Category Archives: Uncategorized

Incredible Inverts – How to Get A Straight-Legged Straddle Without All That Swearing

By 19 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized

Sweet heavens, ya’ll better be glad I don’t use a Swear Jar during class – you’d be broke and I’d be a millionaire. What move is most swear-worthy? When do I hear the grunts, groans, and colorful metaphors galore? Whether you call them inversions, straddle-backs, or demented flying monkey swings, it’s tough to get that crisp, tight, straight-legged straddle we’re aiming for – slightly bent legs, droopy tushies, and funky feet can make it feel like we’ll never get there. Take heart, Dear Danglers – help is on the way!

Anatomy of a Sassy Straddle

There are several “pillars” of aerial work – pull-ups being one, inversions being another. A crummy inversion sets the stage for sloppy work (and makes your downstairs feel heavy), so it’s worth putting in the time and effort it takes to execute clean, snappy straddles. Here’s what we’re looking for:

  • strong upper body position to start – arms are either bent with elbows to your waist & hands just below your collarbones, or fully extended overhead (much more difficult). Notice that I didn’t say half way between bent and straight? Because that is not a thing in inversion work. Knock it off.
  • clean “take-off” – legs sweep cleanly around the fabric. DO NOT kick your fabric out of the way – it doesn’t look nearly as fabulous as you might think, just spastic.
  • quick tap of the legs together (hollow body), then a strong fan outwards and overhead – no pause or tempo (beat-back) – this is a Very Bad Habit. Don’t make me get my taser.
  • straight legs (bent “frog” legs are absolutely acceptable in the beginning, or when used as an artistic choice)
  • think about pressing your chest between your arms (you may need to have a slight bend in the arms to accommodate your chest). From here, tuck your tushie under you to keep your butt from dragging you back down.
  • high, elevated derriere (no droopy drawers or saggy assets!) – get your booty as close to your hands as you can

How to Get There – Aerial Straddle Training Tips

The BEST way to get glorious straddles is to train with a good coach. If you’re looking for a better understanding of the mechanics or progressions, here are some little nuggets to think on.

  • Beginners – you’re ready to start training inversions when you can hold yourself reliably with bent arms on the fabric. Until then, work going in and coming out of your straddle position using a fabric knot.
    • Start on the floor and give yourself a little assist.
    • When you’re ready to start working it in the air (low!!!), start by tucking up, as if you were trying to knee yourself in the shoulders (because why wouldn’t you?). I call this the Brazilian Butt Wax Position – try it and you’ll see why! Don’t worry about going upside down quite yet, work on really tucking your pelvis towards your ribs.
    • Once tucks are easy, add the push with the arms which will rotate you upside down. Try to keep your elbows as close to your waist as you can.
  • Develop the strength to lift your leg up to 90 degrees. My two favorite exercises:
    • Stand. Place your foot on an elevated surface like a bed or coffee table. While keeping the leg as straight as you can, lift it up and down 10 times. Dance around to get rid of that Charlie horse. Do the other side.
    • Sit in a straddle with your back up against the wall so you won’t cheat. Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Lift and lower your legs 10x.
  • Curl your pelvis. Try this: stick your butt out. Now, try to lift your leg in front of you. Notice how high it went (or, you know, didn’t). Now, tuck your pelvis under and do the same thing. Did it go higher? Yes. Yes it did. You need that pelvic curl to ultimately get your booty to the sky.
  • Turn out from the hips! Utilizing a turn-out allows your powerful “side butt” muscles to assist, and friend, we need all the help we can get. Think about lifting from your inner thighs.
  • If you think your hamstring flexibility (or lack of) is limiting your position, work consistently on stretching them out and strengthening the quadriceps (front of the thigh). Be gentle! Work with bent legs in the meantime.
  • Mixed level/intermediate – now, we WORK. Get into your full straddle position. Lower down SLOOOOOOOWLY, keeping your legs straight, and bending your arms back to your starting position. Again. Again. Again (you get the picture). By reverse training your inversions, you’ll not only strengthen the essential muscles, but you’ll get a great idea of exactly when your “ugly moment” is happening so you can be aware of it.
  • Tip: think “energy out the toes” – you have to engage the whole leg, and everything radiates outwards from your core. Think about laser beams shooting out of your feet (hum the theme from “Star Wars”, it helps).
  • Now – EVERY time you train, add 5-10+ straddles into your conditioning, switching sides every 5 reps. Come down and do a little straddle dance – you’ve earned it. Werk it out.

And that’s how we do it! How are you doing on the 30 day straddle challenge? If you haven’t started, what are you waiting for? Are you gaining inches? Lemme hear you! Love and pull-ups, Laura

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21 Days Of Pull-Ups!

