Category Archives: Training

How to Get a Smokin’ Hot Hip Key PICTURE Update!

By 2 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized

Hello Dear Danglers! Ask and ye shall receive! Here are photos illustrating the three steps to a glorious hip key – enjoy! Love and pull-ups, Laura

 

(excerpted from “The Secret to a Sexy Hip Key”)

The 3 Parts of a Sexy Hip Key

I’m not going to go deeply into the physical mechanics of a hip key – your instructor can take you through that. But I WILL let you in on some secrets to make it smokin’ hot!

 

 

1. Red lipstick. OH – and a solid first position I like to call, “Look at your butt.” First, make sure your elbows are glued to your waist. Let’s say I’m keying right. I bring my fabric to the right side of my body (as if I were inverting). I then bring my right leg straight forward, my left leg back. Now, look at your butt – there should be a fabric on it. Legs should be straight here (bent legs = Poopy Technique).

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Sassy librarian hair. AND a very wide straddle! After the fabric is on your butt & you scissor it between your legs, you should do the biggest, most indelicate straddle you possibly can. Your legs should be even, and straight out in front of you. DON’T allow one leg to go higher than the other – you should look as if you’re sitting on the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Stilettos. Tap the taut (“live”) fabric with the left foot as you key over. Leg too low to tap? You’ve got Droopy Drawer Syndrome – your butt’s not high enough!

 

 

Many thanks to the stunning and gorgeous Ashley Ortiz (who I totally ambushed with these photos – heh heh).

 

 

  

 

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

 

Training Smart – You’re Doin’ It Wrong

By 1 commentAwesomeness, Bloopers, Training
Hello Dear Danglers! Are you training smart or, well, not-smart? Are you sabotaging your progress with easily fixable technique bloopers? Take this quiz (just like in Cosmo!) & find out!
 

True or False

  1. I invert, wrap for splits, etc. with my arms fully extended overhead or my elbows glued to my waist and hands at shoulder height. I use all my muscles to hold me up, instead of just my biceps. I’ve got the power!
  2. I lift my chest like a proud ballerina, and gaze over the horizon. When in doubt, boobies out! This keeps me from looking like a gargoyle.
  3. I practice new moves nice and low, so that when I inevitably tangle myself, no one has a coronary episode trying to get me down.
  4. I am so hot in the air that I have to date firemen. (Go ahead & answer true to this – you know you’re smokin’!)
  5. Flailing is an acceptable way of getting your ass over your head. The more you wave your legs in the air, the better your chances of inverting!
  6. I kick my fabric out of the way when I invert, wrap for splits, hip key, climb… well, pretty much all the time. Stupid fabrics getting in my way! I’ll show you! (kick kick kick)
  7. I regularly try to lower myself half-way out of a drop before I let go, scream, and flail. Nevermind the torque on my shoulder, or the unspeakable wedgie that will have to be surgically removed – drops are scary! I’ll take the wedgie.
  8. I love wearing lots of rings, low-cut tops, and dangly earrings when I work out! BA-BLING! You should really make an effort to look fabulous during silks class. Also? A boob regularly pops out of my top every time I invert. (this gets its own video blog next week! Don’t miss the boobies!)
Answer true to 1-4? Congrats – you’re working smart! Answer true to 5-8? You’re getting in your own way!
These are all deserving of their own posts, but ain’t nobody got time for that (THIS week!). Quick suggestions:
 
  1. Less is more. When you flail your legs, kick your fabric, etc., you waste valuable energy and make it MORE difficult to execute the move. Stay calm, point your toes, and aim to move only what needs moving.
  2. Release properly out of your drops. DO YOU WANT A DISLOCATED SHOULDER?! I didn’t think so. That whopping 6 inches you gain by contorting yourself a few millimeters down your fabric does you no favors, and is super assy. Stop it. It’s OK to be scared!!!! Take a deep breath, have your instructor check your form, and commit. Too scary? Know you’re going to spaz out? Reverse the wrap, and carefully lower down, or walk your drop out with help from your coach.
  3. Remove your jewelry (it can tear the fabric), and wear a higher cut top. Seriously – that sh*t gets awkward. 😉

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

The Secret to a Sassy Hip Key

By 5 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized

Heh heh heh – I DO love watching my Dear Danglers first attempts at hip keys – ya’ll are hilarious! I say that with lots of love. 🙂 There’s a whole lotta flailing going on up there! What to do? “To nail your key, hit all three!”

