather have the safety gear just in case!

It's a ego thing. Imagine being proud of not using equipment meant to keep you safe.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Totally!

Haha! This is why I never learned how to do inverts or climbs on the pole. I learned all my pole while on-the-job. I totally love using crash mats at the pole studio.🙂

Is your mat thick enough? I think I'm looking at a similar one on Amazon. Would you recommend it still or do you wish you had a thicker one? On the topic of mats in studios - We have mats at my studio but I don't ever see anyone using them (however I'm not super advanced yet, so maybe that's why; more advanced students might). I think we over-rely on the instructor to be able to spot us, if anything. Oftentimes there's several people doing tricks at once (sometimes more "dangerous" ones), so it's not even possible for the instructor to safely manage everyone. I feel like a lot of pole classes could benefit from more than just 1 instructor - or just someone to assist with spotting - in addition to learning how to safely exit moves. We NEVER talk about safe/emergency exits in class 🤔...

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I also agree that classes should have enough trained spotters to spot anyone who's trying a trick at any given time! As for the thickness of my mat, it's served me well so far! I don't do anything too death-defying though lol

I don't think what you described as knowing the crash mat is there is the same as what that comment was referring to. Sliding down from an invert to the floor (mat or no mat) if you can't exit safely is the recommended exit, it's not lazy or not graceful. Falling out of moves, especially inverts, can injure muscles and frequently does. The clips of you falling out of the leg hangs are actually terrifying to watch, the mat does not prevent you from straining your intercostal muscles/ribs. It's one of the most common pole injuries because people drop out of inverts. I do however agree completely that belittling others for using a mat or wanting to use a mat is uncalled for. Mats are there to be used. But I think there is a HUGE issue with polers not being taught safe exit strategies and trying tricks too advanced for them without spotters, or frankly just before they are ready. Mats are only there to prevent crash injuries, they do not prevent the most common pole injuries.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

You're so right! I really hate watching those clips of me falling out of the leg hangs-- those were from early 2019 before I started poling at home, and thank goodness I'm so much more aware of my body now!

As a former floomper onto mats, I have to weigh in here and confess that I used to just floomp out of moves onto the mats soley because I knew the mat was there. I am not exaggerating when I say my thought process was "how to I get out of this? F*** it, the mat will catch me" and would land onto the mats like a sack of potatoes - I certainly had tge strength to get out of the move, I just... didn't use it, my neurodivergent brain came to the conclusion that it was the quickest and safest way down, so I did it. I received quite a few corrections from my teachers to give more thought into my dismount, but *none* of them ever suggested to take the mats away - I made that decision for myself in my pole practice and it make me a more thoughtful, careful poler and look for different ways of exiting moves. I do still incorporate mat use and spotting in my practice. Now as an instructor, would I ever suggest this practice to my students - absolutely not! I routinely encouraging heavy spotting and mat use, and I haven't found any students like myself who do floomp to the floor with the mat, but Dan Rosen is correct - we do exist 😔 I would also hate to think that my decisions with my personal pole practice would make someone feel bad about their own practice, I would never want anyone to feel bad because my brain needs the slight terror of falling to provide sufficient communication with my body to work right.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

This is super interesting insight, thank you! I think that's the real point-- we all do what we gotta do to get through a pole session, and we shouldn't make others feel bad for that!

Kelsey, to answer the question about using a mat vs no mat tricking your brain, here goes nothing. I'm a relatively new poler. I've had a pole in my apartment since June of 2021 but up until October, the only thing I'd taught myself to do is get into my first climb and hold it on both spin and static and how to hold a sit for a reaaaaally long time. I started taking actually classes in October 2022 and I have fallen in love with it. I've learned significantly more in an actual class than I ever have at home. I don't know if that's due to instructors or my confidence level being higher because I feel more pressure around other people, not really sure, but I've been learning so much. My biggest mental block is the fear of falling. This really comes into play for me with static spins like the back hook or step around, but is improving with more experience. That said, I'm still a level one, so the only really "tricky" hold move we really work on is the Jasmine. I do use a mat when I'm at the studio specifically when practicing my Jasmine because it IS the move that has the most potential for actual injury if I fall out of it. I just tried the Jasmine at home for the first time ever a few days ago. And immediately when I got there, my whole brain switched to panic mode about "oh my god, what if I can't climb out of it?" Because again, I'm still new, I'm a bigger girl, and I still lack a LOT of strength. Sometimes I'm having a great day in class and try to climb out of it (basically hand over hand until I can drop my back leg to the floor enough to hold me) and succeed. Sometimes I try to climb out of it and I slip but my legs catch me and I exit by gently letting myself slide. And sometimes, I just crash to the floor. Even from a very small drop, a hip could be broken, or a wrist if I react and try to catch myself. So the one time I did the Jasmine at home, I was so scared of the potential of falling without a mat that I didn't even hold it, I just slid myself down and gave up. Because I REALLY am scared of falling because I know the potential for injuries is real. And it's not super likely when doing a Jasmine from the floor, but it is still possible. And because my brain has that mental block, I DO feel more confident when there is a mat under me, and I'm more likely to try the more difficult things (climbing out vs sliding or falling down) because I know I'm not gonna be seriously injured if I fall. Having the confidence with the mat doesn't mean I'm trying to go into my inside leg hang or anything right now because I am not ready for it. I'm baby stepping myself for maximum growth in the long run. Cause if I get injured and I'm out for a month, growth will be back to nearly square one. So yeah, it makes me more daring to have a mat, but in a smart way

