Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely anyone can attend pole classes, regardless of age, gender, size or fitness level. The skills and strengths required for pole dancing are taught during class, so no experience is necessary for any of our beginner classes. If you’re concerned about your starting position - the Beginner Block Course is going to be perfect for you. We also have a Junior Pole timetable tailored to suit those under 18. Pole fitness incorporates a diverse range of skills and you may take easily to some aspects of pole, which may not be the same aspects as your classmates. We all learn in different ways and at different rates. Pole is a sport you can make entirely your own based on your personal preferences and what you hope to gain from attending classes. At Icarus Pole Fitness we strive to provide an atmosphere where you can learn and develop your own style.

The short answer is not at all! Pole will help you build up your fitness, strength and flexibility. We have students from all types of backgrounds, including those with no former sports experience. A dancing or gymnastics background will make some moves easier but pole is a sport for everyone. Also, no co-ordination is required!

All bookings are done through our website. In order to book a spot in a class, you will need to purchase a plan through our website. Start by creating an account, and then go to our pricing plans to work out your best option. Once you have purchased a plan, you can then book into a class which will use the plan you have against your account. If you are booking into a course, this is done through the course page specifically after creating an account.

Studio Location: We are located in a basement unit underneath the street-front shops at B2/65-67 Birkenhead Avenue, Birkenhead. There is no access from the street-front. Please walk down the driveway between The Good Home and The Gelato Workshop (83 Birkenhead Ave), at the very bottom of the driveway turn right and we are the first unit on the right. Public Transport: There are bus stops at the top of our driveway. The stops are “Highbury Shops”, stop numbers 3901 and 4030. Driving: The studio does not have any allocated student parking. There are many free parks on the street, as well as the shopping center across the road. Please take note of any parking restrictions. The parking outside the studio front door is for local businesses.

We ask that all students arrive five minutes before the start of class. If you are more than ten minutes late you will forfeit the class and our cancellation policy will apply. You will have missed the warmup and it is not safe for you to train, or fair on the instructor/other students for the instructor to split their time monitoring your warm up while continuing teaching the rest of the class.

You can book into classes up until 4hrs before the class start time. If you would like to book a class after the cut-off, or have difficulty with your booking, please contact the studio directly to confirm class is going ahead as scheduled. You can amend or cancel your booking up until 4hrs before the class start time. If you need to cancel after this time, please contact the studio directly. We are understanding of emergent situations.

As a beginner pole student, first and foremost we want you to be comfortable. Our beginner instructors can work with whatever you’d typically be comfortable wearing to the gym. If you’d like more specific guidance, recommended clothing for beginners is fitted clothing akin to short bike-shorts and a workout top. Please avoid wearing anything with zips/embellishments that can scratch or damage you or our equipment. You will be required to remove/safely cover any jewelry if it will come into contact with the pole (for example: rings, bracelets, watches, anklets, long necklaces/earrings, belly button piercings).

Please bring what you would normally bring to a gym. Essential items are a water bottle, a sweat towel, and on colder days - layers of clothing to keep you warm coming to and from the studio and during warm up and cool down. (We recommend track-pants and a jumper! Getting leggings back on after class can be a tricky situation!)

Make sure you have stayed well nourished and hydrated throughout the day. We recommend not consuming too many sugary products right before class. Please do not apply moisturiser or similar lotions to your body the day of class (face is fine). As residue transfers from your skin to the pole, or as you start to sweat through the lotion, it can become too slippery to effectively train and/or provide spotting, and can be dangerous for both you and your instructor.

If you are going straight into the Level 1/2 class rather than our Beginners Block Course you might be a bit nervous about what you’re going to encounter. So here’s a quick rundown: Arrive 5-10 minutes before class to find parking (see “How do I get there?”). Head down to the Studio - walk down the driveway between The Good Home and The Gelato Workshop, at the very bottom of the driveway, turn right and we are the first unit on the right. Please be at the studio at least 5 minutes before class starts. Enter through the main door or through the roller door if it is up. You will enter the reception area where there are chairs, bathroom/shower if you need to get changed, and our main desk where you can also pay if needed. If there is a class currently underway please wait in the reception area until the instructor invites you in. Head into the main studio and choose a pole. Keep your towel and water at the edge of the room near your pole and put your bag away in the cubby-holes to the side of the room. If you are wearing layers because of the weather, keep these on until you warm up. Your instructor will introduce themselves and ask for a quick background on any previous experience and any injuries. The instructor will follow a typical class structure consisting of a guided warm-up, pole training and conditioning, and then a cool-down. Various skills will be explored through the class, each time starting with a demonstration of the skill being taught, a verbal breakdown, and a run through together as you make your first attempts. Students will be helped one on one by the instructor as needed. Don’t forget to practice both sides! Water and bathrooms are available at any time. If you need a rest feel free to pause as needed. Depending on what moves you are doing you may be asked to get mats from the back of the class to put around the pole. You are also more than welcome to grab a mat at any point during the lesson if you want one. Towards the end of the lesson the instructor may ask existing students if there’s anything in particular they would like to work on. Don’t worry if you’re new! You will continue to be given instruction. At the end of the class we clean the equipment - mats are wiped down and poles are cleaned with meths. The instructor will lead you in a cool down. This is also a good time to put layers back on. Congratulations, you’ve just completed your first lesson!

Our classes are less structured than some other studios. There are moves that we focus on at each level with logical progression, however we don’t keep you held at one move until you get the other. Some people are great at strength, some are naturally more flexible - you will be able to achieve different moves at different times. We take your guidance as to what you would like to focus on and if you would like to build a programme or are working up to something in particular we are happy to put a plan around this with you. Of course, our Level 1/2 classes are more instructor driven as we introduce you to the world of pole!

We love it when you share your Icarus Pole Fitness experience on social media! Just remember that not everyone in class will be comfortable doing so, so please get permission before posting anything or blur out your classmates. Tag us into everything!

We have an app you can use to manage your account and bookings on the go. Click the button below to download the "Fit by Wix" app, and if prompted enter our invite code DIBDJQ

The Beginner Block Course is not compulsory for new students. It is designed as an introduction to the basics and is an ideal starting point for those with no experience, starting with other students brand new to pole. If the course times / commitment isn't suitable, new students are more than welcome to join any of the Level 1 / 2 classes. We recommend the Intro Offer for those brand new to Icarus.