By 9 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized

Why do we care about pull-ups? Because they’re the single most important conditioning exercise for aerial work (click here & I’ll tell you why). A few rules:

1) Don’t hurt yourself. Work hard, but be mindful of pushing to injury. Never done pull-ups before? Have a pro check your form.

2) Use a chair underneath you or pull-up bands to assist as necessary, helping you to complete the full range of motion with good form.

3) Be exceedingly conscious of maintaining proper technique: shoulder blades elevated & rotated when arms are extended overhead (read this!), shoulders away from the ears at the top of the pull-up, ribs tucked in. If you experience anything more than normal muscle soreness and fatigue, stop immediately and consult a medical professional.

4) You can check out this video series for tips on improving your form.

Now. Who says girls don’t do pull-ups? Nobody. Nobody should ever say that. GET BUSY.

Click here to download the 21 Days of Pull-ups PDF!

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When The Show Must Go On: Performing Aerial Anything When You’re Sick

By 2 commentsIllness, Injuries, Uncategorized

My aerial partner Angela and I were going straight from India to Portugal, where we were to begin a two month contract at the Casino Estoril. FABULOUS! We were so careful while in India – only ate steaming cooked foods, drank bottled water, etc. Our flight to Portugal was fine, and the next morning we hung our trapeze and settled in up there for about 10 minutes while they focused our lights. It was then that disaster struck. Let’s just say that it was the longest 10 minutes of our lives, and the rest of the day wasn’t pretty. So, what if this had been a show day? When are you too sick to go on? Grab your Pepto and read on.

How Sick is Too Sick?

Now, let’s be clear. When I say “illness”, I don’t mean ebola. If the phrase “do you want me to hold your hair” is in play, hanging upside down is probably not in your immediate future. Generally speaking, if you are sick enough to know yourself to be unsafe, there is no question – you cannot perform.

How To Get Through That Show

A cold or mild upset is another story if calling in a swing or sitting this one out is out of the question. Now, I can’t tell you what YOU should do, but I can tell you what has worked for us in the past.

  • If we were battling congestion, aches, etc., we used an over the counter fever reducer like Tylenol & a decongestant spray like Afrin (avoid system-wide cold meds like the plague when you’re performing – they dry you out and really do a number on you). This generally kept our heads from exploding when we went upside down, and got us through a number of shows.
  • Saline nasal sprays have been helpful too for light congestion
  • Day of the show, rest as much as you can and hydrate like mad
  • Wear a mask backstage if you’re contagious, and distance yourself so you don’t infect the whole cast. Nobody wants your cooties.
  • We found that the adrenaline of performing often made us feel better! For about 15 minutes anyway….

How To Cancel That Show

 My general rule is this: if you’re so sick that you would give up concert tickets you stayed up for four days to get, you’re too sick to perform. Your safety has to be the priority. Give the people who hired you as much of a heads up as you can. If you can line up a replacement for yourself, so much the better!  You should have an injury or illness clause in your contract that essentially says that if you are very ill or injured at the time of the show, you are released from your contract.

Take two and call me in the morning, lovelies! Love and pull-ups, Laura

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When The Moon Is In Aquarius (And Other Signs It’s Time To Buy Your Own Apparatus)

By Safety, Silks, Supplies, Uncategorized

This past Sunday, several NYC aerial teachers (myself included) met to catch up and get hammered have a little dinner. It was the usual stuff – eating tortilla chips, moaning about insurance premiums, and arguing about whether that move is a Jesus Front Handspring or a Dive Between (it’s totally a Jesus Front Handspring – thank you, Bobby H!). BUT – one thing that we all agreed on? There’s a little issue that needs to be addressed across the board: students wanting a Ferrari one day out of drivers ed.

Patience, My Love, Patience

Here’s the thing. I know you’re hooked on aerials. I KNOW you’ve just found the thing-you-love-more-than-Damon-on-The-Vampire-Diaries. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting your own silks/trapeze/lyra/German wheel, but you’ve got to be smart about it. I’m talking to beginners here – advanced students & professionals have been around the block a few times and are seasoned enough to do their own thing. Fledgling aerialists, here are some things to consider:

  • Many teachers and studios will happily rent space and equipment to you, and many even offer open workouts. This is awesome, folks! You get to “play the field” as it were, and practice in a safe environment. WIN!
  • Do you really know what you want yet? If you’re going to invest $400+ in equipment, you may want to test drive a few models first! You will also need to learn how to rig it safely in your rehearsal space. Get an idea of what feels fabulous for you and go from there!

