So. You’ve hoisted your butt 18 feet into the air, done some splits, a hip key, and some fancy hip swivel thingie you saw on Instagram. You look fabulous, but your forearms are swearing, your thighs are quivering, and you’re gasping like a beached carp. Time for a rest pose, stat!
Discovering Your Recovery Zone
It’s like an erogenous zone, but BETTER! Maybe. Your recovery zone is the sweet spot you move into during class or performance when any part of you – hands, legs, lungs, whatever – need a break. Your zone is completely unique to you, so it’s up to you to sleuth out what it looks like. Your teacher can make suggestions, but ultimately, it all comes down to what allows YOU to recoup your aerial mojo.
The time to investigate rest positions doesn’t begin when you’re high above the crowd; it begins in class and when you’re training, and it deserves as much attention as that salty quad you threw last week in open workout.
- Slowing your movements can allow for much-needed cardio-vascular recovery, and add some variety to your piece (it’s hard to watch you thrash and flail for 5 minutes straight with no variation in tempo. Surprise me.)
- Get your feet underneath you. Standing or kneeling positions like treehouse (pictured above) offer hands-free rest, and some nice opportunities for emoting. Note: allowing the fabric to truly take your weight is a learned skill, and worth focusing on. You do not need to constantly grip for Jesus and hold yourself up by your hands, or tense your other muscles in an attempt to levitate. Learn to let the fabric take all the weight you can while maintaining good technique.
- Tie yourself in knots. When you’re all trussed up, you can let the fabric do the work. Foot knots, hip key variants, and all manner of little “shelf” positions can give you a good breather. These are fun to get creative with!
- Go upside down! Cross-back straddle, catcher’s hang, and, to a lesser degree, ankle hangs can give you a chance to de-popeye your forearms. What goes upside down must come right side up, so remember to factor that into your choreography.
In class or open workout, begin to keep a list of positions you discover that allow you a degree of rest. Better yet? Set a challenge for yourself to discover the hidden recovery opportunities in every move you learn. You’ll eventually find yourself with 2 or 3 go-to moves, and a near-endless variety of options for whatever your teacher throws at you, or you decide to put into a piece. Take note of what KIND of rest you’re getting from each position – hands, full-body, a second to breathe, etc, and you’ll be ready to spend more time in the air with less worry about fatigue.
Now, go forth and recover! Love and pull-ups, Ms Laura