Floorwork can be dynamic, sexy, powerful, and fun, but no matter which way you floorplay, you’re going to want to protect some key areas of your body.
Think about it: Have you ever worn uncomfortable shoes that pinched your toes or scraped your heels? How easy was it to walk? Was it obvious to anyone who looked your way that you were uncomfortable and in pain?
It’s hard to move freely and comfortably when you’re in pain. Dress for floorwork success, and make sure some key areas of your body are protected.
1. Protect your feet.
The platform heels we wear are cute for sure, but they do serve a purpose. The toe box gives you surface area to slide on, protecting your toes and the tops of your feet. The taller the toe box, the more surface area you have at your disposal. Not a fan of heels? That’s okay. Wear thick socks instead, and don’t be shy about doubling up on socks either. If your feet and toes are protected from scraping against the floor, you’ll feel better about sliding around.
2. Protect your legs.
Think about why some of us wear tiny little pole bottoms in the first place… because they can help us stick to the pole, right? Well, if you are trying to slide across the floor while doing floorwork, that skin-to-floor contact can become a liability. Of course you can wear your pole bottoms to do floorwork. Plenty of people do, myself included! But I do notice a difference in the way I move if I take the time to pull on a pair of leggings before floorwork class. Without that skin-to-floor friction, I can achieve bigger, slide-ier, swoopier movements than I do when wearing shorts.
3. Protect your shoulders.
Shoulder rolls, shoulder stands, and all their variations can do a number on your shoulders, especially the top outer edge of your shoulder blade. Also known as the acromion, it’s the pointy bit you can feel when you reach across your body and try to touch the back of your opposite shoulder. I remember nearly a decade ago as a baby poler seeing a joke post on Instagram by someone who stuck maxi pads on her shoulders as a DIY floorwork hack! It’s weird that no one has come up with a solution for floorwork shoulder pain yet… PSYCH! Bee's Knees has. The Floorwork Shrug isn’t just a shirt; it’s more like a piece of essential equipment. It has padding that covers the shoulders, clavicle, top of the spine, and elbows to ease the pain of floorwork.
4. Protect your knees.
I’m sure you’re surprised that a pole dance knee pad company will tell you to wear knee pads! But here’s the truth: Bee’s Knees Knee Pads were designed for floorwork. The firm hand finish mesh compression fabric was chosen specifically for its breathability, durability, and slide-ability. Grippy knee pads that stick to the pole also stick to the floor, creating friction that can interrupt your floorwork flow. Bee’s Knees Knee Pads, on the other hand, slide easily on the floor, giving you the slide-ability you need for your most fluid floorwork flow. And if you need that skin-to-pole contact, just grab the straps, strip them off, and ride the chrome.
If your body’s most sensitive areas are protected, you’ll move freely and without pain. That comfort will translate to your movement, ensuring your floorwork success.