Self Taught – Good, Bad, or Ugly?

Here’s a fascinating tidbit. In the 1400’s, something happened that enabled the explosion of art, science, and learning that heralded the European renaissance: the invention of the printing press. For the first time, information could be more easily and widely distributed, enabling scholars and scientists to build upon the discoveries of others. In short, they no longer had to reinvent the blasted wheel on the daily – they could piggyback on the knowledge of others. This kind of sling-shotted things forward, and POOF! Renaissance.

Now, why on earth did I share this with you? Cause we’re gonna chat about a potentially combustible subject: the self-taught circus artist and teacher.

Surprise – I’m (Partially) Self-Taught!

OK – yes and no. When I began my circus journey a bazillion years ago, coaches were few and far between. I moved to CA, and then to Montreal in pursuit of training. Thing was, aerial fabrics were still in their infancy, and everything was a little wild west. Everyone was trying to figure out what the hell to do with this apparatus, so vocabularies were MUCH smaller than the glut of moves we have now. I got a great start in technique and safety, but there was a lot – A LOT – of figuring stuff out, both on my own and with my coach.

Nowadays, you can’t throw a stick without hitting a silks teacher in the head – oh, if I’d had the resources we have now! There is so, so much I wouldn’t have had to figure out the hard way, and a lot of frustration I probably could have sidestepped. I didn’t see my self-taught stuff as a badge of honor, I was desperate for trained eyes on it to make it better. Training and education lifts us up to another level. Even now, I’m ALWAYS looking for better – better technique, better transitions, better cuing, better business practices, etc. Education is a GOOD THING, and we’re never, ever, ever done. Never ever. Even master coaches are never done (and if they say they are, watch out – hubris and rigidity are setting in – ugh).

The Good

Being self-taught can absolutely have it’s advantages! You get really good at breaking down how things work, because you have to. There’s also a certain sense of freedom – with fewer “rules” to hem you in, you can often explore an apparatus or movement style in an incredibly fresh way. In fact, I’d love to see this spirit seeping a bit more into mainstream work.

The Bad

I’m going to just go ahead and dive in in my usual candid way. There are some real and serious drawbacks that cannot be ignored or casually brushed aside.

At the forefront is safety. When we have to cobble information together, while simultaneously evaluating EVERYTHING for trustworthiness, it’s a lot; we often miss the mark. From questionable DIY rigs to inadvisable movement progressions, this misinformation matters. Major falls, preventable repetitive stress injuries, rigging failure – it all matters. I often see the following all lumped together:

• Questionable rigging
• Poor or inappropriate matting
• Students trying large progressions such as drops with little – or dangerous – technique
• Crappy habits that will take YEARS to undo (easy example is a big old swing back with the legs before a straddle inversion on silks)

All of this is fixable with education! But. Many of us in the educational community have had really negative experiences with self-taught students. My guess is that, when you have to rely on your own understanding of everything for a long time, information and critique can sound like judgment. There’s often push-back as the student actively resists instruction, and this tends to go far beyond the good-natured tackling of accumulated poor habits. Self-taught is frequently translated in our community as “resistant to information” or arrogant – it doesn’t have to be that way.

The Ugly

The USA sometimes has a funny relationship with education, have you noticed? For some, education is seen as “elitist”, somehow suspect. I’ve seen this point of view raise it’s head a number of times in people who are “proudly self taught”.

So, do you need to be ashamed of being “self-taught”? Not at all! The question is, are you determined to stay that way? If so, why? I think it’s easy to romanticize the rebel, the one who’s “bucking the system and living the dream with no training and screw you sheeple, I’m going to do it my way and I don’t need anyone to teach me how!”.

But, what if I told you that you could live the dream and totally do you AND get better by incorporating information from excellent sources? I think it’s really foolish to eschew info and wisdom from experts in your field. Far wiser to sort through EVERYTHING they have to offer, acknowledge where your weaknesses lie, and shore them the f*ck up.

So, if you’ve got awesome coaches and community, amazing! I’m not talking to you. But, if you get most of your training from instagram and youtube, I want to strongly encourage you to seek out excellent instructors (many who will do online coaching with you if there’s no one in your area!), and get with the education. Because self-taught is a place you pass through, not a place you build a condo. Love and pull-ups, Laura

It’s Cold – Hold Me. Training in Frigid Weather

Well! Here we are in the frozen tundra that is NYC in winter. It’s fekkin’ cold, and most of our training spaces are drafty warehouses. How do you train and perform safely in cold weather? Any good options aside from packing it up and moving to Aruba? So glad you asked! Get your hat and your fuzzy sweatshirt, and I’ll meet you in the next paragraph.

