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Hi, I’m unable to do a single ankle hang w/o popping my hip out. I’m thinking to mod it to use a belay to take the weight off and it should still allow me to do all the shapes. Would this be ok?
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I won’t be able to attend the video session this month, so couple of questions:
1. How important is it that the single ankle hang foot is perfectly flat? Mine starts that way, but quickly sickles. Video link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1heq3pvh5446dlg/Video%20May%2001%202023%2C%206%2037%2021%20PM.mov?dl=0
2. On the last slide drop (before single silk hop key), how soon should you rotate your back to the pole to keep that vertical shape? I don’t know I am rotating too fast enough or too slow. Video link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pk3w728scrxxkj2/Video%20May%2001%202023%2C%207%2010%2055%20PM.mov?dl=0-
Hi Natty,
It’s important to keep the foot flexed as it’s more secure and puts less stress on the the ankle. we recommend using a theraband or stretchy tights and doing some ankle flex/ point exercises as well as internal/external to help build up ankle strength. In the air- You can also think about internally rotating the leg while placing the ankle hang with a strong flexed foot. That may also help your foot from sickling. As for question #2 could you send a new link so we could see your video? That link doesn’t seem to be working. Thanks
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I am really on the struggle bus when I try to climb up the free fabric in the ankle hang. I just feel locked in to place like I can’t get one hand above the other. I admit I’m not as strong in my arms as I would like to be and have limited flexibility in my shoulders and back. All things I am working on (love the ground shoulder mobility component this month!), but any other suggestions/exercises/suggestions? Thanks! 😁
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Hi Jill,
One thing you could try is reaching up a bit higher on the tail before you twist into the arch position to climb up. As you twist into the arch, make sure to keep at least one arm bent so you’re not going into an intense shoulder stretch. As you twist into the arch, be sure to bend the leg that’s in the ankle hang right away and “pull down” with that ankle hang ankle as you climb up to help take some weight. You can also just practice rotating into the pull up arch and just practice holding that position with bent arms and then twisting back before climbing out in the standard way until you are ready for the arched climb up.
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I’m struggling in the ankle hang. It gets hopelessly stuck on my calf and when I finally do get it to slide past my foot can’t get all the way to the left. So it winds up in horrible pain and slowly slipping causing me to rush through the sequence to get it over with. I don’t think it’s a foot flexibility issue as my feet are quite flexible from snowboarding and figure skating and I teach barre and Pilates (my back I know has zero flexibility this is after 10 years of working on it). I think I am doing somethign wrong or missing something coming down into the hang that’s causing the fabric to get stuck but I can’t figure out what it is. Here’s a video – this is after an hour of practice and several attempts at this one so I’m super weak at this point.
share.icloud.com/photos/06bGDaQtMsDq9tODR5WC4QM_w
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Ah, the calf squeeze! It can be pretty intense. It looks like you use the free foot to guide the wrap a bit, see if you can push the fabric out from the muscle to allow it to pass the belly of the calf to settle high on the ankle. The theraband exercises mentioned above might help as well. Even with wonderful flexibility, checking in with the active strength is valuable for an ankle hang. Active flex is uncommon for most activities unless you want to hang from an ankle. 😉 Internal rotation of the leg is helpful to set the ankle wrap on the outside of the foot and towards the heel. And then strong external rotation to keep the wrap from sickling the foot. Although the foot position is parallel visually, the push is towards a turn out of the leg. Solid work, can’t wait to see then next steps!
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Thank you so much! I think the exercises with the band did help because I can finally do the ankle hang properly and without pain! Fortunately I was training the rest of the sequence seperately so I was able to put it together in the nick of time! The exercises are probably going to save my left ankle some soreness next snowboard season too so that’s a bonus!
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Hi. Is it just me who is finding this part super difficult: the very first part when you wrap the right foot then go to a mermaid position with just the left arm/hand holding the left silk. I am unable to do it. What’s the technique? Or is it a strength issue?
I watched the Q&A replay today. Super helpful 🙂 Thanks so much.
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Glad to hear the Q&A was helpful! Part of that first mermaid can be strength based. However, there are a few places to see if your left grip might be able to get more support from the rest of the body. The angle of the mermaid can be one place to adjust. If the feet are high, the one hand will be doing a fair amount of work. If the feet are lower, you can put more weight into the legs to support that single hand grip. See what power you can find when adjusting the angle of mermaid and also checking in with how much your legs can help press into the fabric. Happy training!
