We've had a beautiful evolution of our Asheville Aerial Arts Conditioning Class!

I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to share my love of aerial arts in a way that encourages, inspires and sustains strength and passion within the realm of creative movement. 

From the humble beginnings of class including myself and my wonderful friend Nalda to the amazing full last class with six amazing and dedicated students ranging from yogis, to cross-fit and all around superstars(!)- teaching this class has been an unbelievable learning experience for us all. 

For those who don't know, the reason that this was my 'last' class was due to the fact that I have a new job that requires me to relocate to the Philippines in order to be a part of the World Wildlife Fund whaleshark project located in Donsol! It's a very rare and amazing opportunity to be drafted as an underwater photographer for an organization like the WWF and to swim with the biggest fish in the sea!

For newbies and veterans of the class, we followed the typical regimen of cardio, stretching, flexibility and circuit training until we got on the silks, where we learn to climb. Now this class was never about learning tricks, but about getting strong- however, since it was the last class I figured it would be fun to learn some aerial basics, as well as what it feels like to 'drop'! 

A few highlights from our finale class:

It was Ilya's first time to class, but he's ever so strong so it took him only enough time to learn climbing technique before he was making moves up and down the silks-

 

 It was also Melissa's first time to class, but she picked it up right quick. This is us in the process of learning the basic foot wrap!

 

 Kyle had been to class but had yet to experience being suspended in air!

 Taking her newly learned foot wrap skills, Melissa climbed up a little higher and explored what it feels like to fly!

Ilya following his Russian circus roots...

Eowyn rocking out with the extended and beautifully pointed leg & toes :)

 Our lovely and dedicated Laurel gracefully spreads her wings :)

 

AND NOW: The introduction of what it feels like to drop, plummet, fall, through the air, and trusting that the silks are wrapped in a way that they will catch you!

First, we sit up nice and tall...

 

Then we move the knot in the silks to our lower back, and transition into an inverted straddle...

What's it like to be upside down? The gravity pulls your spine apart and actually gives you a great stretch! It's when that blood starts pooling in your head that you might start to think about the next step... 

 

The next phase of preparation for this drop is to bring your legs through the silks and use all that awesome core muscle we trained for the past hour and a half, and reach up to your feet and pull your body up to sit on the silks. 

You can ask any of the participants how intense the compression was between the silks and their poor thighs! I warned them...

Melissa rocked getting herself up on the silks-

Eowyn displaying perfect 'starfish' posture! 

(Right before she lets go for the drop)

 
Check out the videos of all the drops on youtube :)

MELISSA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPHsCu5QP9g 

KYLE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV9oRjtNUfM

LAUREL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDxh2Lt9duU

EOWYN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIQhOWgCSr8

JOE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82K9DRwUJ5I

ILYA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqJXI3k51l8

Ilya sitting pretty!!!

 We ended up staying till about 11:30pm that night, and that's because we not only had so many wonderful attendees to class, but such eager learners who were game to try anything I threw their way whether it be the conditioning controlled dancer poses or straddle walking the parallel bars to the crazy feeling of falling face first. 

Again, I'm so thankful for such an amazing last class, as well as all the classes before and the inspiring participants that joined me in my development as a teacher as well! Thank you as well to the Asheville Gymnastics Gym for supporting me with this endeavor and providing me with such an amazing opportunity to spread my love for aerials and effective conditioning training. 

TONIGHT IS THE LAST CLASS FOR 2013! 

I'm moving to Asia to start on a new adventure and not quite sure when I will be back, so let's all have some fun and come out to the last Aerial Conditioning Class until I return!

Here are some photos from last week's class with Laurel, and new friends Eowyn, Aaron and Kyle! 

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT!!

8:30PM, ASHEVILLE GYMNASTICS, 50 COXE AVE

GOALS!!!

Last night's class was incredibly exciting! We ran through a new set of exercises, while still incorporating the basic foundation movements that we usually incorporate into the work out.

How coordinated are your legs? Can you touch your toes to the back of your head? What is your handstand looking like these days? And what is your upper body strength like these days?

The stunning and passionate goddess that is Laurel!

Well, my dear friend Laurel has been coming to class diligently for a few weeks now and her dedication and improvement are so inspiring!! She always puts her greatest effort forward in every exercise, but knows when her body is not yet ready for other maneuvers. But last night, Laurel accomplished three of her goals that she has been training for! 

1) She did her right splits so beautifully!
2) Her over analysis of a certain control exercise on the parallel bars was finally triumphed as she executed stupendous form and coordination!
3) SHE CLIMBED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE SILKS!!!

Her radiance at the end of class was infectious and I could not have been more proud as a teacher and friend :) 

You never know where or when you might find a new goal to strive for, or even a new passion! 

If you'd like to try out a different kind of work out, please come by for class taught by me, Chelsea Co, on Tuesday nights from 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm at the Asheville Gymnastics gym at 50 Coxe Ave. across the street from the post office! Your first time is free so pull on those nice workout pants of yours because its time to feel the beauty that is strength.

The Health Benefits of Aerial and Acrobatic Performance

Aerial and acrobatic performance is one of the most physically demanding performance art forms in the world. It is the specialized art of being able to do various acrobatic techniques both on the ground and in the air. Many doctors and medical professionals promote it because of the strong sense of perception, proprioception, coordination and physical fitness that a person obtains during their training. Obtaining these benefits are not only good for the person’s physical health they are also very important for having a healthy mental well being as well.



