The Anatomy of a Pole-Strong Grip

Written By Allison Lucht

You’re climbing, heart thumping, dry-hands flying. Your arm whispers, we’ve got this – until your hand says, uh, do we? That micro-hesitation at the contact point – palm, fingers, thumb, wrist – decides whether you float an aerial invert…or politely slide back to earth.

Most pole dancers try to fix “grip” at the fingers alone. But a truly pole-strong grip isn’t just hand muscles, it’s a whole kinetic chain: shoulders setting the foundation, scapulae stabilizing, core bracing, elbow aligning, wrist positioning, then fingers applying the right type of grip for the job.

When these pieces stack, you stop fighting the pole and start partnering with it.

Grip Starts at the Shoulder

Think of your hand as the end effector of a bigger machine. If the base (shoulder complex) is wobbly or restricted overhead, your fingers can’t transmit force effectively on the pole.

Research backs this up:

  • Grip ↔ Rotator-cuff strength: Strong correlations exist between handgrip strength and shoulder external rotation strength (a key rotator-cuff action). Translation: when the rotator cuff recruits well, your grip tends to get stronger. (1)

  • Kinetic-chain support: Clinical work notes grip endurance is influenced by shoulder stabilization – the scapula is the launchpad for forearm force. (2)

  • Clinical populations mirror the link: Even in patients with shoulder instability, handgrip tracked rotator-cuff strength, suggesting grip can serve as a quick proxy for shoulder function. (3)

👉 If you struggle with overhead positions (Ayesha, ballerina, brass monkey etc.), don’t just “squeeze harder.” Train thoracic + shoulder flexion mobility, scapular upward rotation, shoulder stability, and external rotation strength. Your hand can only grip as well as your shoulder lets it position.

Elbow: The Middle Link in the Chain

The elbow is your hidden lever. Its angle and how it works with forearm rotation (supination/pronation) directly affect how strong or stable your grip feels.

  • Extended elbows create efficient lines for transmitting force from shoulder to hand. This is why climbs and hangs feel more secure with straighter arms. (4)

  • Bent elbows change the equation. Stronghold grips, for example, rely on ~90-120° elbow flexion plus forearm supination. This recruits more biceps and forearms, but tires them faster. (4)

  • Asymmetry in grips – like split or bracket – often means one elbow is flexed while the other is extended. Both need strength and mobility in their positions; if one side is weaker, your grip fails unevenly.

Takeaway: if your elbows can’t comfortably extend, flex, or rotate into the position a grip demands, your grip itself will always feel weaker.

Wrist: The Gatekeeper

The wrist is where the chain narrows – and if it collapses, everything above it loses power.

  • Most pole grips require the wrist to stay neutral or slightly extended. This allows finger flexors to generate maximum force without wasting energy bending the wrist. (5)

  • Some grips, like princess or cup grips, force the wrist into flexion or deviation. Without mobility and control here, the wrist takes on more stress than it can handle, which often shows up as discomfort or slipping. (6)

  • Forearm rotation changes the demand on the wrist: supinated vs pronated grips load different flexors and extensors. The stronger and more mobile your wrist is, the more consistent your grip will feel across grip variations. (7)

Grip Types and What They Demand in Pole

Crush Grip 

– Fingers and thumb wrap fully around an object (Like a dumbbell or pole). Common in climbs, spins, base hand positions.

– Wrist neutral or slight deviation. In overhead positions that are common in pole, shoulder flexion/abduction, elbow mostly extended.

– If fingers can’t flex strongly, endurance drops and forearm fatigue spikes.

Open Crush Grip

– Hand wraps but stays mostly open. Seen sometimes when using a 50 mm pole with smaller hands.

– Wrist needs strong extension, fingers working at long muscle lengths.

– Demands more from wrist extensors and forearm control – slippage here often isn’t about weak fingers, but weak positioning.

Support Grip

– All fingers gripping on the same side, like in cup grip. 

– Depends on elbow angle; shoulder neutral to flexed, wrist neutral or deviated.

– Endurance grip – if shoulder or elbow mechanics are off, time under tension collapses.

Pinch Grip

– Thumb opposes fingers with minimal palm contact.

– Wrist neutral, thumb mobility, finger flexor/extensor balance.

– Under-trained in pole but key for grp endurance, transitions and smaller grip points.

Hand Extension

– Actively opening the hand against resistance.

– Requires strong wrist/finger extensors.

– Balances overused flexors, reduces risk of overuse injuries, improves overall control.


How Shoulder, Elbow, and Wrist Work Together

Think of it like a checklist before each grip:

  • Shoulder: Can you reach the needed range (flexion, external rotation, abduction) without hiking or straining?

  • Elbow: Is it able to extend or flex smoothly into the angle the grip requires? Can it rotate freely through pronation/supination?

  • Wrist: Can it hold neutral or controlled flexion/extension/deviation without collapsing?

If even one of these is limited, your grip strength feels weaker than it really is.

The Core Connection

Click Here to Learn How to Brace Your Core

Grip isn’t only about the upper limb. If your trunk leaks force, your shoulders wobble, and your hand can’t stay secure. Learning to brace through your core creates a stable base so your grip feels stronger and lasts longer.

If your core strength is the missing link, download Core Unlocked to make it your asset.

Grip Strength = Health Strength

Beyond pole, grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of health and longevity. Research consistently shows that stronger grip is linked with lower all-cause mortality, reduced cardiovascular risk, and greater functional independence as we age. Building a pole-strong grip isn’t just about tricks – it’s about protecting your future body. (8)

Mindset: Grip Is a Skill (Not Just a Squeeze)

Grip improves fastest when you treat it like technique:

  • Place your hand with intention (thumb included).

  • Set the wrist.

  • Brace your core.

  • Choose the right grip type for the move, not just “more squeeze.”

✨ Ready to build a grip that feels unshakable?

Your shoulders, elbows, wrists, and sometimes core are the unsung heroes behind every strong hold. When they’re trained to work together, suddenly the pole feels like it’s holding you.

If you want insider tips, deeper training insights, and the kind of behind-the-scenes coaching that doesn’t make it onto social media, join my email list. That’s where I share my best strategies to help you train smarter, stay injury-free, and unlock the strength you need for your dream pole moves.

Allison Lucht
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