Hello and welcome!

Starting pole can feel scary. You have to make yourself vulnerable and trust a complete stranger to guide you and help you in a movement that might feel alien to you! But getting out of your comfort zone is good for you! It’s how we grow and develop. Whatever your reason for starting pole, rest assured that our team will support and encourage you every step of the way.

Our values

Pole is great for so many reasons. It’s fun, it makes you strong, and you meet some cool people along the way. Our biggest aim is to teach you how to respect and appreciate the body you’re in, what it can do, and the confidence that you can find from within.

We expect you to find the classes difficult. Pole is hard, and it should be challenging! That means you’re getting your money’s worth because you’re learning from us! If we had a penny for every time someone said “I’ll start pole when I get stronger” then we’d have a lot of cash! The pole will make you strong, but we’d always advise cross training so that you can develop other muscle groups that will complement pole.

The most important thing to us is that you have fun! We’re a very friendly community and we actually do a fair bit more than just pole. We run Crafternoon sessions (where we make our own pole outfits), have pole in the park days out, and even go on holiday together from time to time! But no pressure, you can be as involved or as little involved as you like.

How do I know if this is right for me?

Well, how will you ever know unless you give it a go? We’re pretty confident that you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you can achieve and after that you can progress at your own pace and in an environment that’s free of judgement.

What class do I start with?

What do I wear?

What do I do when I arrive?

We have a busy class timetable with all different classes you can try out - it just depends where your interests lie! If it’s your first ever time doing pole, we would recommend attending one of the Beginners classes. These classes will be a great introduction for a complete newbie with no pole experience. If you admire the sexy side of pole, then we have a suite of heels classes dedicated to this beautiful art form! If it’s new to you - best to start with Fundament-heels on a Tuesday which will be a perfect introductory heels class.

I want to give it a go, how do I book?

Amazing! Don’t forget to use code PNTASTER for 50% off your first lesson! You don’t have to sign up to any courses to start, we’d actually recommend doing a drop in class so you don’t have to commit. All of our bookings are made online via our booking system. We don’t allow walk ins, so make sure to book in advance.

Wear shorts with joggers/leggings over the top. Wear a sports bra and a top without sleeves. We use our skin to grip the pole and you’d be surprised at the gripping points required! Class is in barefoot and no jewellery is allowed on the poles (sorry, but they scratch the poles and are also a health and safety risk). Hair can be up or down - whatever makes you feel good. Try not to moisturise 24 hours before pole class - you might find it’ll make you slippy!

We’re located in Shepperton at Fresh Gym. When you arrive at the gym, you can find a water station downstairs next to reception should you need to refill your drink. If you need to use the toilet, these are also downstairs past reception on the left. There are changing rooms downstairs, but we recommend wearing your pole wear underneath some warm clothes so you can start the warm up without having to get changed first. We’re located upstairs in the studio. You walk straight past reception, turn right, and up the stairs. If there’s a class going on when you arrive, just wait outside and the instructor will let you in when the class before finishes.

What happens in a beginners pole class?

There are 2 people per pole and we have a total of 6 poles. The instructor will take you through a group warm up to get our bodies feeling loose and ready for pole. We’ll show you some conditioning exercises which helps you strengthen your muscles for pole before going through some basic pole stands and pole sits (if you’re feeling brave!). We’ll then explore some beginner pole spins and poses before cooling down as a group at the end of the class.

Your instructor

Your instructor will know that this is your first class and they will great you with a big smile and welcome. Feel free to ask your instructor any questions before the class starts and they will do their best to answer them for you. If the class is busy and the instructor doesn’t get a chance to say hello - don’t worry - they will make the effort to introduce themselves to you.

We have a very welcoming and friendly team at Pole Ninjas. Our instructors are a talented bunch too, and have won multiple competitions between us! We’re all very passionate about sharing our love for pole and have been beginners at one stage in our pole journey’s too. We know that it’s like, we know it can be scary, and we’re here to support you! If you want to find out more about the team supporting you, check it out here.

Other students in the class

In a typical beginners class, some students have been attending for a few months already whereas others will be in week 2! This typically means that even in beginners everyone is at different levels. Don’t panic about that - it’s completely normal! Everyone learns pole in different ways. What might feel great for your body might feel strange for someone else.

At Pole Ninjas, we celebrate our differences. We think the world would be a boring place if we were all the same. We love that our students have different skills and different accents in their movement, and we really encourage people to express themselves in ways that feels good for them.

So the main message here is not to worry about anyone else, just focus on yourself. But rest assured you will make a few friends in the process!