Learning to Fly!
Let's think back to the first time we ever encountered pole dancing, aerial silks, or hoop. Was it at a club? Watching the circus? An Instagram post of a contortionist bending in wild ways on a hoop? Hands up if after a few seconds of being mesmerized, your brain then thought, "I could never do that" or that aerials is reserved for dancers and bachelorette parties. The truth is, there is a lot of stigma and and misunderstanding when it comes to aerials that can hold people back from trying it. Aside from the normal nerves surrounding going into a new environment or picking up a new hobby, there also exists this idea that aerials is for certain bodies, certain jobs, and certain genders. Every day as an instructor at Zeal Aerial Fitness, my goal is to help change these ideas and empower my students who are a range of unique and individual people all with varying degrees of skill.
If you’ve ever taken a class with me, you might have gathered that I love teaching first timers. I typically am bouncing off the walls with excitement to share this unique way to do fitness, as well as show that it is accessible. I tell all of my new students, and anyone else who will listen, that learning aerials is all about consistency. Everything is built through your practice, my favorite improvements being confidence, balance, strength, and trust. From learning how to strut around a pole, to going upside down in the silks, every body can do it regardless of age, size, or gender. Of course it may take time and practice to get to higher levels, but that is part of the fun!
Certain apparatuses can be more beneficial when you are first starting out in aerials to help you develop strength and flexibility, which is why I am in love with Zeal's Intro Series. This class allows you to try out different apparatuses in an environment reserved for newcomers so you can start to figure out what kinds of movement serve your mind and body best.
With aerials, there are many different goals each of us has when getting started that range all over the place! Regardless of what yours is, you will be reaping some pretty marvelous benefits in many areas. You will develop strength, balance, flexibility, confidence, and community. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to ways you can immerse yourself in one of the most interesting and cool communities out there, or take more of a passive approach and just come for the fun workout!
If you are anything like me, all of this sounds awesome but it can still be nerve wracking to take the first step. So if you are brand new here and wondering about getting started, I am going to share the top 3 tips that I gathered from students and instructors to set yourself up to feel excited about starting your aerial journey. I am also going to share how we at Zeal run a typical class so if you like to prepare, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get rid of some nerves!
The first tip is all about modifications. Part of learning to climb a pole for example, is working toward holding your weight on the pole first. Everyone starts at different places which is why we commonly teach moves in a deconstructed way. For example practicing a stag first before trying to get to the top of the pole might be an integral part of your pole journey! This is a move where with both hands on the pole and one foot in the climbing position you try to lift yourself up off of the ground and lower yourself back down. A Zeal student said it best, “you will learn to hold your own body weight which will take time but that’s okay!” Another student said, “There are modifications for everything. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed or shy because instructors might not know you’re new, but they always help!” Our goal here is to get everyone moving in a way that works for your body, so as an instructor it is my job to give you options and modifications that are accessible to the level you are at.
Our second tip for new aerialists is all about how to show up to class prepared for the apparatus you chose! Let’s start with outfit choice which can help you and also hurt you. Literally! The amount of times I have gotten silk burn because I am always in a crop top I can’t even count. For silks and hoop, you want the legs and armpits protected. For pole it is more about using that skin for grip so wearing shorts is a good idea! Second, we recommend bringing a yoga mat especially to classes like flexibility or contortion. And lastly, HYDRATE! Get a plastic or metal water bottle, dress that thing up with cute stickers and take it with you everywhere. My personal trainer calls them “emotional support water bottles” and when you’re working out they can be just that.
This tip might sound like a weird one but I recommend it to everyone. Record yourself. This will help you remember what you did in class, so if you want to go to an open gym you’re prepared with what to work on and how to do it. It is also fun to watch your progress and put together my favorite kind of videos in the world, blooper reels. It is important to remember to be proud of yourself and also not take it too seriously so watching back some wins and some fails, I personally think is good for the soul. You might even catch a fellow student doing a wild dance in the background.
Now that we’ve shaken off some anxieties let me tell you about how a typical class will run at Zeal Aerial Fitness. Instructors will give announcements at the top of class, so you will be informed about what is going on in the studio like workshops or events! We also love going to support each other in our outside activities like musicals students are in or places they’re performing! Then we like to get everyone on a first name basis, and share your answer to a weird question that your instructor came up with. My favorite is “if you were in the circus, what role would you play?” or “if you were a pie what would you be?” After this quick beginning of class we will get into a warm up, and then move onto the apparatus for conditioning. The middle of the class is dedicated to learning specific moves and then trying them out a few times (on both sides)! The end of class we will do a cool down and then you are free to take another class or bask in the accomplishment of becoming an aerialist!
Aerial fitness is a weird and wonderful world that will show you just how strong you can be. Let’s fly together!