"It goes where?"

Zina's Aerialosophy _ (get it aerial + philosophy)__

OCTOBER 2021

“It goes where?”

Learning new moves, whether for class or  special event like showcase, can be a challenge .  Have you had these thoughts upside down? My foot goes where? My knee does what?  You want my belly where?  How do I get my arm to do that?  You want me to grab what?  And point my toes?  (I am laughing right now…)

These might be new body positions or  when your upside down it feels like a new body position...where to place your arm or leg or thread your head or your foot or even rotate your belly or your torso a certain direction can be challenging standing up let alone being upside down.

 STUDENTS:  Here's some tips you can even do some of these at home especially during showcase time when you only have a fixed amount of time to learn a routine…

One of my favorite tools is practice on the ground what you're trying to do in the air.  Yes it might feel a little awkward but it also will move your body in a new pattern and you might have some aha moments of all that's where that might go or talk yourself through it on the ground.  this is something that you can even do at home.   Plus another benefit to that is movement in all of your planes of motion.

 A few other things that would be helpful and these you can also do at home.  Break down each section into small parts and master each small part at a time.

•  Put things in your words whether it's verbally or write it out how you think. 

• Try visualizing what you're doing in your own mind

• Then try reversing what you just did, go out the same way you went in.

When you're in class ask for a spot if you need it,  or to clarify,  and then remember to take a deep breath and be patient with yourself.   **As we've joked in class if more than one person doesn't get it, the teacher might need to rephrase it or revisit it in the future.   I know I have done that, smile.

TEACHERS:  Break down the skills or teach in sections.  Help your students learn quicker by 

using your verbs first, require less thinking - reach, lift, turn, wrap, hook, thread, etc…  

You might even need to break things down to right and left especially if they're complicated flows level 2 and above or find another way to say it.  This can build on familiar skills and create some muscle memory on parts of the new skills before they get in the air.  And as we mentioned to the students, get on the ground and demo skills with them.  This is a great place to cover technique or safety items.  Also demo in the air so they can listen before they get in the air and have to process everything at once.  

Flying is a fun process and we all process and learn differently.  You will get the skills, be patient, sometimes we need to breathe, sometimes we need good cues, sometimes we need to get stronger, sometimes we need the nervous system to fire the right muscles.  But you will get there.   Fly well!

Gratitude

Zina's Aerialosophy  (get it aerial + philosophy)

January 2021 is here.

We will THRIVE not just survive. Thriving is a choice. Yes, this is a deliberate mental choice to shift your thinking. Your challenge this month is to change your mental state. Every day write down 3 things you are grateful for or thankful for. Gratitude is one way to thrive.

One one my entries this month was being thankful we are open for business to create a safe space, thankful we are all united in something to challenge us physically, mentally and some days emotionally, thankful for all of my great teachers, thankful for all of our students, and ALL of you who make this studio such a great place. In fact as I listen and watch sometimes, this is a dream come true. We have a true blessing to be together and cheer each other on.

Love, Monkeys and SeaHorses,
Zina

Long Term Success

Zina's Aerial Philosphy Corner - Feburary 2021
You may have seen our studio sign "We train and coach for your long term success, not instant gratification." So you might wonder what that all means... Cliff notes: We, the teachers will train you for skills when you have mastered the progressions. For example: if you are doing a knee hang climb and your shoulders are still riding up to your ears (you have squashed grapefriut between you ear and shoulder and have hypothical juice dripping down), you will need to have stable shoulders to invert hanging by your arms (think double wrist wrap candle stick / pencil). A couple of questions to ask yourself when you climb... Is my core active (core is front, sides and back body)? Where do I feel the climb? Do my shoulders forget when I learn a new skill? Am I breathing? These will help you tune into your mind body connection to create those beautiful strong shoulders. You got this.