 
Perception Training
Aerial and acrobatic performers participate in a great deal of physical work outs that are aimed to give them an expert sense of perception. These perception gaining exercises help the performers understand their body’s capabilities and limits. This gives the performer the control over their own body instead of their body having control over them. These exercises help to keep the mind clear from stress and anxiety so that the activities the artist is performing can be the main focus of concentration. This is beneficial to the performer’s mental health where stress is concerned. When the performer’s overall mental health is in sync, their physical well being is strong in most cases as well. These activities decrease the chances of a person suffering from strokes, heart attacks, anxiety attacks, bouts of angina, high blood pressure and other stress related health issues that many people suffer from.


 
Proprioception Training
Proprioception training will help a person to build up muscle that can be used to help support their entire body. These exercises give a person’s body its own sense of position when extended in space where a platform support is not available to depend on. It also provides the performer with a personal sense of power where their muscles and tissue fibers are concerned. A person who is proprioception training will gain the ability to control the direction of their body’s movement through the use of sense and direction identity. Where aerial and acrobatic performance is concerned, this type of training helps to decrease the likelihood of the performer sustaining common injuries that include twisted ankles, sprains to various muscles of the body and painful strains and tears within the muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments themselves. Vigorous continual proprioception training will result in a person developing a strong spine, stomach muscles, back as well as provide strength and muscle support for the ankles, the knees and even the hip joints over time.


 
Coordination Training
When working as a aerial and acrobatic performance artist, coordination training provides some of the most necessary benefits. The activities that one engages in when they train for coordination gives them a strong sense of balance that can be used during their performances. The artist benefits from learning physical movements that help to increase their safety in the variety of movements they use while performing. They learn the correct way to use one set of muscles to help sustain another set in order to reduce the risks of injuries. The overall health of the performer benefits from such training because they learn the proper ways of stretching and warming up before their performances.
Another important aspect of the overall health of the performer is their daily diet. In order to have the energy necessary for working the muscles throughout the human body, it is important to eat the right foods to gain the right fuel to create a platform for muscles to use so that they get the most benefit from their workouts. Aerial and acrobatic performance artists need to have diets rich in proteins that are found in lean meat varieties, vegetables and fruits. Since the performer works out a great deal of their day, they need to maintain a high hydration level by drinking plenty of water and electrolytes. With the excess amount of liquid that is consumed, the toxins within the body that can lead to illnesses are in most cases flushed out. 

So overall, the health benefits that aerial and acrobatic performance artists gain through their training includes a strong state of mental health which helps to decrease their likelihood of developing heart disease, blood pressure issues and anxiety attacks. The rigorous physical workouts provide the performer with strong muscles, a strong spine which is used for flexibility, strong tendons and ligaments which play a large role in the prevention of injuries such as strains, sprains and muscle tears, and weight control. Proper diet benefit’s the aerial performer because of the vitamins and minerals that are obtained to help keep the inner body functioning correctly and giving it the ability to fight off illnesses and other health concerns related to nutrition.

(taken from: http://www.zenartsla.com/news/health-benefits-aerial-acrobatic-performance/) 

DECEMBER!

But definitely not Decembrrrrrrr...it has been absolutely beautiful since the first day of the month! I hope it keeps up because I was in my bikini on my deck yesterday!

Life is full of opportunities and its up to YOU to discover them, to embrace and engage yourself in them!

I'm looking forward to class tonight, I've been really physical lately, really pushing my body to its limits so we'll see how my arms hold up tonight.

Class is on, as usual, at 8:30pm-10:00pm at the Asheville Gymnastics gym at 50 Coxe Ave.

Challenge yourself this December as a gift to your body, mind and soul. Fill your life with excitement and positivity! You deserve it!

I hope to see some of you tonight!

Third week of class tonight! 



My friend Sara was in town from LA and came out to Asheville Gymnastics for the Aerial Arts Conditioning class! She rocked out hard on the parallel bars, stretching for those splits and climbed the silks a seriously impressive distance! Especially given that it was her first time on the aerial fabrics :D

Nalda has also been doing a really phenomenal job of coming to class every week since we first started! She has made so much progress just in the last three weeks and I couldn't be more proud. She makes such amazing improvements every class, little and big, with both her strength and confidence.

A few of my favorite quotes from tonight...

"I feel like a sexy bad ass!" -Nalda

"I made it!!!" -Sara

"I felt so empowered when I climbed that! Like I can do anything!" -Sara

"My arms are like jelly, and I love it!" -Nalda




Hoping to see some new faces out next week :)

Aircat Aerials: A Tango On Air

Note the beauty, the tender yet powerful movement and particularly, how not every move is perfect, the silks get caught on her foot! 

We all need practice, but first you have to start somewhere...

Come out and train tonight at 8:30pm at Asheville gymnastics at 50 Coxe Ave!!

The class is only as hard as you want it to be. It is a nonjudgmental, safe space to explore your body's limitations. It is a gathering of a community that is supportive of each others goals. It is a chance to try what might be a new interest, maybe exercise has been on your list of to-dos but can't figure out where to start, or maybe aerial arts have been an aspiration but you feel too intimidated?

We hope to see you tonight!