The 3 Parts of a Sassy Hip Key

I’m not going to go deeply into the physical mechanics of a hip key – your instructor can take you through that. But I WILL let you in on some secrets to make it smokin’ hot!

1. Red lipstick. OH – and a solid first position I like to call, “Look at your butt.” First, make sure your elbows are glued to your waist. Let’s say I’m keying right. I bring my fabric to the right side of my body (as if I were inverting). I then bring my right leg straight forward, my left leg back. Now, look at your butt – there should be a fabric on it, and your hip should be hiked up and squeezing towards your ribs (like a side crunch).  If it helps, you can think of putting your tiddly bits on the fabric! Legs should be straight here (bent legs = Poopy Technique).

2. Slutty legs (a very wide straddle)! After the fabric is on your butt & you scissor it between your legs, you should do the biggest, most indelicate straddle you possibly can. Your legs should be even, and straight out in front of you or above the horizon. DON’T allow one leg to go higher than the other – you should look as if you’re sitting on the floor.

3. Tap the taut (“live” or “pole”) fabric with the left foot as you key over. Leg too low to tap? You’ve got Droopy Drawer Syndrome – your butt’s not high enough!

Troubleshooting

1. You’ve got to walk before you can fly, friend! In-the-air hip keys require a solid inversion/back straddle. Not in the cards for you yet? Practice the position by wrapping it on the ground.

2. In step two, make sure you’re not dropping one leg in an effort to haul the other one over! Not only is it unproductive, but it’s spastic (in an ugly way, not a charming French-Canadian circus school kind of way).

3. Shallow straddle – In step two, that wild, indelicate straddle should scoot the fabric all the way to the upper thigh. Don’t be shy! Hint: if the fabric keeps winding up around your knees, straddle for all you’re worth and lift those feet!

4. SPEED KEY! I’m sad to say that your commitment to speed is no substitute for proper, sassy form. Also? No matter how fast you go, I still see you. Slow down, speed demon.

5. Not enough of an invert/rolling too early. If you’re not able to tap the fabric with the far leg as it cartwheels over, you’re not in a good position (good = fabric tail falling squarely over the lower back). Fun fix? Instead of rolling to the side to complete the key, invert straight back and eliminate the side roll to train yourself to get your hips up high enough. Once that becomes easy-peasy, add the key to the side back in.

6. Terrifyingly bent legs. No. No no no no no. NO. Shut. that. down. Work for straight legs every time. You can do it! If you train it, it will come.

Well, that’s all I have to say about that. Hope it wasn’t too confusing! Maybe I’ll post a demo pic or two when I get back.  I’m off to Wheel Weekend in Chicago! I’m super excited, and super nervous. Just hoping not to embarrass myself too badly! I’ll report back! Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

Training While Pregnant – the 3rd Trimester

By 5 commentsAwesomeness, Safety, Training, Uncategorized
My glorious belly at 36 weeks!

Pssst! Remember – I am not a medical practitioner. This post is in no way meant as a substitute for medical advice. Check with your OB, midwife, or doctor about training throughout your pregnancy to ensure the safety of you and your baby!

Oh Dear Dangler, now the fun really begins!!! The bad news is that this trimester can be tough – you’re heavy, might feel uncomfortable, and pee whenever you sneeze. BUT – take heart! You’re almost there, and will finally meet the prankster who’s been tap dancing on your spleen for the past few months.