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

I love this! Thanks for taking the time to tell your mat story!

Team mat! I was learning a new trick and my instructor was spotting me (no mat). When I went into the move I guess she wasn’t ready and I fell…..on my head. So mat ALWAYS.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Oh no! That's the worst when your teacher doesn't spot you correctly!

I don't have a mat bc I've been lazy and didn't order one (it's currently in the post). But I also popped my big toenail off by landing on my toes on my hardwood floor. Get a mat people.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Omg, I can't imagine that pain!!

It would be good to learn to recover from a slip or missed trick while staying on the pole - letting go and dropping can be dangerous. But when trying a new trick you are learning, or when your confidence in your ability to have grip, strength or flexibility is holding you back from learning, then a mat can make all the difference. If you are trying to learn new tricks without benefit of a good spotter, then a mat is recommended. Happy poling is safe(r) poling. Enjoy, and try not to hurt yourself! Stay safe and have fun all!

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

100% agree with everything you have said!!!

@suev4143

Жыл бұрын

@@KelseyHontz I noticed practicing wearing pole shoes on a mat looks a bit precarious as well. Is the progression 'no shoes with mat', 'no shoes without mat', and then 'shoes without mat'? Perhaps a 'hazards of pole shoes' video might be interesting. When to wear, when not. The twisted ankle hazard. And whether there should be lessons in how to walk in them as part of a pole course😁 (some of us are definitely Pleaser challenged). Thank you for posting videos of your pole journey; I look forward to seeing more. I am also curious as to whether you are considering further pole classes in a studio as you progress, or is home/online learning and practice working well for your goals.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Hi again! Ooh I like the idea of a pole shoes video! I really want to go back to a studio, but I have yet to find one I like near me-- hopefully that'll change soon.

@suev4143

Жыл бұрын

@@KelseyHontz 🤞I hope you find the right kind of studio, soon. Happy poling!

This was a great video Looking for a mat Any recommendations?

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Mine is a Soozier Round Folding Portable Pole Dance Crash Mat! It's two inches think and five feet wide and is specifically for pole!

I’m all for safety first. How useful is it if you have to take time off from pole due to an injury?

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

True!! I would have hurt myself so many times if my mat hadn't been below me!

I don’t use a mat! But I can explain! I train at the studio with my instructor and I can rely on her to know my level. But the main reason is that I always train in heels👠 And to step on the mat in them is worse then floor

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, trying to do heels and the mat all at once is a nightmare lmao

I've been training at a pole studio with an instructor to spot me for 4 months now, and I came here to find out if it was normal that I've never been introduced to a crash mat in class. My instructor ambitiously has us doing combos like a hands-free cross-knee layback into forearm stand in a lvl "0-1" spinning pole choreo class. It takes our brains time to get used to turning upside down without getting completely disoriented. I can certainly attest that I panic, freeze and bail mid-maneuver as I dangle off my leg above the hard floor. Often, I don't truly commit to climbing up. And, thus far, I haven't managed to willingly slide down the pole at all because I clench for dear life. My instructor pointed out that it's important to have the learning experience of controlled sliding - but you know what would help with that? Cushioning! It's true that I've never really fallen; when my hands slipped, it was because I was getting tired doing the umpteenth rep of the routine with no opportunity to wipe the pole in between. We're also told to avoid grip aids because it allegedly interferes with building grip strength and encourages dependence - however, since I take stimulant medication which is crucial for me to function and has the side effect of making me sweat a lot more, I reckon that will always be a hurdle for me to some degree. I'm in total disbelief how ready people - including instructors - are to trivialize risks as serious as a concussion or spinal injury. What are you going to do if you crash down head first?! I agree that a mat for a home pole is non-negotiable. If you teach yourself and fall that much, I would increase the conditioning to make sure you have the strength to hold those tricks. Even on a crash mat, your body will eventually experience strain from all the falling. However, I think falling onto something safe does teach you a sense of safety that may be better than never having falling but being deeply distressed all the while achieving that. A teacher pushing a student to progress as quickly as possible, or unsafely, needs to revise their teaching strategies. Stress isn't a good motivator when you're trying to overcome fear in order to build the intuitive fluidity and emotional access that will transform and advance the movement. Did I get the invert? Yeah. Does it look like "please god let me not snap in half!! whew did it, let's go back up immediately"? Also yes. Danger doesn't increase fun. This is a hobby I expect to do for fun.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

"Danger doesn't increase fun" should be the motto for all aerial arts, oh my goodness! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!