Warm Thyself

You. You on the mat half-heartedly reaching for your toes.  That is not a warm up. You KNOW that’s not a warm up. A good warm up increases your core body temperature, and prepares your body for the circus misery/joy you’re about to encounter. Are you sweating a teensy bit? No? You’re not warm. Get with the jumping jacks.

A good warm up is a swell idea ALL the time, but ESPECIALLY in a bazillion degrees below zero weather. Need suggestions? You can get your heart rate up by doing ridiculous dance sequences from the Fitness Marshall! 

*Note: don’t rely on your teacher to give you  all the warm up you personally need – your body is unique, and it’s your responsibility to take good care of it. I arrive 20-30 minutes before handstand or aerial class to warm up my (many, many) creaky bits.

Wear ALL the Clothes

When it’s cold, you’ll find me in about 100 layers of clothing. I’m not even kidding. Make sure your layers are form fitting, and easy to take on and off as needed. You might include:

• Tight-fitting “runners” hat
• Neck gaiter
• Cotton or silk long johns
• Back warmers
• Leg warmers (lower or whole leg)
• Arm warmers (over-knee socks with the toes cut out work great)
• Thick socks (sometimes several pairs) *You can put traction slippers or ballet shoes over your socks if you need a bit of floor stick.
• Leggings
• Sweatpants
• Long sleeved shirts
• Hoodless hoodies or sweatshirts

I am wearing all of the above right now. Beware of loose clothing that flops over your head upside down, or poorly- positioned zippers that can eat apparatus. Consider investing in some Under Armour brand gear if you routinely train in cold spaces in the winter – I can confidently say it’s worth the $$.

Live Your Best Life, But Go Easy on Your Splits

You probably know this, but cold muscles tend to be a bit grumpy. If you’re feeling cold or achy, it’s probably not the time to go all “Solid Gold” on those splits (if you got that reference, I love you). Don’t push it! Respect how your body is responding in THIS moment. You may need more hammy conditioning, more side stretches, more cocoa, whatever. You do you, and don’t let ANY teacher push you to do something you don’t feel warm enough to do. They don’t have to live in your body.

For the Love of God, Keep Moving

Cold weather training is compact and efficient; it’s not like the lazy, languid days of summer when you spend half an hour talking to your bestie in a straddle sipping lemonade. Nerp! Get in, get hot, be fabulous, get out (sounds like my college days). If you let yourself get cold, you’ll be sorry! So sorry. Because now you’re cold. Save the chit-chat for hot toddies after class, and don’t be a lazy butt.

When is Cold Too Cold?

I dunno, ask the Rockettes the next time you see them kicking to eye level in 20 degree weather wearing panty hose, a set of antlers, and not much else. I will say that, as a student, you will likely be pushing yourself; the colder you get, the more conservative you need to be with pretty much everything. My general rule is that, if I’m not down to two layers by the time I’ve completed my warm-up, it’s too cold and somebody betta turn up the heat. If you’re a pro working outside, you do you – you know your performance parameters, and can adjust your act as needed. But students? You be safe, take it easy on your hammies, and dream of summer. 

Bundle up!!!! We’re almost there! Love and pull-ups, Laura

We All Hate Conditioning – Do It Anyway

Hello Dear Danglers! There was an interesting post floating around the F-Books a couple weeks ago, which posed the question: do you do your conditioning at the beginning of class or at the end? There was a lot of virtual side eye slung around, until we realized folks were defining “conditioning” in a lot of ways. What is it? Why do you need it? And why are you an a$$hole if you skip out on it in class?

Muscle Activation vs Conditioning

At SassyPants Aerial Arts, we have two veeeeeeery different things going on – muscle activation, and conditioning.

Muscle activation – getting a muscle fired up and working properly. It can be part of a warm-up (hanging sit-ups), or done separately later in class if it’s to help you focus on using the correct body part (chicken wing pull downs). Think of it as aerial foreplay, getting you ready for a good time.

Conditioning – working the muscle to (or close to) complete fatigue; you are unable to complete another rep with good form. Designed to produce an increase in muscle strength and endurance. Imagine you’re doing a biceps curl with a weight (you can imagine a personal trainer barking orders at you too, if that helps). You get to 10, and physically cannot lift the weight again without doing weird gyrations with your body – that’s the sweet spot you’re aiming for with conditioning (it should, at the very least, be f-ing challenging).

Both are exercises we might do in class, but designed to do very different things. Using the definitions above, doing conditioning early in class – working a muscle to complete fatigue – would be foolish; but muscle activation drills make a lot of sense.

I See You Half-Assing Conditioning

Yes I do. I see everything. Now, I can’t MAKE you complete your conditioning to the best of your abilities, same as I can’t make you eat your broccoli or park farther away from the mall. But I CAN give you The Look. I can also explain to you that the miserable things we do in conditioning will make the fabulous things you WANT to do in class possible. We’re not doing conditioning to torture you! Well, not just to torture you.