You’re Enormous – Embrace It

  • Your boobies are gigantic. Seriously – they’re huge. You’re sporting about 3-4 lbs of extra breast tissue! Enjoy those gorgeous curves!
  • You feel heeeeeeeeeeavy. Baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, larger breasts and uterus, extra fat stores, and increased blood and fluids equal an extra 25-40 lbs of fabulousness!
  • More frequent Braxton Hicks contractions. They feel a little funny, but shouldn’t hurt.
  • Backache fun! As those hormones relax the joints in your pelvis, your back gets to pick up the slack. But here’s the great news – your back is so nice and strong from doing aerial work, you may avoid this issue completely! Those abs you thought were ruined (they’re not) are also lifting and holding that baby up, sharing the load with your back. You are a badass!
  • Shortness of breath! Friend, there’s just no more room in there for your lungs to expand like they used to, so while you’re hauling around an extra 30 lbs, you’ll be huffin’ and puffin’ like a choo choo train. This is not an indication that you’re somehow getting “less strong”, it’s just crowded in there!
  • Heartburn! Your sweet behbeh might now be pushing your stomach out of position, resulting in stomach acid creeping up where it shouldn’t.
  • Swelling up like a balloon! Also, spider veins, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids. There are tons of extra fluids you’re body’s dealing with, so your veins are working overtime. Pressure on your intestines may also slow down your digestion, resulting in some (ahem) “straining”. Don’t do that. Make friends with prunes.
  • Peeing every 30 freakin’ minutes. Also? All that pressure on your bladder may cause you to leak urine when you laugh or sneeze. One word: KEGELS! Again, aerial work to the rescue! You very likely have a nice, strong pelvic floor since you’re used to keeping everything (and I do mean everything) tight in the air. Continue to keep those muscles nice and vise-like by doing Kegel exercises – the vaginal workout of champions! Panty liners can also help.

How It Affects Your Training

  • Heavy – you’ll move and work more slowly and deliberately. This probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: now is the time to stay nice and close to the ground so you can dismount quickly and safely when you need to. Remember – training should feel GOOD and be safe!
  • Bump in the way – it’s kind of hard to avoid now! Work around it as best you can. Wrap things from the floor, and see what kind of variations you can create! You may find something really wonderful!
  • Balance wonky – don’t underestimate how off-kilter you may feel right now. Your body proportions have changed RAPIDLY, and you need to work slowly and consciously. For myself, I actually had phenomenal balance while I was pregnant – I think having more in front helped to balance out what was already in back!
  • Remember to breathe! Timing your breathing to your movement can help here (arm up – inhale, wrap around – exhale, etc).
  • Stay active. Staying physically active during a normal, healthy pregnancy is GREAT! Helps move all those fluids around, keep muscles strong and gorgeous, may improve chances of an easy delivery, and will make you feel great!
Float-y fun!

Here are three exercise videos I loved during pregnancy – I found most to be so ridiculously easy it was laughable. These (especially the Steben videos) are total butt whoopers! In case you don’t know, you can see the Steben twins in the Saltimbanco Cirque du Soleil video  – they’re the swinging trap duo.

  1. The Perfect Pregnancy Workout Volume 1 (weight training)
  2. The Perfect Pregnancy Workout Volume 2 (yoga based)
  3. 10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates

Assess your training with your coach, and play it super safe!!!! Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

Training While Pregnant – the Second Trimester

By 7 commentsAwesomeness, Safety, Training, Uncategorized
Mmmmm….pickles…..

Congratulations – your head is probably out of the toilet and your boobies don’t hurt so much! HOORAY! There are LOTS of major changes in this trimester which will make your training super creative. And flatulent – did I mention the farting? Let’s talk. You sit over there, please.

Note: I am not a medical practitioner. This post is in no way meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Check with your doctor before attempting or continuing aerial training of any kind while pregnant.