It Takes A While To Get Your Learner’s Permit

After the soreness has worn off from your first few classes, you may find yourself itching to practice what you learned. GOOD! Ask your teacher to let you know when he or she thinks you’re ready to train outside of class, and keep the following in mind:

  • For basic beginners, you need to be able to execute a few moves before you train aerial skills outside of class, even in an open workout: proper mounting and dismounting of your apparatus (if you have to get a running start to get on a trapeze, this is not you), and basic inversions with no spot needed.
  • You also have to know what you don’t know. When we first begin any new endeavor, it takes a while before we have a good understanding of what we know, and what we do NOT know – in the early days, students seem to universally believe they know more then they do. Why? Who knows.
  • Work moves you understand completely when you’re training out of class – this is not a time to try that twirly thing you did once two weeks ago, or go mining Instagram for new material. Don’t make your poor teacher wear Depends.
  • Never – and I mean NEVER – practice alone. Ever. Professionals don’t even do this. This is one of the (many) reasons I strongly discourage folks from installing rigging in their own homes. If a catastrophic accident were to occur, no one would be there to help you. Do. Not. Do. It. (Lawzy, it’s a post all its own!)

There’s no rush! Take some classes, learn some tricks, move on to open workout, and one day, friend, it will be time to buy your own apparatus! And because you waited until you were able to make an informed choice, it will be so much more awesome. Now, speaking of awesome, go watch some Vampire Diaries (Team Damon 4 ever). Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days!

Find Your Inner Superhero – Increasing Strength for Aerial Acrobatics

By Exercises, Training, Uncategorized

Are you feeling more Peter Parker than Spider Man? Less Storm, more drizzle? I hear ya! Let’s get all strong for the new year! … But how?…

Get To Class!

My personal favorite! Nothing trumps aerial training for building the muscles you need for, well, aerial training! Aim for at least one class and 1-2 practice sessions per week and you’ll be dangling pretty faster than you can say, “Flame on!”

Get to the Gym

If you belong to a gym, for heavens sake GO! Once you get there, don’t even waste your time with the piddly weights. We’re looking to gain strength, so you want to work with the heaviest weight you can control with good form for 8-12 reps, cycle repeated 1-3 times. If you can raise the weight again after 12 reps, it’s TOO LIGHT – upgrade, friend! But first, I want to see you on that pull-up bar or assisted pull-up machine. A combination of free weights and machines are good – machines challenge you to lift more weight, but free weights force you to work on stability.

Torture Yourself at Home

No need to haul your tushy to the sweat factory – you can get a super strong body in the privacy of your own home (and no one will see your bunny-foot pajamas or the sweats with the unfortunately placed hole). A couple of dumb bells and a stability ball later, and your muscles rival the Terminator! Well, maybe not, but you sure will be sore. You can also find great online Pilates classes, stretching, mobility, and a whole host of resources just for aerialists. Get googling!

The most important things for building strength are consistency, working to fatigue with excellent form, cross training, and finding movement you love. Not sure where to start? I’m an ACE certified personal trainer, and a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified Corrective Exercise specialist – let’s book a virtual or in-person session! Have fun getting strong!!!! Love and pull-ups, Laura

PS – What is your superhero name? The color of your shirt + the first object on your right. I’m The Black Coupon! Cower in fear, villains! What’s yours?

Working A Sassier Angle: Get A Better Straddle In 30 Days

By 19 commentsFlexibility, Training, Uncategorized
 

 Is your straddle more sad than sassy? Do you celebrate every inch beyond 90 degrees? Take heart, Dear Danglers – help is on the way!

The Anatomy of a Straddle

 

When I say “straddle”, I’m referring to the wildly indelicate position we adopt while inverting in the air, stretching our inner thighs, or falling down the stairs. It looks like this in the air…

… this while seated….

… and this while falling down the stairs.

Several factors go into whether your position is wow-worthy, namely:

  • The structure of your hip joint
  • The flexibility of the inner thigh muscles
  • The strength of the “side butt” (glute medius) muscles
  • How much padding you have in said area
  • How many times you’ve fallen down the stairs (kidding…. mostly)

How to Make It (More) Awesome

  1. Stretch your inner thigh muscles while seated in a straddle. Remember: only go to strong sensation, never to pain! Now, play with the position of your torso – take it forward, over one leg, over the other, etc. Play with flexing & pointing your feet. BE GENTLE – you want to be able to walk tomorrow. Consistency counts! A little stretching most days will yield greater results than a weekly marathon session.
  2. Strengthen your “straddle pulling” muscles. Lie on your back with your legs up a wall. Straddle, turn your legs out from the hip, and engage the muscles of your tush & outer thigh to puuuuuuuuuuuull your straddle wider. Jump around to get rid of that muscle spasm you just gave yourself. Now, do it away from the wall.
  3. When conditioning in the air, squeeze those same muscles you just used & see if you can get some extra inches – strength matters almost as much as flexibility!

