How long to learn aerial silks

Even just climbing up the silks will engage many important muscles! Tight fitting clothing is best as you will be going upside down and be wrapped tightly in the silks. Avoid baggy clothes unless you want to flash the class and avoid zippers - no one wants to snag on the silks at the wrong moment! Be sure that key areas are covered to avoid potential friction burns or scrapes i. You will also be kept close to the ground as you learn the basics to ensure your safety.

Once everyone is comfortable on the silks, time to learn new moves or revisit moves students may have already tried at a previous session. Some moves you can learn and master in one class, others you need to revisit a few times to nail. Leave your ego at the door - you may fail and fall, you may get tangled. Never be embarrassed! Yoga and Pilates are definitely beneficial. You're going to be working hard! I'm still working on getting mine! If you can't touch your toes or do a backbend, you can still do aerial.

It's all about starting where you are and working toward where you want to be. That said, regular yoga practice is a good complement to aerial classes if you want to improve your flexibility. Some circus facilities also offer supervised and assisted stretching classes, and even contortion, if you want to get mega-bendy.

Some studios and teachers offer classes tailored specifically for beginners; others offer mixed-level classes that beginners are welcome to attend. If you're in a mixed-level class, your instructor should still be giving you plenty of individual attention and modifying the moves for a first-timer.

If you're not sure what the class descriptions mean or what level you should be in, call or email first to make sure the class you're signing up for is beginner-friendly. Some places offer drop-in classes, which you typically reserve and pay for online. Others require you to sign up for a series of classes over several weeks or months and pay for everything up front — not great if you're commitment-phobic or travel a lot.

If you'd rather start with one-on-one instruction or go with a friend, many teachers offer private or semi-private lessons for up to three people. Expect to pay more per hour than you would for a regular group class. Like any kind of exercise, aerial comes with risks, including paralysis and even death.

So it's incredibly important to make sure you work with an aerial teacher who knows how to keep you safe. Also, check in with your doctor first and make sure you're good to start a new exercise program. How do you know if you can trust an aerial instructor, school or studio? Look for someone who has specific experience teaching aerial arts — performing and instructing are two distinct skill sets.

Ask the other students in your class how long they've been coming to this studio or teacher. You want to be with an instructor who's built a real community and has had some returning students for years — it's a testament to their skill and safety, Woolley told BuzzFeed. You can also ask if it's possible to observe a class before signing up to get a sense of the teacher's style. ACE maintains a directory of organizations that have paid their membership dues. It's a good sign if a place you're considering is on that list, Woolley says, though it's not an endorsement of their safety practices.

It's also not necessarily a red flag if they're not listed, as ACE was only established in and is still gaining members. Not to be a Debbie Downer again, but if the teacher or studio doesn't ask you to sign a waiver on your first day, this is a bad sign.

It shows they're disorganized at the very least, and may even be unaware of the risks of what they're teaching. Look for a professional website with instructor bios, a well-designed logo, and an organized intake process, he suggests. Expect to be asked about any injuries you have and medications you take. When you show up for class, you should see mats laid out under the apparatus. The second major factor in how quickly a student progresses is whether they condition and exercise outside of our classes.

Things like yoga, pilates, weight lifting, rock climbing, gymnastics, dance, and martial arts are excellent ways to build strength, flexibility and endurance - but not the only way! We'll show you some exercises in class that you can do at home without any equipment, and if you can even dedicate 15 minutes a day to doing these exercises at home, that will make a huge difference!

Our conditioning class is also a great way to build strength, and will help you progress much faster. Silks are for everyone! This seems like a good place to introduce myself. My name is Craig Lewis. I'm a dude. That's me, on the right. Demonstrating a masculine, strength-based aesthetic on the silks is something I'm passionate about!