The Golden Trimester

For many women, this is by far the most comfortable trimester of pregnancy. You’re probably not throwing up, the emotional rollercoaster has died down a bit, and you may feel a renewed sense of well-being. But the BEST part? You finally get to tell everybody!!! It’s about to get harder to hide. Here’s why:

  • Larger breasts – VA-VOOM! Shock and Awe are in the house! You’re gonna have yourself a big ole rack.
  • Baby bump! By month 4 (earlier if this isn’t your first pregnancy), you can kiss your tight jeans goodbye.
  • Baby movements – This was the best part of pregnancy for me! One day, you feel a little flutter, or a pop like someone is popping popcorn in your tummy. Warning: you will almost die of excitement. 🙂
  • Braxton-Hicks contractions – Your uterus likes to be prepared – it’s training too! These contractions are your uterus toning up for the big day.
  • Nasal congestion – Snot fest. Enjoy.
  • Dizziness – Your blood volume is increasing by 50% (!!!). WOW! Thanks to that, you may find you have some dizziness here and there as your blood pressure tries to normalize.
  • Leg cramps – Yup. They’re a party.
  • Shortness of breath – You’re having to oxygenate A LOT more blood, so don’t be surprised if those stairs leave you more winded than you think you ought to be.
  • Hilarious flatulence – Blame it on the dog, friends!
  • Loosey-goosey joints – All that Relaxin in your system can give you a rockin’ split, but make joints a little loose. Train veeery carefully if you were hypermobile prior to pregnancy.
  • Just a little less emotional – Your hubby or partner can put the sharp knives back in the kitchen! Your emotions (while still topsy-turvy) are a hair more stable now. Enjoy it while it lasts.

How Your Training May Change

  • Time to officially tell your instructor! All of my pregnant students found creative ways to “tell me without telling me” during the first trimester (“I’m not feeling well, I’m going to take it easy for the next few weeks” for example). If your instructor doesn’t “hear” you, remember – you have a big responsibility to keep yourself safe and healthy right now. Listen to your midwife/OB, and especially to your body. Now is the time to be conservative! Consider telling your coach in confidence in trimester 1.
  • As the bump grows and you get heavier, certain moves eventually just don’t work (inversions/straddle-backs for example). Your work will naturally get lower and lower, which is as it should be! Let your body determine what moves to focus on, and get creative. Training should feel good – this is NOT the time for strain and pain!
  • If you find yourself getting AT ALL light-headed or dizzy, stop immediately. This happened to me when I would quickly go from upside down to right-side up. When I slowed my movements, it went away. HOWEVER — dizziness has no place in aerial arts. If you find this is a regular maternal symptom and not just a random one time thing, it’s time to take a break from training and pick it back up in a few months after the birth. Don’t worry – aerial arts will still be there in a few months!
  • You’re more winded now, so stamina is not going to be your thing. Ease up, and focus on technique with one or two moves, rather than stringing a bunch together.
  • Fart with exuberant abandon. People forgive pregnant women anything.
  • I have really tight joints, so the loosening didn’t faze me much. BUT, some of you have loose joints to begin with, so you’re like spaghetti when you’re pregnant! Proceed with an eye towards keeping your joints (especially shoulders) WELL within an easy and stable range of motion. Now is actually a great time to start working on building stability in your joints using a thera-band or light weights.
  • “High impact” aerial pursuits such as flying trapeze will need to be tabled, often as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. But hey – didn’t you say you always wanted to try static aerials?

It’s also good to ask your coach if they’ve ever taught a pregnant student, and if they have any education or training for doing so (for the record, yes I have, and yes I do! I’ve been an ACE Certified personal trainer for the past eight years (with continuing education credits in pre and post-natal exercise).  It’s absolutely essential that you keep talking to your midwife or OB about your training (it really helps if they’ve had experience with athletes or circus performers in the past). Modify, modify, modify! Your training should be safe, and really feel good. If you’re having a “vanilla”, healthy, low risk pregnancy, physical activity is ‘da bomb. Happy farting dangling! Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

Training When You’re Pregnant – the 1st Trimester

By 25 commentsAttitude, Awesomeness, Training, Uncategorized

Hey mamas and potential mamas! Here’s my take on pregnancy, training, and hauling your butt back up into the air after The Blessed Event – three part series. Hearing the pitter patter of little feet? Let’s get started!