Also. If you routinely skip out on conditioning, you are being an a$$hole. Your teachers think it, your fellow students think it. If it’s more than a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence, knock it off. (To my students – don’t even try it. More than “very occasionally” will get you The Talk. Not that one, another one. It will be just as awkward.)

So activate those muscles before and during class, and push them to fatigue (with good form) at the end! And don’t half-ass your conditioning. Enjoy your awesomeness. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Stop Pretending You’re Perfect! Circus and Honesty on Social Media

1. Are you perfect? Flawless? Everything goes well all the time? Shut up, you are not, and it does not. BUT, I’d never know it from your social media! I want to suggest something outrageous. What if we, as a community, acknowledged our struggles? Would it be so crazy to stop pretending that we’re all superhuman athletes who exist solely on kombucha and moonbeams with a beatific cloud of glitter circling our heads at all times? What would happen if we started creating a culture of honesty in the circus community?

“We are all failures – at least the best of us are.” – J.M. Barrie

What We Don’t Talk About

When I decided to talk openly about my return to active training, I was warned that it would “tank my business if I admitted I’d let myself get de-conditioned”. Well, it didn’t. And if any student decided against training with me because I talked about my struggles, well, I’m pretty sure we weren’t going to be besties anyway. It did, however, really get me thinking a lot about what we don’t talk about publicly.

We don’t talk about our failures. We don’t talk about the minute we woke up and realized we’d stopped training, lost strength, and couldn’t get through our routine without gasping and flailing like a goldfish on the carpet. We don’t talk about how crappy it feels to realize how much ground you’ve lost, or how daunting it feels to start over. We don’t talk about how scared we are that we can’t do it now that we’re abc age with xyz injuries. We don’t talk about our injuries. We don’t talk about how we thought we’d be farther along than we are, how everyone has that move except you (and you secretly hate your classmates for it), how often we wonder if we’re just not meant to do this thing. We don’t talk about how many of us as artists and students struggle with anxiety and depression, how we struggle to balance the demands of training with the (oftentimes louder) demands of family, other work, and life in general. Until we DO talk about it. And it’s kind of magical.

The Freedom to be Imperfect. Publicly.

I’ve noticed something. When we publicly open up about our struggles – training, balance, mental, emotional, etc – the community responds. Sure, some folks like to insist that all difficulty with life be kept private and under wraps. If that’s you, you do you and suffer quietly. We’ll be over here when you have your nervous breakdown. The vast majority of responses are supportive – me too, I also struggle with that, what helped me was, you are not alone, your timetable isn’t realistic, do you need a training buddy, you’re doing great, keep going, etc. From where I sit, this is what makes our circus community so incredible.

I’m not suggesting that we all use social media as a catch-all confessional and spill our guts on the daily in classes. What I AM suggesting is that sharing struggles – even small ones – helps keep it real for everyone. You might try:

• Sharing the occasional fail video! Laugh and the world laughs with you. We too have wound up with our ass over our heads in that oh-so-dignified position.
• Asking for feedback. Got something you’re stumped over? You’re not the first! Chances are pretty good that, if you put it to the (right) group of folks, you’ll get some great feedback to get you moving towards a happier place.
• Sharing your stories of triumph! Did you FINALLY get that fancy pretzel shape with your legs after a year? Share it! Let people celebrate with you, and remind folks that what we do isn’t learned in a weekend workshop.
• Being a supportive voice. Take a second to cheer someone on, point them towards good resources, commiserate, or offer encouragement. It’s incredible what a few well-chosen words can do.

We get to decide what our circus community will look like. Yes, we often live in (hopefully) friendly and healthy competition. Yes, it’s a business for many. Yes, we want to show our sparkliest selves to the world. That said, keeping it real gives us opportunities to thrive where other communities devolve into posturing and pecking each other to death. I know which one I’d rather be a part of. Go forth and fail publicly, friends! Love and pull-ups, Laura

I Love You, but ZIP IT: Let the Teacher Teach!

M’kay, Dear Danglers. I have to tell you something. There’s a little thing you may be guilty of doing that makes your teacher insane. It’s the kind of thing we have to take a deep breath and count to 10 over. I’m not even kidding. It’s a code red violation. What is this egregious transgression that makes teachers all over the country stabby? What do we bitch about the most in the teachers lounge? What behavior leaves us hyperventilating into a paper bag so we don’t kill you with our death glare?

Undermining our authority in class by trying to teach your fellow students.

Zip It!

Is your name Miss Laura? Are you the teacher of this class? The captain of this zany ship? The top toucan in this jungle? No? Then zip it.

