Pole Fitness

Welcome to UEA Pole Fitness!

We are a group of enthusiastic, friendly people who welcome beginners through to experienced polers to join us. We encourage members of any gender, age, ability, etc. to join us – we welcome everyone! We are proud to announce we were Runners Up for Club and Committee of the Year 2020.

When do we learn pole?

• Each pole fitness lesson lasts 50 minutes and is every Sunday between 1-6 pm in Zicer 2.03.
• We have Thursday practice sessions from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm for all levels of members! 
• We also hold Choreography Workshops on a less regular basis

What are classes like?

Please ensure you turn up at least 10 minutes before your lesson starts so we can start on time. Classes start with a warm-up to prepare your body and prevent injury. Our amazing Beginner Class Instructor, Rhianna-Lily Smith, and our Intermediate & Advanced Instructor, Holly Munson, will demonstrate a variety of moves and break them down into manageable parts for you to try. The lesson ends with a cool-down to reduce soreness and improve flexibility. Classes have a maximum of 18 people but can vary in size depending on demand. Each class is 50 minutes long. We have 3 Beginner classes (1-3 pm), 1 Intermediate class (4 pm), and an Advanced class (5 pm). Our Semester 1 beginner classes will happen at the same time for semester 2. An additional Beginner class will be added in semester 2, which will start at 12 pm. 

But I'm not that strong or fit, will I be able to take part?

Of course! Most of us have never tried Pole Fitness before coming to UEA, and classes are specifically designed to increase your strength and flexibility over the weeks. We all have to start somewhere... and our club is a great place to start!

What do I wear and what can’t I wear?

We recommend you wear shorts as the skin on your legs is needed to grip the pole and a vest or T-shirt. A lot of people worry about wearing shorts, but we come in all shapes and sizes and are a judgement-free zone, so most people end up wondering why they worried in the first place! We also have an optional club kit,  brand new for 2023.

To avoid injury to yourself and damage to the poles, please don’t apply lotions, tanning products, or any type of moisturiser before class. These make the poles slippery and can be dangerous. Jewellery must not be worn as it can damage the poles.

NEW Pole Fitness Team Kit

We are super excited to announce that we have been working on creating an optional team kit, brand new for 2023. Working with our fantastic supplier PoleGenie, we have created two top designs, and two bottom designs to be as inclusive as possible made of recycled fabrics. Our top sizes range from UK 4-24 and our bottoms range from waist measurements 26-40, and we also offer custom bust sizing in our attitude tops for those with bigger busts. Custom bust sizing is ONLY available for the attitude top due to our supplier's reccomendations as it provides better support. 

We will be placing a bulk order in late October, so all kit must be purchased by 20/10. After this, we will not be placing any more kit orders until TBC. When you are purchasing any kit from the SU website, please make sure to fill in the google form in the product description telling us which size you would like, and if you need the custom bust sizing. All of this information will stay confidential.

Please note our kit is entirely OPTIONAL and will not change your experience of our club or activities.

Do I need to bring anything else to classes?

Bring a bottle of water to keep you hydratedy! We provide cloths for drying your hands. We are proud to say we are a club aiming to be more sustainable, so we encourage you to use reusable bottles during classes.

When are your taster sessions?

UPDATE: Our taster sessions for semester 2 will be available to book at 10am on 29/01/24. After these, there will be no more tasters this academic year.

Our taster sessions dates are 24/09/23 and 01/10/23 for semester 1 and 04/02 for semester 2. Please keep an eye out on our social media for more information! They will last 50 minutes, but please make sure to turn up 10 minutes before your taster so we can sign you in! They will be held in Zicer 2.03. More details will be available closer to the time on our Instagram (@ueapf). If you book a slot, please make sure to turn up - this is because our tasters are in such high demand. We do not tolerate any no-shows or late-comers, as the warm-up is mandatory for your safety! So please let us know if you can't make it on the day.

What happens at practice?