Note: I am not a medical practitioner. This post is in no way meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Check with your doctor before attempting or continuing aerial training of any kind while pregnant.

The First Trimester = Your Head in the Toilet

Month 2 – no bump yet!

In 2009, I got to suffer through enjoy the miracle that is pregnancy. My pregnancy was healthy, but my body reacted STRONGLY to the hormones, leaving me with a condition called hyperemesis. This meant that I had the delightful experience of vomiting 6-12 times a day for nine months. FUNZIES! The likelihood of you having a similar experience is very small, but rule #1? Expect the unexpected. Pregnancy is WILDLY different for everyone. Having said that, let’s chat about the changes you can probably expect in the first trimester.

  • Nausea! Around weeks 6-8, you can expect to feel anything from a faint nausea to full-blown head in the toilet fun. The downside? Obvious. The upside? This can be a sign of a healthy pregnancy, and it’s exceedingly common – it means your body is cranking out those hormones!
  • Swelling! You may start to notice a general “puffiness”, and even a little tummy pooch as your body retains fluids and the uterus expands rapidly to give the fetus room to grow without squishing it.
  • Exhaustion! Your body is working double time to increase your blood volume, and progesterone soars. This means fatigue, and often a general feeling of malais.
  • Super sore boobies! Seriously – like glass. Hormones again!
  • Lots of trips to the potty! You pee a lot, even in the first trimester.
  • Food aversions or cravings! Things that previously smelled or tasted wonderful may now send you running for the loo. I gave up coffee (COFFEE!) in the time it took to walk into the kitchen and moan, “Ugh! Coffee! Nooooooooooooooooooooo!” I craved anything in a cream sauce. The more butter the better!
  • Heartburn & constipation! The peristalsis muscles that move food through your digestive track are affected by hormones too – they slow down, often resulting in more digestive fun.
  • Crazypants emotions! I was completely bonkers – crying over toilet paper commercials, screaming at my husband because he “forgot to put the seat down and does he really want me to fall in and get stuck and be there for hours and lose circulation in my legs and then they’ll fall off…” You get the picture.
  • Happiness! Through all the barfing, peeing, cravings, and cray, the most wonderful feeling of knowing that you will love this little person to distraction, and that you will never be the same.

Training Through the 1st Trimester

First things first! You and your midwife or OB/GYN need to have a frank discussion about your training. This blog post is in NO WAY meant as a substitute for medical advice – I am not a medical practitioner, and I am not advising you to pursue any course of action. What I can do is tell you about my experience, and share what helped me along the way, but you’ve gotta check with your doc!

I was able to train safely throughout my pregnancy (I went into labor while teaching a silks class!), and many, many aerialists with healthy pregnancies  have been able to do the same. Here are some things which you may find useful:

  • If you are part of an aerial or circus duo, have a conversation with your partner (ideally BEFORE you get pregnant) about your plans and how it may affect your work. It’s great to have a person in mind who can take your place during your absence so your partner doesn’t lose too much work.
  • To combat nausea, you’ve got about 1000 options (Google it!). Snacking FREQUENTLY on crackers and other dry, tasteless foods may help. For me, the only thing that really did it was acupuncture – worth a try if your nausea is severe!
  • If you’re swollen, but have to perform, Spanx to the rescue! Use two pairs if you need it. 😉
  • Actively schedule more downtime – rest is your best friend. Nap like it’s your job.
  • Plan your potty breaks before a show – try to wee 10 minutes before you go out so you don’t encounter any surprises.
  • Find the softest bra you can – try to avoid padded, push-up, or underwire contraptions.
  • Cry whenever you need to. Get crazy, get happy, get dreamy – it’s all part of the ride.
Our first look at Sebastian – boots & rock & roll hand courtesy of Daddy!

