Take a Breath

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”. 

You do you, each day!

     I celebrate you!  Zina    

Showcase Time Nov 2021 Tips

Zina's Aerialosophy 
(get it aerial + philosophy) 

Nov 2021

It is showcase time....  Ann Marie summed this up so well.  Performers remember to breathe and as Kelsey would say "if you mess up, mess up with confidence".  My favorite part is how all these different types of people come together.  I love watching all this happen.  So proud of the teachers for inspiring students, students working together as a team, and all of this coming together to create our version of Aerial ART!    

On another note so excited we were featured on MY Fitness RX with Tanya Stroh.  Our segment begins at 14:25.



You do you, each day!

     I celebrate you!  Zina    

"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!

Zina's Aerial Corner Jan 2021 -Thrive

Zina's Aerial Corner

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
 

COVID Updates

Clean Air System
As our students’ safety has always been, and will always continue to be, one of our highest priorities, we have added an UV lite sanitizer of protection to our HVAC system.

Perm-Safe
We have also added an additional layer of protection to our studio, by having it fogged and santized.

Class Sizes
To comply with the latest regulations, we have reduced the number of available spots in numerous classes.  
⦁    Sign up well in advance.
⦁    If a class is full, add your name to the waitlist. Keep an eye on your email.  Cancelations do happen. 
⦁    Cancellation/sign up window closes four hours prior to class.  If you need to cancel, please do so as soon as possible, so another student may have the opportunity to join the class.

Zina's Tech Tip of the Month September 2020

Zina's Tech Tip of the Month

September 2020

"Undo the ZOOM neck"

Your “Zoom” Relief Pose:

• Upper Back/Chest Opener/Spine Twisting Yummy Pose

  • There is more than one way to get into this, but this entrance will take more concentration to "open into the stretch"  vs. slouch into it.

• Position:  Lay on the stomach, arms by ears (like superman flying), Turn to Left side, Right knee pulls up to 90 degrees, twist to open the chest, bring arms to Airplane or in a T, Palms up. 

  • Hold 5 to 10 breaths 

  • Repeat on the other side

• Alignment: arms in a “T”, gently let upper back sink to the floor.  There should be no low back strain, and a gentle mid-back twisting motion.

• Benefits: opens chests and strengthens back, twist through the spine.