Our Thursday practice gives you a chance to have a go at what you have been taught in your previous lessons and socialise with members across the club! It's perfect for improving your strength and making new friends.

What about workshops and choreography?

We aim to provide several subsidised workshops from external coaches throughout the year. In the past, we have had instructors come in to teach choreography, chair-ography, and heel workshops. These will be subject to changes through the academic year and will have additional costs.

What socials and other events do you do?

We offer a variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic socials. We will have lots of fancy dress themes for nights out, laid back pizza evenings, laser tag, and more!

Throughout the year we also have many events, from charity events such as 24 Hour Pole-a-thon or Movember, to our Showcase for all our members to get involved in, as well as our Winter and Summer Balls! 

Do you have any competitions?

Yes! We host 'Scorpio' our own friendly competition which started in 2020 and invites university pole clubs from across England. We also compete in Derby Day, which is a yearly sporting event against University of Essex and has a similar format to Scorpio.  We encourage everyone from all levels to have a go at auditioning for these exciting competitions, with auditions usually starting at the end of semester 1. In the past we have also competed in IUPDC South East regionals. 

Sophie Image (C) Zoé Kerboul, Toy Story Group Image (C) Nightbulb

Membership

• A yearlong membership from September is £20, and lessons cost £27.50 per semester. We ask you to pay upfront in a single payment per semester for lessons.
• Half-year memberships starting from January are £15 if you haven't bought the year-long membership.
• Anyone who joins a UEA Sports Club also must buy a Sports Membership which contributes to the funding of the clubs. This year it is £55, and only needs to be bought once a year. If you are buying half a year Sports Membership, it is £30. This price may be subject to change. 
• Our Thursday practices are free and open to all members who have purchased lessons.
• Workshops will be on a less frequent basis and will require additional purchase.
• If you are unsure about what level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) you are suitable for, please email us or DM our Instagram as it is the most checked mailbox.
• We cannot offer a refund for club membership, if you are unable to purchase lessons in semester one, we offer an additional beginners class in semester 2. Please DO NOT buy your membership before purchasing lessons.
• Beginners: Please note if you miss more than 2 lessons in a row, you will lose your place due to the pace at which we try to progress our members. We understand that for students with placements attending every lesson is not always possible, please let us know if this is the case and we may be able to be more lenient in terms of attendance.

When does memberships and lessons go on sale?

Semester 1 lessons go on sale at 10am on 02/10/23.

Semester 2 lessons go on sale at 10am on 05/02/24. Due to room allocations we are unable to add additional classes despite demand. 

Please purchase memberships with lessons, as without lessons you will only be able to attend socials. 

The date future lessons go on sale will be advertised on our Instagram at the start of each semester, so keep an eye out!

Remember, everyone was a beginner once!

Sometimes people are nervous about starting pole fitness with issues of fitness or flexibility, especially regarding upper body strength. But don't worry! Your upper body strength and overall fitness will improve throughout the lessons, developing as you learn. 

We hope to see you soon! x

Committee 2023/24:

If you have an unanswered question about the UEA Pole Fitness Club, please don’t hesitate to email us or DM our Instagram as it is the most checked mailbox.

Social Media:

• Instagram: @ueapf
• Facebook: UEA Pole Fitness
• TikTok: @ueapf

Additional Cost of Sport Ranges

The additional cost of sport project, which was created by the Students’ Union, alongside uea+sport, is designed to give prospective members information on the range of costs they may face in joining their chosen sport.

This range should be taken as guidance. For compulsory costs, this price includes uea+sport membership which is £55, and you only need to pay once to join all of our clubs.

When considering additional costs, some clubs may have none and others may have further costs. This is often dependent on the level of competitiveness for the sport you get involved in, and so recreational or socially playing may be cheaper. You may also have equipment which can be used between multiple sports, for example shoes or gum shields.

For any questions, please ask the sport club for specific further information, or union.opportunities@uea.ac.uk for further information on the project.

Many thanks,

Luke Johnson

Your Activities & Opportunities Officer 23/24