And there you have it! First trimester fun! You may have all of these symptoms, you may have none – it’s just one big guessing game. You may find that you feel fantastic! You may find that you feel like you have the flu and have no interest in training whatsoever. Just keep in mind that your body is REALLY good at setting limits now – respect them. Now is not the time to push hard (that comes later), just take really, really good care of yourself. Tune in next time for the 2nd trimester – the happy zone! Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

Aerial Skill Share: When the Blind Lead the Blind

By 1 commentSafety, Training, Uncategorized

Happy Thursday, Dear Danglers! OK – raise your hand if you’ve ever been to a circus skill share or taught an aerial friend a move. Yup – me too! Now, raise your hand if you’ve ever given someone a bad habit it took them six months to unlearn. The 75% of you who just lowered their hands? Not so fast. 

The Downside of Aerial Skill Sharing

Let me be super clear: I am not against skill shares AT ALL. I think it’s a great way to build community, get in some practice time, and learn some new variations or moves! Where it gets sticky (rosin-y?) is when I get a situation like this:

 Nebuchadnezzar, Moonstar, and Jane are my students. They begin training together in their free time.

 Jane: “Hey, Moonstar! How do you do that thing you just did? The one with the leg and the twirl and the booty-scoot?”

 Moonstar: “It’s easy! You just….”

 Next week in my class…

 Miss Laura: “Nebuchadnezzar! Jane! WHAT are you doing with your back knee?”

 Jane: “Oh – we learned this variation from Moonstar!”

 *Facepalm*. Well, those crazy kids also just picked up Moonstar’s bad habit of bending their back leg! Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Bad habits spread like viruses. Make sure you’re not picking up any bugs that we’ll spend the next 6 months exorcising out of you! 
  • Mentally Purell by getting to class often so your coach can dose you with some tough love if you need it.
  • Students are students for a reason. Keep in mind that this person may have exactly NO IDEA what they’re doing, or how to spot you! Play it super safe, or you could wind up with a concussion to go with your fancy new move.

The Win/Win of Aerial Skill Sharing

 Skill shares work best when students have a solid foundation of basic technique, and are working at an intermediate/advanced level. You can pick up some great variations, and collaborate to create sassy new moves! It can also be fantastic to have that extra set of eyes to tell you in real time when you’re softening your knees, sickling your feet, or doing that weird head-jerking thing you picked up from Nebuchadnezzar. 

 If you’re a beginner going to a skill share, don’t get so share-y. Take this opportunity to work on your form (have someone yell “FEET!” every time your feet go floppy), or get really inspired by the cool stuff you’re seeing. Desperate for something new? Too bad. You have to walk before you flip! BUT, go ahead and make a note of things you want to learn – you’ll get there sooner than you think! Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

5 Ways to Bounce Your Booty Back Faster After a Break

By 13 commentsIllness, Training, Uncategorized

Happy New Year, Dear Danglers!!!! Welcome back! OK – hands up if you completely abandoned your training and drank too much cabernet over the holidays! ME TOO. Oh dear. Time to get back in the game! So how do you jump back in safely and fabulously after being away for a few weeks? A few months? A Year? Grab some cawfee and we’ll tawk. And pass me a bottle of red….