I know, I know – it comes from a good place! I know it does! You have something that works for you, and you want to share it with your fellow students! I totally get that, and it’s what makes us love and appreciate you. BUT (you knew there was a big old BUT in here somewhere), here are some things to consider:

• One of the biggest parts of teaching is giving the student in front of you the instruction they need when they need to hear it. As a coach, there’s a constant ticker-tape of comments and corrections going in my head – safety, technique, aesthetics, student abilities, are they having a crappy day, can I push them, could that weird flamingo hand actually go into something awesome, etc. The wrong input at the wrong time is counterproductive for everyone. I get very protective of my students and their progress, and I don’t take kindly to things that sabotage it, however well meaning. Zip it.
• Students need to hear one clear voice: the coach’s. I’ve been in sessions where I literally couldn’t hear the teacher’s voice because of all the extra “helping” going on. It’s confusing, panic-inducing, and dangerous. Zip it.
• You don’t know what they’re working on. We can only focus on a certain number of things at a time. Doling out unsolicited instruction can overwhelm and discourage someone focusing on making small, specific changes. Zip it.
• It’s rude to undermine your coach. It just is. The assumption is that you know more than your teacher. If that’s true, find a new coach. But I’m guessing it’s just you being a little too big for your britches. Zip it.

Now, I’m not talking about helping a newbie find her footlock while your coach is spotting someone else, or stopping someone from making a bad choice when your teacher isn’t looking (if you see something, say something) – that’s being genuinely helpful and neighborly! I’m talking about interrupting your coach while they’re speaking, blurting out suggestions while someone is working, or making sure everyone in class knows that your old school did it differently. When you feel the urge to share with your fellow students, mind your business and focus on fixing your own darned self.

This Goes for Social Media Too

I’ll use myself as an example here. I’m working on handstands at the moment – they’re challenging for me, but I’m kind of cuckoo for them at the moment. I have A LOT to work on. A lot a lot. Like make-you-cry a lot. I like to post pics of my progress to social media to share my small successes. What’s not helpful? When I get emails from (well-meaning) folks with tons of corrections and suggestions I didn’t ask for. I wind up confused as to what I should be focusing on, and then I come into sessions babbling like a demented bumble bee about hand placement and ribs and feet and omg my butt won’t squeeze and my ankles aren’t together and why won’t my shoulders open and am I crooked and do you think I need canes or blocks or cookies. Then it all has to get untangled until I hear one voice again.

The moral of the story? Unless you’re someone’s coach, just be supportive. Like it, stick a heart on it, virtually applaud, and resist the urge to give feedback if they didn’t ask for it.

Your role in class is student. You can support your classmates by telling them how badass that inversion was, how much you admire that they do everything full out, how impressed you are with their colorful swear words, whatever. But leave the teaching to the teachers. Please and thank you. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Yes, Virginia! You Really DO Need Mats in an Aerial Class!

A couple of weeks ago, a number of videos surfaced from several studios featuring aerial fabulousness, but zero mats. What gives? Why the heck do we need mats? DO we really? What about “aerial yoga” or “aerial dance classes”? It’s time for a candid convo about (….. drumroll please……) APPROPRIATE MATTING!!!!

(In)Appropriate Matting

In order for us to have a meaningful discussion on mats, we have to chat about the WHY of mats. You’d think that was pretty obvious (to cushion us when we splat on the floor, duh!), but different mats are better suited to different situations. Here are a few of the most common:

• Yoga mats – good for honest-to-goodness aerial yoga classes (see below), where poses are NOT dynamic, they are kept low to the floor, and the hammock is used as a prop, not an apparatus. Hint: these are few and far between. Most classes billing themselves as aerial yoga are closer to aerial hammock – see below.
• Gymnastic flooring/foam floor – a good compromise for low aerial dance classes. It provides a bit of cushioning, but is still firm enough so you don’t break an ankle dancing in the floor segment.
• Panel mats – I love firm panel mats for vertical apparatus! They discourage the “plop” factor (when students allow themselves to plop out of poses – BAD HABIT), while giving good cushioning for heels, butts, and other assorted body parts.
• 4 inch firm squish – my very favorite! These cover a lot of area, so I don’t have to worry about falling off and twisting my ankle as I spot, but they’re also cushy enough so I rarely have to bring out the….
• Crash mats! I prefer crash mats for bar apparatus & hammock, because slipping or missing a trick generally results in a few feet of actual fall. I also use them for drops on rope or silks where there’s a chance of a missed connection, or if I have a “let go” student and I don’t want to have to wear Depends during class. I don’t love them for daily vertical apparatus use as a coach, mainly because I’ve seen more ankle injuries occur with them than without (folks accidentally step off & twist an ankle). I tend to choose a firmer mat whenever possible if I need to be close to spot.
• Foam pits – break out your flying tricks! This is generally for higher level moves, such as those worked on swinging trapeze, or catch-release partnering.

