When you begin learning any of the aerial disciplines everything...HURTS SO MUCH!! Why? Why does it hurt? How can something that looks so easy and flawless hurt everything?? Sometimes it hurts so much that it hinders progress. Climbing hurts until you condition the skin but it is hard to condition the skin if it hurts so badly that you don't want to do it. Enter the Heaux Apparel ankle protectors. They give you a barrier between your skin and the hard pole and they have gripper contact points to help you stick to the pole as you execute your climbs. These are great for beginners or anyone who has to hold an ouchy skill for awhile.