 

Why You Were Away Matters

I was 4 months post-partum. Things were still harder than I wanted them to be!
So, why were you away? Vacation? Pregnancy & birth? Injury? Slacking? The reason for your absence matters a lot, and can give you a more realistic timeline for returning to your previous level of awesomeness. For example, if you just had a baby, you are realistically looking at 8-12 weeks between birth and the time you can get back in the air (not counting the months when that SPECTACULAR baby bump made that trapeze too crowded to do anything but pose on). Injured? You can only go as quickly as your injury will allow. Even a two week vacation can mess with your game when you’re in the early days of romancing an apparatus.
I know, I hear you – you want to be back to your rock star self TODAY RIGHT NOW THIS VERY MINUTE PLEASE. I get it – it’s no fun to feel like you worked your tushie off just to see that hard work go out the window with a gallon of eggnog, a two week Real Housewives marathon, and zero movement. So, as I heave myself back into the air, I invite you to do the same, and keep this on your radar.
 

5 Ways to Get Back in the Game Faster

 
1 – Don’t hurt yourself by going balls to the wall day one! Take your temperature (not literally, unless you really want to), see where you are, and never gage success by the first day back. Push yourself too hard in your frustration, and you could wind up with an injury that will prolong your hiatus! This especially applies to returning to aerial work after having a baby. Hello? You just made a person and catapulted them into the world! Cut yourself some slack!
2 – Trust the training & be where you are (I spent a half an hour trying to insert a little gong sound here. I failed, so GONGGGGGGGG!). You are where you are where you are, and no amount of beating yourself up is going to change that. Take it from me – you’ll be back in the game WAY sooner than you think! Breathe and train.
3 – Avoid mental games. Right about this time, your Inner Meanie is going to rear it’s ugly head, and try to convince you that it’s-all-pointless-the-hard-work-is-all-gone-you-suck-and-you’ll-never-have-that-hip-key-again. This is not true. You had it once, you will have it again. Shut up, Meanie.
4 – Do your best work. Cut yourself some slack? Yes. Let yourself off the hook and make excuses? NO. Work as hard and as diligently as you safely can – you’ll feel good knowing that even if you’re not back to where you were, you did your absolute best and that matters more. It really does. Remember: this is temporary!
5 – Visualize & remember. By session 3, you’ll likely have a good idea of where you actually are and what needs your attention. Review your notes on these moves and see if you’re slipped back into poor technique which may be holding you back. Try to remember in your mind and body what that move felt like, and see if you can come any closer to recapturing that sensation.
 
At the end of the day, it really does boil down to two things: 1) patience 2) realistic expectations. Take a deep breath, and accept where you are. Tough love: you don’t have a choice. Focus on the step just in front of you, and really celebrate every move forward – you’ll be back to your badass self in no time at all! Love and pull-ups, Laura

 
 

 

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

5 Good Reasons You’re Not Getting That Trick

By 3 commentsAwesomeness, Training, Uncategorized
 Today, Dear Danglers, I got a trick I have been working hard on for over half a year. I call them “Wet Towels”, and they aren’t considered a particularly difficult move on wheel. They terrified me in the beginning, then just started really pissing me off. I might get them once or twice, celebrate and think I had them, and then they would disappear for the next 6 weeks, when I’d get another one, celebrate, think I had it, you get the picture. This cycle made for some very, very tense wheel training, usually resulting in me sobbing in a heap on the floor (Chris’s FAVORITE part of class). But a few weeks ago, something clicked, and suddenly, I was getting most of my towels over! And today, I got 4 out of 4 – a new record.
 

Why This Is A Big Deal

… because I secretly thought I would never get them. Now, I talk a good game to my students. They hear, “If you train it, it will come!” ad nauseum; and I believe that, I do! Just not when it came to me and my towels. So today, I stand before you as living proof that IF YOU TRAIN IT, IT WILL COME! I know some of you are struggling with certain moves (inverts come immediately to mind), so I wanted to have a quick look at what may be keeping you from the aerial awesomeness you crave in a particular trick.