Professionals may or may not choose to use a mat for different things. They’re professionals, and know what they need. Mind your business. As a student, you almost always need a mat of some kind, even when performing.

A Class by Any Other Name…

Know what really gets me all fired up? When studios or coaches call anything in a hammock “Aerial Yoga”. Or when they toss basic safety protocol to the wind, and don’t put mats under drops. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this:

It doesn’t matter what you call a class. Dynamic moves require mats. If a studio tells you they don’t, RUN. 

Anything in a hammock is NOT aerial yoga. Even with unicorn hair. Know what is? Actual yoga poses done in the air with the hammock as a prop (for a great example, check out Unnata Aerial Yoga). What I mostly see is a circus class masquerading as a yoga class. How to tell the difference? If your yoga class is including “tricks” or “drops”, you’re doing circus. You need a mat. And a more honest class description.

Just because you call a class “Aerial Dance”, doesn’t mean you don’t need a mat. REALLY?! Riddle me this: why would you need a mat for drops in a circus class, but that same drop in an “aerial dance” class is just fine on bare floor? It’s an egregious breach of safety protocol, people. Demand better. If your studio does not provide appropriate mats for these sessions, begin to insist that they do so. Or, move your a$$ along to a more safety conscious studio.

My general rule of thumb is this (studios differ in their policies). You need a mat if:

• You are doing drops or swings of any kind.
• Your apparatus is higher than waist height, or you roll up in it higher than waist height.
• You are standing on your apparatus.
• You are nervous about a move (call for a crash pad).
• You are doing silks or rope at any level.

If mats are not available to you in anything other than a true aerial yoga class, you are being put at risk. Be a smart consumer – look for mats. Love and pull-ups (and MATS), Laura

PS – a note for teachers – MODEL GOOD AERIAL HABITS. Unless it’s a performance, please consider showing yourself using mats when you rehearse and train in your social media. It’s not a great time for “do as I say, not as I do”.

Come Baaaaaack! Training While Your Teacher is Away

So, it’s happened. Your beloved teacher – the one who totally *gets you* and runs the perfect class and is just SO GREAT – has booked a show or a tour, popped out a baby, or flown away to another place. While you’re delighted for them, you’re also panicked. WHO will you train with while they’re gone? WHO will suffer through all your (adorable) neurosis? You’re going to lose ALL your skills! Your abs will be jello! Your training life is oooooooooooooover! ….. Or is it?

Accept that Your Teacher will be Gone

After the tears and snot have flowed, and the hiccups subsided, take a deep breath. It’s happening, and, short of kidnapping them and stuffing them in your closet, there’s nothing you can do to keep them here. Step one is to accept that your teacher will be gone, BUT – that doesn’t mean your training grinds to a halt. In fact, we’re gonna turn this no no no no into a yes yes yes yes.

This is an opportunity to shake up your training – experience a new teacher, adjust your focus to another area (conditioning, flexibility, PT, etc), or try another apparatus for a little while. While it’s never fun to be separated from your favorite coach, it doesn’t have to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to your training. I swear.

Make a Plan

Know what you’re NOT going to do? Sit passively in a lump and moan and winge until they get back. If you want to take a break, take it! Sometimes, breaks are just what the doctor ordered. But, if your coach will be gone for more than a few weeks, or is moving away for good, it’s time to get proactive and make a plan.

1. How long will they be gone? Find out what the timeline is, and adjust your plan accordingly. A few weeks? Consider taking a break, and/or focusing on a complimentary area (strength or flexibility, for example). Longer? If you want to keep your skills moving forward, you’re going to need a plan. Read on.
2. What should you focus on to make the most of the time? Get input from your coach – I guarantee they will be HAPPY to tell you what you need to work on in their absence! It’s so worth booking a private, and talking through everything from alternate coaches to conditioning to training on your own. Come in with a plan you think might work, and let them “reality check” it.
3. What are your options?
   1. Training with another coach. I know, I know, your coach is the one and only, and NO ONE else can take their place. Believe me, I get it! We get very attached to our teachers – it’s a tangled mess of trust, admiration, comfort, and bonding, and it’s very real. BUT, it’s so good to learn from other teachers! You get a different perspective, and will almost always come away with at least a few new things you like. Give them a chance, and consciously focus on what’s working.
   2. Training on your own. If you’ve reached a level of proficiency to have open gym time, great! Go over some goals with your coach in a private session, and structure your training so that you don’t spend the entire time talking with Bitsy at the front desk or scrolling through Instagram.
   3. Upping your conditioning, stretching, and PT. You have some weak and/or tight bits that you’ve been ignoring (I’m very psychic). Now is a great time to get that sorted.
   4. Dreaming and planning. Create your magnum opus! It’s never too early to start mapping out a small sequence piece. You can envision something you could do soon, or create your dream piece – no limits! Use YouTube, Instagram, stuff you’ve discovered, your favorite moves in class, etc. What matters is that it stokes your fire, and keeps your heart going pitty-pat for your chosen discipline.
   5. Try something new! Are you a silks girl who’s always wanted to try lyra? Now’s your chance! Love German wheel but curious about cyr? Get going.
4. What will you do when you hit a wall? It’ll probably happen, so make sure you have a contingency plan for when you start running out of steam or get discouraged. It might look like reaching out to your community on FB, training with a friend or classmate, or setting a new goal.