Breathe and Cubed Core

Zina's Aerialosophy _ (get it aerial + philosophy)__

DECEMBER 2021

It's our holiday month… we have so much to do, so many places to be, including on our apparatus. First I'd like to take a moment and thank you for being a part of our studio family!  I'm so thankful for the teachers using their God given talents and gifts,  for the students who create this amazing community,  and for my husband of excellence who makes it possible for me to live my passion and help people with movement and aerial everyday.

This is a season to stop and take a breath!   Deep breathing is so important for relaxation response for the nervous system,  brain health, and movement quality.  It helps us process mentally better, it helps us move better, it helps us rest, digest and repair better.  I've learned so much this past year on breathing from Dr. Arianne Missimer that I have to pass it on. 

You have also heard me talk about the core as a cube.  There's a great 3D animation on anatomy and I love this word picture -   the core as a cube - meaning it has a front and back, two sides, and a top and a bottom.  The top and the bottom are especially important when it comes to breathing. For a couple examples:  if we only activate the top (super tense and not relaxed) and not the bottom,  we can have core compensations.   If we only activate the front and not the back we can't support the spine as well, and if we don't know how to activate the sides  we lack breathing options and mobility. 

So for this holiday season stop and take a breath whether it's before you eat, whether it is before class, whether it's before you're frustrated on a shape or flow you are trying to get,  stop and take a breath!

Sometimes when we're feeling anxious (for whatever reason), stop and take a moment,  breathe.  Stopping to take a breath can help you decide the next course of action in a better frame of mind.   You've got this!

 P.s.  Be on the look for our Aerial Fun Christmas card coming out called “The Shapes of Christmas”. 

Aerial Outdoors

Zina's Aerialosophy _ (get it aerial + philosophy)__

June / July 2021

Summer Cross Training -

We all want to be outdoors in the summer and it's great time for cross training.   Going to the beach, walking, hiking, or if you have your own aerial rig at home to be outdoors in the fresh air.

Here are some tips for your home rig:

1. Let someone know that you're on your apparatus and when you are done.

2. Only do things you know and can get out of.  Lots of stories out there of getting stuck.

3. Make sure you have a crash mat, and best to have a spotter (for anything new, you can get stuck, see above.) 

4. Check the weather.  Use Rust stopper and lubricant (Sta-Bil is one brand) for the steel parts of 

   1. Most of them will rust (unless they are made from Aluminum / Magnesium), where there are joints.

   2. Cover or take down your rig in bad weather.  (if taller than your house, think lighting rod, and without sands bags it could blow over)

5. Home Rigs (price point under $1,000) are not rated for drops or dynamic motion.  A 150lbs person could generate 900+ lbs of force.  Make sure to check your paperwork and what it is rated for. 

6. Watch your step, when hanging and unhanging your apparatus.  Bring a hat if the sun is in your eyes so you can see well to clip in and out.

7. If you're outdoors your feet can get a little dirty and if your mat is black it's going to get really hot, think burn your feet…

   1. So try adding a wet towel on one end on your mat to wipe off your feet 

   2. Also maybe add a white towel or a light-colored towel in the middle of your mat or a light yoga mat to reflect the heat off of your black mat.  

   3. You could possibly attach a tarp to keep the sun off if needed.

8. Slip or Stick

   1. Chalk for the sweaty hands  vs. rosin.  Watch for the sweaty hands which is better for fabric but if you're on a lyra make sure you have some chalk.

   2. Sweaty skin on fabric super sticky, 

   3. Sweaty hands and legs on untaped lyra super slick 

9. For those of you with an outdoor rig I created a Facebook group, to share tips and tricks “we love our rigs”  private group.

10. Since wearing polyester leggings all summer helps the sweat and stick factor, they are not breathable so try adding in some coconut oil, cranberry juice and or raw apple cider vinegar to your diet keep away unwanted yeast, and fungus.

11. Got some tips that work for you?  We would love to hear, share them in the group.

You Do You

Zina's Aerialosophy _ (get it aerial + philosophy)__

MAY 2021

We said last month that aerial fitness is so great for all body types and shapes.  Yes, different sizes and shapes will make different poses and flows easier, while other body types will be more challenging. Know that is OK. YOU DO YOU!  Compare yourself to you, not your neighbor.  