 
  1. You just learned it. There are some things you’re just not going to get right out of the gate! This is the time to have a good laugh, go through it a few times, and repeat to yourself: “If circus were easy, they would call it football!” 😉
  2. You’re not strong enough. Some moves take a level of strength and body awareness that you may not have cultivated yet. Can you break it down into smaller bits to practice? Ask your coach! A good teacher can break ANY move down into little bitty bits if that’s what works for you. Trust me – with consistent training, you will get strong enough to do whatever your little heart desires!
  3. It’s hard and takes a lot of practice. Some moves are just plain difficult. Really – that’s it. Instead of trying to get the whole shebang, see if you can focus on a part of the whole, like keeping your leg straight, or not swearing when it bends.
  4. You’re letting yourself off the hook too easily. Sometimes, you don’t really want to do a trick, so you make sure you can’t. Or you may not be holding yourself to a high enough standard. It’s OK to let yourself off the hook sometimes, just make sure it doesn’t become an everyday thing.
  5. You’re scared. It’s OK to be scared! A healthy respect for what we do is what keeps us from falling on our heads! Again: break it down. Modify. When you feel brave enough to do the whole thing, feel the fear and do it anyway. Make sure you’re comfy enough not to spaz!
 

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!!!!

When you finally get that move that has been plaguing you for days, weeks, months, or years, CELEBRATE! Do a little dance, squeal, jump up and down, put your wheel instructor in a head lock (my preferred expression of celebration), but please PLEASE don’t sweep it under the rug! When you brush off a major victory you downplay all your hard work, so give yourself a pat on the back already! And remember, IF YOU TRAIN IT, IT WILL COME! Love and pull-ups, Laura
 
 

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

You’re Too Fat for Circus Training (and Other BS You May Believe)

By 20 commentsAttitude, Awesomeness, Training, Uncategorized
Me in my dancing days!
Me in my dancing days!

Many years ago, in ye Days of Olde, I made like a ballerina. I danced quite a bit from elementary school through college, and a little when I moved to NYC (nothing terribly amazing). Man – there is nothing like staring at yourself in a leotard and tights in a full length mirror for four hours a day to make you painfully hyper-aware of your body! See, I’ve always been just a little too much in every way – a little too loud, a little too opinionated, a little too big for pointe shoes. Then, I found circus. And suddenly, I was just right.

What’s the difference? Why did I feel like I had struck body image gold? Because suddenly, the emphasis was off my body shape, and onto the amazing things I could make it do. Instead of looking at fellow artists and wondering how I could get that thin, I wondered how I could get that strong, or flexible, or engaging. I cried with joy (and pure amazement) when I did my first full pull-up, and it felt like Christmas morning every time I found a new muscle. It felt so good to celebrate my body instead of fight it!
 

Body Beautiful: Learning to Appreciate Your Miracle

One of the things I love most about circus is the sheer variety of bodies and the astonishing things they can do. Long and willowy, compact and powerful, generously sensual, tight and angular, and everything in between. Not to get all woo-woo-touchy-feely with you here, but there really is only one you – one body just like yours. Try this (actually do it  you’ll be glad you did).
 
  • where are you strong?
  • where are you flexible?
  • where do you need to build strength?
  • what is uniquely beautiful about your body?
  • what do you love about the way you move?
That – right there – is the blueprint for your training! Train to your strengths, work on your weak spots (we’ve all got ’em), focus on cultivating your own beautiful style. If you’re a larger-bodied human, very tight in the muscles, working around a dodgy fill-in-the-blank, etc, the work has to be modified. But so what? It doesn’t mean you don’t start. It means you modify the work to suit YOUR body, not the other way around.
 
Circus has room for every body, every age, every creative soul who just doesn’t feel like being bound by gravity today. Don’t get me wrong – I still love to dance. And I understand the emphasis on body shape. I do. I’m just opting out, and I invite you to do the same. Are you more lush than lithe? More angular than agile? More chutzpa than hero? There is room for you in this wonderful community. Circus doesn’t demand that you start with a certain shape or ability, or that you be able to do 20 pull-ups on day one while sitting on your own head. It DOES demand that you put in the time, do the work (without whining), and understand that amazing things take time to train up to. Here’s to the journey!  Love and pull-ups, Laura
 

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

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