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Hi everyone,
My question is not related to this month’s choreography but more to your usual training routine.
For the aerialists who incorporate progression based strength training into their overal training routine:
– how much volume do you do per week in terms of sets and reps?
– do you periodize your strength program and if so based on which factors?
– how do you incorporate it with your aerial/skills training?
– how do you manage rest?I have been consistently following strengh building programs for about 1 year and a half with 2 different coaches, alongside my aerial practice. It helps me keep injuries at bay, build foundational strength and balance muscle loading.
I like to keep 4 days dedicated to aerial and 2 days for strengh sessions on the ground.
Lately, I ve found myself a bit squeezed and mentally – physically-overloaded. I have changed jobs 2 months ago and have not been able to settle a weekly training routine yet.
I trying to identify the minimum effective dose of strenght training that enables me to enjoy my air time safely. Have not found it yet.Does anyone relate?
Thank you for reading me, your experience would greatly help me!
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Helene! These are wonderful questions that get at the very heart of managing the exploration and journey of training. I will reach out to Brett and Rachel to see if they have any particular nuggets to share.
Some things that did pop out is your question about rest and the mention of recently changing jobs. Transitions take their time, even when we don’t immediately notice the effects of the changes to our schedule, how our day is structured, what kind of work we are doing, etc. The need for both physical and mental rest fluctuates but is usually greater than we tend to acknowledge and make time in our schedules for. Incorporating a new job into your life even without a strenuous physical activity is an undertaking of size!
It sounds like you have a great team of strength coaches on your side, clear aerial goals, and the will to try things out. Which means you are on a path of training with great tools and help by your side. Taking the time and giving yourself gentle yet determined grace is not necessarily a luxury if you want to learn and train long term.Curious if we have anyone in the group with more specific strength training programs they love incorporating into their training!
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I am having difficulty keeping the silk under the arch of my foot for the resisted arabesque which then makes the next shape impossible. Any advice to keep that little bugger where it goes? Thanks!
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Hey Jill!
Two thoughts on this. Try keeping some tension on the tail to help maintain that connection with the foot. Using some turn out, especially to the back arabasque shape, to keep the pocket of the arch of the instep working to your advantage. This connection is helped by longer feet and higher arches but is definitely possible for any foot in all it’s specific glory. You can try with a flexed foot to really feel the connection and add the bonus of pointed toes once you have wrangled that tail and foot friendship. The second question will be covered in the answer for @ncuppps below as it seems similar!
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I have another question. Sorry. Should the left hand need to slide in the slack slide? It looks like Brett’s stays in place but I slide further than what I can reach so my left hand is forced to slide down with me.
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Oh it took a few beats but I believe the questions are about two different hands 🙂
The hand holding the two tails may not need to slide and that does depend on how much slack is built for the drop. Since the hand is overhead for the forced arabasque shape, the distance between hand and back foot is part of the slack variability. This length is effected by flexibility. One thing to try if you think the slack is longer for this reason, when grabbing the pole from the forced arabasque, look at grabbing as close to your hip as possible. Keep us updated!
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2 questions:
1. Single ankle hang spin: Once I release the spin, I’m finding that I am disoriented and not grabbing the silk “well” – it’s more like grabbing the air a few times until I find the silk. Suggestions for a tighter connection to the silk regrab?
2. Slack slide at end: I’m burning my hand in the slide so I have started angling away to “muscle” my way down and then turning my back to the silk at the last minute. Ideas to prevent hand burn?https://www.dropbox.com/s/jn26bwfty2rdtr8/Video%20May%2018%202023%2C%206%2018%2007%20PM.mov?dl=0
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Thank you for numbers!
1. If your ankle hang allows, try giving the free tail a beat to settle so you have a more clear view of where/how to grab it. Another option is after the toss, take your arms out (granted the tail is in front of your chest, keep your wingspan wide to hug the fabric between arms, and then use hands once the fabric has been gathered.
2. That hand does get a bit of burn! A few places to try different additional solutions to muscling down: Drive the toes down and slightly forward if your back is to the pole to use the landing pole as much as possible, taking some weight out of the sliding hand. If this feels possible, a palming press on the free pole can allow you to use the pole to help keep the chest lifted but with a slight adjustment of the relationship between fabric and hand. Happy sliding!! -
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