Let this time be an opportunity to work differently – shake things up (and down)! You might miss your coach (I do – I put up her photo while I train because it makes me slack less), but this can be a great thing if you decide it will be! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Getting Bent Into Shape – Creating Meaningful Gains in Flexibility

Streeeeeeeeetch!

Hello Dear Danglers! It’s been a while! Know why? I’ve been training my a$$ off. It’s been great, it’s been hard, it’s been up, it’s been down. Literally. One of the MOST fabulous things lately has been a wonderful increase in my flexibility – GLORY BE! I’ve been workin’ it hard, and figured I would share my Magical Secrets with you today (hint: they’re neither magical nor secret).

Pursuing Functional Flexibility

How flexible do you really need to be? Is all flexibility “good” flexibility? WHEN WILL I SIT ON MY OWN HEAD?

Great questions. Different disciplines call for different degrees of flexibility. For example, as an aerialist, you will probably want a sassy split, a nice back arch, and strong but mobile shoulders. As a contortionist, you’re gonna want to pursue extreme front and back bending, over-splits, handstand strength, etc. You NEED to be flexible enough to move safely and confidently through the range of motion necessary for a particular skill (functional flexibility) – everything else is gravy. Does that take a bit of pressure off? I hope so, because sitting on your own head is probably going to take a while.

Now. Contrary to what Instagram would have you believe, all flexibility is NOT necessarily desirable flexibility, and no conversation about bendy-boos would be complete without its partner in crime: strength. As an aerial coach, uncontrolled flexibility is TERRIFYING – it’s like training a hot noodle. I’m not even kidding. You’ve gotta control that shizzle! If you’re flopping around like an oiled rubber band on steroids, you’re courting major injury.

There’s a sweet spot to aim for – strong & controlled, but bendy. Know what’s great for getting you there? A good coach to whack your butt into alignment! A fabulous physical therapist is also a must – even when you’re not injured, they can help KEEP you injury free by identifying weak areas you betta strengthen pronto.

OK – Yeah Yeah – How do I GET the Flexibility?

Exercise science has come a looooooong way – if all you’re doing is passive stretching a few times a week, or – God forbid – pushing students into stretches they’re not ready for, the 80’s called and want their training back. People – it’s 2017! Time to re-evaluate.

It’s worth noting that I’ve always been stronger than I was bendy. I have to fight for every inch of flexibility – it ain’t natural! There are a range of techniques that can produce good results; today, I’m going to focus on what’s produced big results in my own training: tissue prep, end range control exercises, and active stretching. Imma break down my process in 5 easy (HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!) steps, and point you towards my favorite resources. Here we go!

1. Step 1 – Get with a program. Set a goal (straddles, shoulders, all-over general flexibility, etc.). My favorite thing is to find a stretching program, guide, or coach that addresses this area (see below for my favorites). A good program or class will address at minimum both the stretches and the strength moves required for meaningful gains; a great program includes tissue prep, nerve glides, anatomy, etc.
2. Step 2 – Set your schedule. There are two kinds of people when it comes to stretching: those who say they want to get more flexible but never actually take the steps to make that happen, and those who do the work. Guess which group actually sees increases? There is no substitute for consistency. Set a schedule and stick to it (I watch trashy reality TV while I stretch – my IQ may be dropping at an alarming rate, but I now have an over-split!).
3. Step 3 – Actually stretch. Most well-rounded programs include a variety of stretching techniques, each appropriate for different parts of the body, or different days. I prefer active or moving stretches, with short (30-60 seconds) passive periods when it feels right, and use lots of approaches to keep myself out of a rut and injury free – see below.
4. Step 4 – Measure your progress. Depending on the stretch, find a reliable method of measuring your progress. It can be an actual measurement (distance of straddle to the wall, for example), a feeling (a feeling of greater mobility or ease), or progress in a connected area (like easier handstands because your hammies are more flexible).
5. Step 5 – Evaluate, educate, change it up. If you’re making progress doing what you’re doing, great! If you’re finding the process miserable, regressive, or (GAH!) you’re getting injured, time to change it up. You’d think stretching was a pretty DIY kind of thing, but not so much. Having a good coach and physical therapist can make the difference between an over-split and a perpetually torn hamstring! Take the time to learn good technique (and have it evaluated by a pro), brush up on your anatomy & physiology, and get current on new techniques and exercise science. I also recommend changing it up here and there, as boredom makes you less likely to stick with a program.

