If you’re anything like my Dear Danglers, you don’t do much resting in your resting poses. Sure, Zooming Zoey, you might pause for a hot second to gulp a breath or two, but then you’re off again to the next position. Or, perhaps you’re a Grippy Gary, who maintains a vise-like grasp on the fabric at all times no matter what. Zooming and gripping don’t sound like that big a deal, so why do we care? Because, Panicking Penelope and Exhausted Ezekiel, you’re never going to get through a piece without learning to let the fabric take your weight.

Taking a True Rest

When we first learn a move, no matter what it is, we grip for Jesus. Over time, we learn to trust our hands more and more, but we’ll always over-grip a bit when new stuff is coming down the pike. This is totally normal! However, when we habitually over-grip, our fingers and forearms will fatigue quickly (or worse – we get the dreaded Popeye arms!). Once you’re reasonably comfy with a move, be a little more conscious about your grip. Are your hands taking weight? Lifting? Primarily there for balance? Totally superfluous? Obviously, use the grip you need, but try to be a tad more mindful about that power squeeze.

We tend to move too quickly from one position to the next, because let’s be honest – every second up there feels like an eternity. Know who doesn’t experience time that way? Your audience! I’m totally serious – video yourself and you’ll see what I mean. That sequence that felt like 10 minutes took barely ten seconds, and you were just a blur of motion. Especially in your training, can you slow down a bit? Not only will your movements become more deliberate, but you’re likely to find some unexpected places where you can fully rest. Which brings me to….

Letting the fabric fully take your weight. Beyond a level of essential tension, we want to be able to meaningfully rest, and regain some power for the moves ahead. How much of your body weight can you give over to your apparatus while maintaining proper form? Chances are great that it’s a LOT more than you’re used to. We tend to use massive amounts of energy in an effort to levitate, and I’m here to tell you that it’s probably working against you.

Try this:

• Move into your splits, and take a quick inventory. Are your hands gripping for dear life? Is that necessary to keep you in position? Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t – just check in.
• Get into a X-back straddle. It took some effort to get here, are you still carrying massive tension in your torso once you’re arrived? How much of your body weight can you give to the fabric while maintaining good form?
• Try a tree house position (pictured). Can you be still for a second? What’s your breath doing? How hard are you gripping? Can you share more weight with your silks?

It’s a balancing act, isn’t it? Finding out how much effort, tension, and energy to put into any particular move, with an eye towards simultaneously being an aerial badass with excellent technique, and using your body resources wisely. Play with this in class! Resting is a skill that can be learned and practiced, and will give your aerial self a big old boost. Love and pull-ups, Ms Laura