As usual, consistency counts. Take three minutes every day for the next 30 days to work these two exercises, and you’ll be thirty days closer to sittin’ pretty like Ms Hannah up there. Before you ask, yes – it really can be that simple! However, if you’ve plateaued, or are just feeling a little stuck, let’s schedule a virtual session! As a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified Flexibility Coach, I’d be happy to create a “super straddle” routine for you to get you over the hump. Happy straddling, friends! Love and pull-ups , Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Many thanks to the beautiful and always sassy Miss Hannah Risner for posing for photos!

Photos: Laura Witwer

Low, Medium, or Super-Stretch Aerial Fabric – What’s the Difference?

By 4 commentsSilks, Supplies, Uncategorized

Hey friends! Thought I’d share this – it’s a great demonstration of the variety of stretch available in aerial fabrics. Most of us work on low or medium stretch (super stretch feels kind of like a bungee cord, which is great if that’s what you’re after). If you’re a drop-a-holic, consider working on medium stretch; it absorbs some of the shock from the drops that would otherwise be absorbed by your body, making some drops (ankle dives or “dead man’s drop” for instance) more comfortable and a little safer. At the end of the day, it comes down to needs and preferences, so there’s no “right stretch” for everyone,  just the right stretch for the job. Happy climbing, twirling, foofing, and droppin’, ya’ll! Love and pull-ups, Laura

 

Learning To Spin Without Tossing Your Cookies

By 24 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized
ImaginAerial Duo Lyra

I’ve done my share of spinny acts, most often with a bucket offstage in case of “too much of a good thing”. Love web, lyra, single point trap, and other spinning apparatus, but afraid of the up-chuck factor? That’s OK, it’s very real. Here’s how to get off to a good start, and keep your cookies where they ought to be!

First, some fun info about why we throw up when we get too dizzy. A doctor I met a few years ago in a trapeze workshop had an interesting answer: poison. Apparently, a number of poisons make your head spin and disrupt your orientation, so your body’s natural response is “Aw, hell no! Get that OUT of here!!!” And there you have it – you cast up your accounts and live to see another day. Whether that’s true or not, it can be a real drag to have to sit out half your aerial class with your head between your knees. So here are some things that may help:

 

 

  • Ginger (my personal fave is the Trader Joe’s crystalized stuff). Eat a bit before class and see what happens!
  • Experiment with closing your eyes. This makes me more nauseated, but I know some aerialists who swear by it!
  • Fix your eyes on your apparatus. Don’t try to spot the way you would in dance, you’ll look like you’re having a seizure. Just focus on your hoop or rope.
  • If focusing doesn’t help, try this! Blur your focus as much as you can (this one works well for me).
  • Start slow and keep at it. The more you spin, the greater your body’s ability to acclimate – don’t give up!

Bottom line? Rome wasn’t built in a day. Spinning the way we do simply isn’t natural, and your body will let you know in a dramatic fashion! You can and will get used to it – just keep a bag handy while you learn. If you’re a spinning apparatus enthusiast, what works for you? Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

What NOT To Do Before Aerial Class: Warm-ups, The Prequel

By 11 commentsUncategorized

I often arrive to teach classes, and find the studio strewn with folks frantically stretching as if Cirque du Soleil was holding contortion auditions in twenty minutes. Here’s this week’s quickie: don’t deeply stretch a muscle, and then ask it to maximally contract; save your deep stretching for after class – not before. Why? Well, it’s like your favorite pair of jeans. After you wash them, they’re pretty tight, so you stretch them out by wearing them around. But after a while, they’re too stretched out, and you’ve got saggy-baggy-elephant butt – so sad! It takes some work (and some quarters) to get them “contracted” again, just like your muscles. Muscles are a bit weaker right after you stretch deeply! Warm your muscles, take them through their anticipated range of motion, have a fun torture session, THEN stretch deeply.

 

Not sure you believe me? That’s OK (sniff), the science is always changing as we learn more. Here’s a great article!

“Recent studies caution people away from stretching before workouts, suggesting it actually impedes your body’s performance. According to this research, runners run more slowly, jumpers jump less high, and weight lifters lift more weakly by stretching, without significantly ensuring against injury during their exercise.”

Love and pull-ups, Laura

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