Episode Details

Did you know there’s a whole scientific field that just studies friction?? It’s true! And we can apply a lot of those findings to help us stick better to the pole.

In this episode we’ll dig into why you might be too slippery or too sticky by focusing on friction and research from tribology (much of it drawn from prosthetics studies). We’ll talk about how skin, fat and muscle all contribute to grip and how to navigate each. 

I also break down all the different types of grips and when/why you might want to use each one.

Want to train with me? Check out the Science of Slink membership: https://scienceofslink.com/

Citations: 

Gerhardt LC, Strässle V, Lenz A, Spencer ND, Derler S. Influence of epidermal hydration on the friction of human skin against textiles. J R Soc Interface. 2008 Nov 6;5(28):1317-28. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2008.0034. PMID: 18331977; PMCID: PMC2607440. 

Xu, Z., Sun, H., Tang, W., Fang, X., Kosimov, A. A., & Mamadamon, A. (2026). Influence of muscle fatigue on pain based on friction and brain activation. Tribology International, 112362. 

(I didn’t talk about it, but this is a fun blog post about tribology: https://www.stle.org/files/TLTArchives/2024/12_December/Feature.aspx)

Chapters:

00:00 Sticky vs Slippery 

00:38 Science of Slink Membership

02:17 Friction and Tribology Basics

03:34 Skin Layers and Hydration

06:16 Body Fat and Surface Area

10:10 Muscle Tension and Fatigue

15:32 Grip Aids Explained

20:25 Wrap Up