Has anyone tried the "sport pole"

Have you taken any classes or got any DVDs? You wont lose weight if it just sits there

Pole dancing is incredibly hard and at first you may find you can't even hold your body weight but if you persevere you'll love it and burn loads of calories

You could start of with an X-pole Sport, they're static and cheaper so if you hate it you're not losing out that much.

If you could take a class first that would be best, I know loads of people with poles in their cupboards who bought without trying or found it too hard..

You mean a "stripper pole"?

where are you based?

I'm curious to this as well. I've been taking pole fitness classes (note I say FITNESS class and NOT stripper class :grumble: ) and I want more practice at home.

everyone should try it at least once!
but remember no one gets perfect technique on the first go... so keep it up!

I have tried classes...and they are a lot of fun but it was very hard on my elbow. A home pole is nice if you have high ceilings but I found I enjoyed a "chair class" much more and more practical for home. Do what you enjoy and find a class before you invest in a pole :flowerforyou:

Oh my...triple post

Pole is an awesome, great, fun workout. However, like any other workout, pole alone will not cause you to lose weight. You obviously need to watch what you eat, etc.. Personally, I would not just buy a pole and expect to use it, make progress, and not injure yourself. If you have access to classes, that would be my first choice. DVDs are also available, and I know people do use them and make progress, but personally, I would be concerned about injuring myself without someone to watch me for positioning/technique, and without a spotter when I'm first trying certain moves.

Keep in mind that pole is progressive. I started out learning very basic moves, that weren't terribly difficult physically, then moved on to harder moves. There are points when things get harder, even a lot harder, but you work up to it, like anything else.

Also, can we PLEASE stop playing the whole "we're just doing this for exercise, pole fitness is nothing like what strippers do" game? As Claire of The Pole Story has pointed out, there are plenty of workouts out there, you chose pole for a reason.

Oh, and there is a pole dancers group on MFP, join us!

I'm in the Steven's point area but I don't know of any classes around here.... and no I mean "sport pole" because: I'm not taking my clothes off while dancing... I have tried a pole one at a strip joint (in clothes) and all I could do is lift myself up slightly (I was in jeans) and dance around it.

To perform many (if not most) intermediate and advanced pole moves, you need to have bare skin on your thighs, arms, and often stomach/sides. If you don't take some clothes off, you're not going to get very far.

My girlfriend wants a pole to start on at home. Is there a big difference in the different poles that you can buy? Does anyone have any recommendations on the best pole for beginners.

Yes, poles vary in terms of a number of things:
1) Ability to hold weight - This is obviously important, there are some VERY cheap poles around, but they can't support your body weight.
2) Static only vs static & spinning - Spinning pole is fun, but it's not necessary.
3) Finish - There are various finishes, the most obvious difference is color, white metal (chrome or stainless), or brass colored (either brass or something called electroplated gold), coated metal poles which come in an array of colors, and plastic poles (these are relatively rare). This is a matter of personal preference. I've danced on chrome, stainless, and brass poles. I strongly prefer chrome or stainless poles to brass. Some people get better stick on brass poles, but I find them to be "moodier" either I stick a ton or not at all. Again, this is personal preference.
4) Size - poles come in 50mm, 45mm, and now even 40mm. (In Australia I believe there is also a 38mm.) The old standard was 50mm, but this is quite large for a lot of women's hands, so some people strongly recommend a 45mm. But 45mm poles tend to be a little harder on thighs and knees. This again boils down to personal preference.
5) Attachment - Some poles bolt into the ceiling, while others are pressure mounted. The bolted poles are probably better if you have really high ceilings, but if you don't want to put bolts in, pressure mounted poles are the way to go. There are also free-standing poles, but I wouldn't recommend starting on one of those, plus, they tend to be more expensive.
6) Customer service - I have an x-pole, and I have had excellent customer service from them when something was initially wrong with my pole. I have heard horror stories about dealing with another leading company.
7) Workmanship - There are some cheaper poles on the market that are poorly made, have sharp edges, etc.. You want to avoid these.

The common (quality) brands that I'm aware of are: x-pole, platinum stages, and lil' mynx. I've never used a lil' mynx pole, but I know people who are reasonably happy with them.

I'm sure there are other things I'm forgetting, so other people can chime in.

If possible, I would recommend trying a few poles first. Or, if your gf will be taking classes, a common recommendation is to get a practice pole similar to what you're learning on in class.