New Flexibility vs Re-Finding Old Flexibility

For the sake of this post, let’s refer to “old flexibility” as the range of motion you had within the past 3 years (rolling thru middle splits as a 9 year old doesn’t count, unless you’re 11, in which case this blog is NOT for you! Go clean your room.).

Regaining elasticity is generally easier than courting new flexibility. For example, a few years ago I could easily get my cooter to the floor in an open split. In May of this year, I couldn’t (that’s what happens when you stop training, people). Regaining that cooter-to-the-floor splits is way easier than if I had never felt my lady bits hit the ground. Many students have a nice initial jump in flexibility simply because their bodies “re-find” what they’d had, and are disappointed when that progress slows down. But here’s an important concept:

90% of your effort will always be spent on the final 10% of your goal.

My goal is in INCREASE in flexibility – it’s my final 10%. I should expect it to take a good long time. Months or years, not days, people. If you’re looking for fast and easy, may I suggest taking up another pursuit? ‘Cause circus ain’t it.

To recap – set a goal, find a coach to check your form and progress, and set up a stretch routine for yourself (I alternate programs – upper back one day, then straddles the next, with a quick “all over maintenance” routine daily). And actually do it (that’s the sticky wicket, am I right?). Love and pull-ups, Laura

Resources

Here are some of my FAVORITE resources – enjoy!!!!

• Jen Crane/Cirque Physio, Catie Brier, & PhysioFlex – amazing training designed by a circus PT and contortion coach. HIGHLY recommended, especially if you’re (ahem) of a certain age.
• GymnasticBodies.com – good stuff!
• Easyflexiblility.com – Haha – not easy. I do like the methods though – the dynamic/active stretches work well for lots of bodies.

Training Without a Coach – Step Awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay from that Edge

So. You’re a bazillion miles away from a coach, much less a circus school. Aside from gluing yourself to YouTube and Instagram, what options do you have for learning? Turns out, more than you may think.

Your Options Spelled Out

Back in the olden days, before the circus revolution in the US, we had two options: Montreal, San Francisco. Small circus enclaves existed elsewhere, but unless you got lucky, you didn’t find them. Fast forward to now, where it seems a new aerial school is sprouting on every corner, and it’s a whole new world! You have more options for training than ever before – and that’s crazy exciting. BUT, you might not be near a studio, or despise the coaches that are in your area. Legit. What’s a circus lover to do?

• Move. I’m not kidding. When I decided I wanted to be a career circus performer, I moved – first to California, then to Montreal. If you want to perform full time, a dedicated program might be a great fit for you. Consider packin’ it up, and moving to be a part of a program or school.
• Commute. I have a 90 minute commute each way to teach, so I’ll admit – I’m not the person who’s gonna give you a lot of sympathy when you complain that the nearest circus classes are 45 minutes away (love you lots!). If you can’t commute weekly, what CAN you commit to? Monthly training is better than no training.
• Train-cations and Intensives. Like to travel? Nearest school a flight away? Try to schedule a few “train-cations” each year, or create an intensive for yourself.
• Skype. We live in the future, friends! Many coaches, myself included, offer Skype sessions to help with technique, vocabulary, and a variety of other sticky wickets. It does NOT replace hands-on coaching, but can help to tide you over until you’re able to train with a teacher again. Most teachers have an evaluation process to see if you’re a good candidate (aka not going to kill yourself in the first 30 minutes), and are strict about safety measures (always train with a friend, proper rigging & matting, low and slow, etc).
• Books, manuals, and online resources. There are a number of phenomenal books (my faves come from Rebekah Leach), blogs, newsletters, and forums for everything from aerial work to rigging. Again – they don’t REPLACE your coach, but they can supplement your training in helpful ways.
• YouTube and Instagram. You need to be at a certain training level to meaningfully grow your vocabulary off the internet. It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of students sourcing material & attempting to recreate it on their own, but let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Seeing what others are doing is fabulously inspiring! I think where online sharing really shines is when it helps us understand what we’re doing in classes a bit better – online tutorials, examples of other performers work, etc can inform our training in tons of helpful ways. BUT, don’t think for even a second that an online tutorial or a trick you swiped off Instagram replaces a coach. Train with live humans every chance you get.

But Laura, What About Safety?

Yep – I hear you. A few years ago, I took a great rigging workshop with Brett Copes. One thing that really stayed with me was the “cliff concept”. Imagine a cliff, with a steep drop off; every step we take back from the edge of that cliff is progress. Knowledge, understanding, and community all serve to take us a couple more steps away from the edge, and that’s a good thing. I liken it to abstinence-only education – you can tell the people not to try stuff they’ve seen on the interwebs, or not to train unless they have a good coach, but you guys – it’s happening. I hate that it’s happening, but it’s happening. If a student has to choose between training on their own with no input, or training with a skype coach and getting some input, I’ll always come down on the side of some input. BUT.