Are you ready to start taking it to a different level?  You are in love with this amazing aerial fitness and now you want to challenge yourself and set some goals to conquer some of these more challenging skills that involve climbing, inversion strength and a strong core for twisting and rotation.  REMINDER:  This type of goals takes TIME. You need to be patient, not compare, but show up and be your strong self. Look at some of our 5 year plus students, the determination pays off.  Yes, the struggle somedays is real.  But it's okay, be where you are each day.  You showed up, that's the first battle! 

There will be days you're not going to get it the first time and that's okay. There will be days you are strong and rested and get everything.  Then there will be some skills we see and may not want to do but admire and say that it is amazing, strong, flexible, etc…  and appreciate the aesthetic (or art) value of said skills.

Next, what is your superpower?  Everyone does something great.  I like to find what everyone's superpower is and build on that.  So can you find your aerial superpower?

The whole point of this is to acknowledge what you do great and give yourself some grace while you're learning your aerial skills and reaching goals. 

You do you, each day!

Stable Joints

Zina's Aerialosophy _ (get it aerial + philosophy)__

April 2021

Last month we talked about how great Aerial fitness is for all body types and how important it is to have stable joints - Now let's talk about  how we keep our joints stable and what forces can affect our joint strength and stability.

Aerial fitness skills work in multiple planes (think 3d 360 globe vs 2d flat circle image).  It has an unstable surface that creates more of a three-dimensional effect in our joints in our body as we move in the fabric or another apparatus.  In order to keep a joint stable, this uses outside muscles and deep inside muscles to make us strong and stabilize our joints.  If we load too much weight at once without adapting, we can get stiff, sore, and injured.   This can affect your performance mentally and physically.  We also want to make sure our movement patterns are in good alignment so the joint can move freely without grinding, noises, and or pain.

Assuming no injury - Here are a few things to consider along your aerial fitness journey that can affect joints;  lack of muscle tone, overly tight muscles, hypermobility/double jointed, weight, forces, length of levers (picture arms and legs), and overuse with incorrect alignment or bad form.

Here are some examples that may make a difference for you. See if you can notice a theme. 

• If you have low muscle tone, you will adapt and get stronger, it takes TIME.

• If you have tight muscles causing you to feel stuck, find out why.  This takes TIME.

• If you have hypermobile joints you have to strengthen the muscles around the joint.  This takes TIME.

• If you are carrying extra body weight the muscles need TIME to get stronger. 

Creating stable joints take TIME, dedication, and determination to “DO YOU”!  It does pay off, ask our long term students!  There are so many things you can do in the meantime, so celebrate! Aerial fitness is a great accomplishment at all levels!! 

Aerial Body Talk

Zina's Aerialosophy  (get it aerial + philosophy) 

Aerial Body Talk

March 2021

How fun is circus fitness?  Yes, that is what we call it.  You may have started with an aerial yoga style class but after your first few classes (If you decide you want something different) we pretty much leave that aerial stretch/yoga style of training, and introduce you to Aerial Fitness or Circus style fitness. Just saying you have options.

Fitness in general is always a journey, the great thing about aerial fitness or circus style fitness, being able to use an apparatus (silks, aerial hoop, bungee) allows so many different sizes and shapes.  I love seeing all kinds of ages being in classes together,  just enjoying something that we all love so much.  It is a rare find to be bonded by such a cool activity that bonds us together.  

We offer different styles of classes so we can meet people where they are at.  Whether it is stretching and flexibility, strengthening, adding acrobatic elements or bouncing in the bungee. We all have different goals and reasons why we're here.   Different body shapes and sizes make some moves easier and some more challenging.  One of the most important things for any style of aerial we want to be involved in, is that we have strong and stable joints for our aerial activities.  So stay tuned next month for the continuing article on how we keep our joints stable and what forces can affect our joint strength and stability.