I realize that the stereotypcial image of aerial silks is of a feminine, flexibility-based performance art - and that's beautiful and wonderful! But please know this: Silks does NOT have to have that aesthetic! Do a YouTube search for "male aerialist" and you'll find tons of strong men doing incredible acrobatic aerial performances, all while looking manly and awesome. Some men end up shifting eventually from silks to an apparatus like aerial straps , trapeze , chinese pole , or corde lisse.

So yes, our classes are great for all genders! Come try it! You can view the class rules in the New Student Handout. There is one important requirement: No metal parts, such as zippers, buttons, clasps, etc. Very small piercings are ok, but larger piercings must be removed because they can get caught in the silks.

If you have an exposed surface piercing, you should wear a bandaid over it. Other than that, skin tight clothing is definitely recommended - something that will stay in place when you hang upside-down. Most people prefer to have clothing that covers the backs of their knees and armpits, but this is not required.

Tights, yoga pants, or unitards work great. As you become more advanced and start working on drops, you will need to avoid clothing made of synthetic materials, which can melt. This is not an issue for beginners, although we do find that cotton clothes tend to give more friction on the silk than synthetics, which is good for beginners; but again, that's personal preference.

Open gym is a time for our students to freely use the equipment to practice skills on their own which they have learned in our classes. Open gym is a lot of fun, and it's a great way to progress your skills, and make new friends! To attend open gym, you must have taken at least 10 NOCA aerial classes on your chosen apparatus, with the most recent being in the past 30 days, as well as instructor permission.

Teaching during open gym is not permitted - it's intended as a time for practicing moves you already learned from us. Find a qualified teacher. No one should learn aerial silks on their own. It's extremely dangerous, and you could get seriously injured.

The below steps should only be used to refresh your memory and practice in conjunction with a class. It is best to start with an aerial hammock class because that is the easiest way to learn. A hammock is a single piece of silky fabric and provides you with a safety net with the silk behind your back.

Stretch [3] X Research source. Aerial silks use your muscles extensively. You want to have them stretched sufficiently before each class and practice session. Not only should you warm up your shoulders, arms and hamstrings, but it's also important to stretch out your hands. When stretching, also work on your straddle. You'll need this for future reference.

Start your warm-up exercises with basic calisthenics, including jumping jacks, jogging in place, push-ups, and crunches Take your muscles through their typical range of motion with stretching exercises such as arm, shoulder, and neck circles, rolling your spine up and down, shaking out fingers and wrists, up-dog, down-dog, and the electric slide. You can even take an aerial yoga class. Method 2.

Climb the silks. Pull up with your arms and place your free leg on top of your wrapped foot. This is called a French Climb. Climbing is first and probably the most difficult trick for a beginner since the body is probably not used to such actions. But with the passage of time, it becomes easier to climb the silk. When you are pulling the silk, your arm should be sturdy and firm. Your grip on the silk should be stable so that you can concentrate on the movement of your lower limbs.

Put your free foot on top of the silk. That way it won't slip, and you're not supporting yourself with just your arms. This requires a lot of practice and stamina because it also involves your mental strength. Stand up and continue climbing until you've reached your desired height. You will want to remain near the ground until you've mastered the techniques. Learn the single foot lock. The basic move is easier to practice on the ground.

Wrap your lower leg around the silk as if you were going to climb. Pull some slack out of the silk from about mid-shin, and bring under your foot starting by your pinkie toe so it looks like you're wearing a shoe. Your toes and heel should not be in the silk. Climb down carefully. When coming down from a climb, walk yourself down slowly, hand over hand. If you slide down, you'll get painful second-degree burns on the top of your feet. Also, don't let go until you're at least only a foot off the ground.

Method 3. Tie yourself in either from the ground or from a climb. Separate the silks. Because the silk is hung from its middle, it hangs down with two separate pieces. When you're tied in, it looks like one. Separate the two silks so you have two clearly visible pieces. Grip the separate silks so your elbows are level with the top of your head.

Lean forward through the silks, so your body is in front of them. Either extend your free leg in front of you, or bring it up to your knee in a passe. Try to make it look as pretty as possible.