Students, hear me now. Nothing – nothing – replaces training with a good coach. In person. Private lessons are better than group, group are better than virtual, virtual is better than none. Training with a good coach will get you to your destination faster, with less wasted time and money, and GREATLY reduces the risk of injury – catastrophic, repetitive stress, and otherwise. I can always spot a self-taught aerialist – it’s in the technique. Do your damnedest to get to classes with real humans!!! But step awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay from that edge in every way you can. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Practice Makes Permanent – Are You Sabotaging Your Circus Training?

This week, the glorious Liza Rose from Fly Circus Space in New Orleans put up a delicious little blurb on the F-books about the importance of practicing good aerial habits. Are you drilling crappy technique into your body? Practicing things week after week with le poo form? Then friend, you’re in for a world of hurt when it comes time to clean that sh*t up.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect permanent.”

I am not a huge fan of DIY in circus. I have no fewer than six internet-based handstand programs – some with training videos, some with PDF’s and photos. Know what none of them have? My coach. During a session, she never stops correcting, spotting, encouraging, educating, and reprimanding when I’m being a lazy ass. It’s constant – push here, squeeze your butt, you’re rotating there, close your chest, squeeze your butt, open the chest, push up more, squeeze your butt, that’s correct, everyone hates this, squeeze your butt, push up more…. Friends, I absolutely cannot evaluate myself that way, even with video. Even with online resources. Even if it *looks* right to me, it’s often only part of the equation.

Last year, I had a lovely student who came in from out of town. She had a few aerial classes under her belt, but had been training a lot on her own. I gave her a small sequence which required an in-air inversion.

Lovely Student: “Oh, I can’t do that, I’ve been trying to get that for years. It just won’t happen.”

Ms Laura: “I’ll bet it will.” She showed every sign of readiness, the technique was just off. Two corrections and one spot later, BOOM. Inversions.

What a Good Coach Really Does

Teaches you all the cool moves, right? Nope. That’s part of what I do, but honestly, a trained monkey could show you a bunch of fancy silk tricks. In a typical class or private, I will:

• Build strong foundations. Every apparatus or discipline has “building blocks” – the foundation skills or movements that you’ve gotta be proficient in before you can move on to the bigger stuff. DIY students (and, let’s be honest, some teachers) often have NO IDEA what those are. Consequently, training frequently consists of flitting around to whatever you happen to have in front of you, like a demented bumble bee. No foundation = building your skills on shifting sands, and tackling training in a way that doesn’t make sense.
• Determine readiness. I see it ALL THE TIME in students coming to me for the first time – the hunger to jump into moves they are nowhere near ready to be chasing. Whether it’s big drops or in-air basic hip key, I evaluate whether a student is ready – from strength to technique to the vocabulary they have under their belt. Flinging yourself into moves a couple of levels away is a one-way ticket to InjuryVille or CrapTechnique Town. Population: you.
• Introduce appropriate progressions. Good coaches build bridges to address your particular weaknesses en route to a skill. For example, many students struggle with in-air inversions. Rather than have them repeatedly heave themselves backwards in hopes that they’ll get it eventually, we look at the kinetic chain for inversions (legs to 90, pelvic tuck, push). Where are they weak? What needs to be addressed? There’s an exercise or progression for that.
• Correct. We boss you around! We also determine what corrections you’re ready to hear and apply. If I gave you all the corrections I had for you at once, you’d keel over dead. Seriously. There’s an unfolding of correction – from biggies (safety, general movement pattern, technique basics) to teenies (engage your feet, dammit!). A good coach knows when you need to hear them.
• Educate. We teach you the cool moves! And how they work and why.
• Manage expectations. I tell you when that shizzle is HARD. I tell you how long it took me, and how long it may take you. I tell you that you will not be dropping that triple for a long time, and why. I remind you that you love this. I understand when you cry. I tell you to do it again, and not to get snot on my fabrics, and that I am invested in your success.
• Encourage – a good coach knows when you need a win, when to smack you with a big old high five, or when to give you The Talk about holding yourself to a higher standard. It’s a lot of reminding students that a) this is hard, and b) if you train it correctly it will come.

CAN you train without a coach? You betcha! But the fact is that you will learn faster and better with a good teacher.

BUT, what if you live, like, 10,000 miles from the closest aerial or circus space? Tune in next week when we look at how the miracle of technology, connections, and some good old fashioned travel can make training with a coach a thing – even if you live a bazillion miles away. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Top photo by Brigid Marz