@ThePoleDanceDiaries

Жыл бұрын

I’m an instructor mostly for beginners to intermediate level and while most of the time I would spot students rather than use a mat I would definitely be using one for the likes of laybacks ALONG WITH a spot from me. We also take a lot of time to build up strength for more difficult moves which means students feel more ready for some moves without a mat. Please never be scared to ask your instructor for a mat. And never feel like you have to try a move without a spot if you don’t feel secure. I used to see the point made about depending on grip aid and agreed to a point but I have since changed my mind as I don’t think you can actually build grip strength if you are too slippy in the first place as you can’t engage your forearm properly. But remember as instructors we are also learning too and can change our teaching habits with experience! ☺️💕

@PeachPlastic

Жыл бұрын

​​@@KelseyHontz How fun to find my old comment, which I can now update with saying that, at roughly nine months into pole, I'm finally getting ready to purchase and install my own home pole at the new apartment. Besides the pole itself, a nice crash mat is absolutely the first thing I'm going to invest in! Every single time I struggled to learn a new trick, it was because of the very immediate fear of a head-on hardwood-floor-collision. Which I wouldn't have had, had I ever been offered a mat! I actually ended up graduating "out of" grip aid once I built the grip strength, which grip aid absolutely helped me to build. I'm sure the same is true for a crash mat. I will say that my teacher is very happy to spot us, but being passively yeeted up the chrome while still in the same state of being absolutely panicked about sustaining a concussion doesn't promote a productive learning setting. I never feel like I achieved a trick until I can execute it myself, and mat-less teacher-spotting creates a dependence, I think, because it's either her never letting go, or the very real, legitimately dangerous threat of the unprotected floor. 👀 I also want to add that practicing to safely slide down the pole as slowly as possible helped me overcome the fear of slipping, and getting literally stuck, thinking "what if I run out of strength and can't dismount like I'm supposed to?!" The argument of "you'll fall if you have a mat" is the same as "contraception shouldn't be available to teenagers, because they would start having sex". I don't know anyone who would stop using their muscles and start throwing themselves off the ceiling just because the floor is softer. 😂

@PeachPlastic

Жыл бұрын

​@@ThePoleDanceDiaries By now, I'm going to intermediate (level "1") classes and still have never seen a studio crash mat. I mean, I have seen ONE, peeking out from behind the rack of yoga mats. But, you know, it hasn't ever come out. I can't describe the absolute terror I feel every time we attempt Inverted Crucifix. My teacher spotting me doesn't change this immediate fear-state, because I simply can't advance to feeling like I could safely try it on my own. I'm genuinely touched that you offer your students mats to complete the spotting! 🥹 After weeks of no Crucifix progress, I had a moment of wondering if I'm worse at pole than I could be, simply because I didn't want to compromise on safety. 😶‍🌫️ I'm actually preparing to get my first home pole, I'm absolutely buying a nice mat, and I'm really really looking forward to practicing on my own, without being so afraid of the floor. 😅 Even though I really appreciate my teacher, I do feel that ambition gets the best of her, and sometimes I felt pressured.

Someone told me once that using a mat is like training wheels. 😂 I wish the mat would give me better grip and make me have to engage less muscles 😂

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

If anything, the mat is like a helmet!! Omg

@corneliastreet2491

Жыл бұрын

@@KelseyHontz honestly! Or knee pads, for those of us with joint issues 😅

What is the thickness of your mat?

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

It's two inches thick!

@ttaylor6896

Жыл бұрын

@@KelseyHontz Thank you! Watching your video encouraged me to purchase a pole mat.

Idk why people would be proud to put themselves in danger, but okay

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

That comment section is always so wild, lol

There's a community to shame you? I hate groups. In the faraway olden days of the nineties, there were no classes and we taught ourselves pole. I worked a 20 ft pole and never did anything at the top. I just slid down and did secure moves close to the floor. It sure wasn't worth risking death or disability going upside down because some fool offered you 2 bucks.

@KelseyHontz

Жыл бұрын

20 feet stresses me out to even think about!

@Tenebarum

Жыл бұрын

@@KelseyHontz I have a lot of strength in my upper body. It was easy to climb up. It gave me a Birds Eye view of the club and I was able to figure out where the money was. But no upside down for me ever. It’s insane that people think using a safety mat is a bad idea. Maybe I’ll be in your sub compilation one day. Your videos are hysterical and you caused me to order a pole.