I’m sure every coach at Akrosphere has been asked that almighty question in any Level 1 class, “What do you have to do to move up to Level 2?”.  I get asked almost every week by my oh so eager Silks 1 students (love you all!).  Besides learning a very comprehensive 3 page syllabus of skills vocabulary, there’s one thing missing most of the time that prevents a student from moving up: strength.  How does one get that strength?  Pull-ups, baby!  I know, I know, I hate them too!  No one LIKES doing them, but they’re the Holy Grail of aerial strength conditioning, so the sooner little Jenny starts working on them at home, in class, and in Open Gym, BOOM! Her strength is going to sky rocket and send her up to Level 2 that much faster.  (FYI, I don’t have a single student named Jenny, that was simply a fictitious name I picked)  Don’t believe me?  Check out this blog post by aerial queen and blog diva, Laura Witwer of SassyPants Aerial Arts!  She says:

As an addendum to my previous post about circus being durned hard, I wanted to address one very concrete thing you can do TODAY to begin to ramp up your training. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you (cue confetti canons)… the Humble Pull-Up. That’s right – hauling yourself up and down using your superty-buff arms is my number one essential training tool, and it should be a part of your regular training at least every other day.

A matter of discipline

Yes, I’m aware that you hate pull-ups. I don’t leap out of bed every morning shrieking, “YAAAAY! I get to do some pull-ups today!!!!” either.  Thing is, it doesn’t matter whether or not you hate them – you just have to do them. I’m willing to bet that one of the biggest reasons you hate them is because they’re really tough and they hurt and you suck at them. Am I right? It’s OK! It’s OK that they’re tough; it’s OK that they hurt, and it’s OK that you suck at them, but that will change. I promise you – train them, and they will suck so, so much less. First, you’ll do one, then another, then another, until you are kickin’ some serious tushie.

A matter of skill

I would say a solid 75% of aerial work hinges on variations of the pull-up. It’s that foundational. True – you can crank out some reasonably solid work without being able to do a traditional up and down, but you’re cheating yourself in a huge way. I’ve been around the professional block a few times (that doesn’t sound quite right, but you know what I mean), and I can tell you this: in all my years of performance, I have NEVER worked with a professional aerialist who couldn’t do a pull-up. In fact, the very idea is absurd. So, if you are serious about moving beyond the realm of student or amateur, get to work. TODAY.

A matter of safety

It’s not just a matter of strength; it’s also a matter of safety. Many of you have had the panic-inducing experience of getting into a bad knot on your fabrics, or finding yourself below your trapeze or hoop with little reserves to get back up. This is where your training – the muscle memory, the strength building, the endurance drills – is absolutely essential; it could mean the difference between a successful recovery to a safe position and a nasty injury for you (or someone else if you’re working with a partner). Be responsible and do the work, even if you hate it.

Stay tuned for next week’s post on how to start working pull-ups with proper technique, with some variations options!

Drops, drops, drops…every aerial student wants to learn drops.  Sometimes, that’s a student’s first question in a brand new class –  “When do we learn drops?”.  The truth is that drops take a lot of mental and physical preparation and can be very dangerous if done before a student is ready.  As a coach, a lot of things have to happen in a student’s training before I’ll even humor the idea of teaching them, and I can tell you that it’s not happening at a Level 1, that’s for darn sure!  Laura Witwer, aerial coaching and performing QUEEN, is the owner and operator of SassyPants Aerial Arts in Brooklyn, NY and has a great post about learning drops on her blog, www.laurawitwer.com.  Read on for an abridged version!

PARDON ME, SIR OR MADAM, BUT YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THAT DROP!

Drops – the Holy Grail of aerial work (they’re not, but that’s another post). From the moment my darlings start classes, I see them eyeing the rolls, the slides, the flips, the wedgies – they WANT it (especially the wedgies)! But ya’ll…..

My eyeballs……

I saw one young hopeful on Instagram attempting open drops, but he couldn’t yet invert cleanly. I see students online with legs and spines whipping like noodles on advanced roll drops. I see Facebook videos with people flailing like angry badgers on drops which could easily end with dislocations. People – MY HEART CANNOT TAKE THIS!

The Smart and Sassy Student’s Guide to Approaching Drops

Drops come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and levels of wedgie; from high-tumbling quads to teensy slack drops, they’re a fun and important part of silks, rope, etc. But (BUTT), you’ve gotta be ready for the drop you’re attempting. Different drops have different prerequisites, but I’m most often looking at:

• Essential tension – is this student going to flop like a gummy worm on the way down?
• Prep skills, inversions, etc – some drops require nothing less than perfection in the invert category, some you can fudge a bit. Is the student strong enough to fully execute the wrap, drop, and proper dismount? And by proper dismount, I do not mean puddling to the floor, quivering and moaning, “whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”.
• Understanding of the theory – do they know how/why the drop works? Recreational students often loooooove to gloss over this part in their haste to do ALL the fancy things for Instagram. Knowledge is power, people.
• Listening skills – can this student accurately interpret verbal cues in the air?
• Emotional readiness – is this student likely to panic when a drop gets a little pinchy? How’s their fear level? Are they capable of making good decisions on the fly (example: my grip is super fatigued – should I let go to pass the rope behind my back, or straddle and come down)?
• A certain level of non-flakiness, and a common-sense aversion to risk is preferred. I’m not going to lie – if I see ZERO apprehension, nervousness, questioning, etc when someone is up for their first drop, I do a quick check-in. If you’re an adrenaline junkie who likes their pony tail to brush the floor at the end of a drop, or if I’m constantly wondering how you function with that level of spaciness, I’ll be doubling down on your prerecs.

So the term “Rock Hard Abs” is being bandied about in our performance company lately.  (Well, not just lately; I’ve simply heard more chatter about it recently.)  Everyone and their brother / mother / best-friend’s-sister’s-boyfriend’s-brother’s-girlfriend wants abs you can “grate a block of cheese on”.  So this week, I did a little digging, and found a lovely little article by Liam Curtis where he got to the core (pun intended) of a true Cirque du Soleil artist’s ab workout. 

Give his killer abdominal workout a go!  And remember:  form counts!  You will gain more by doing 10 with proper technique and form than by doing 25 that cheat in some way.  Enjoy!

Got Questions about Circus Training?  Click here!

Build Abs Like A Cirque du Soleil Acrobat

Stop clowning around and put your core to the test with one of the Cirque du Soleil’s best  –  by Liam Curtis

Aaron Felske is a human jack-in-the-box.  Felske’s role as the ‘Trickster’ in Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza show at the Entertainment Quarter in Sydney requires an intense level of dance, gymnastics and acting. His performance is forged from 16 years of hard training. After graduating from the University of Wisconin, USA, in 2000 he joined his first show. Since then, it’s been constant strength and conditioning training.

He remains long and lean with a mix of gymnastic training, ballet sessions and weight lifting workouts. Pull-ups and dips are the foundation of his strength workouts as he builds muscle and burns fat simultaneously with reps ranging from 8-16. He avoids heavy squats to avoid bulky bodybuilder-like thighs but builds explosive power through box jumps.

For his rock hard core, Felske completes a circuit of 10 different ab-chiseling exercises at 25 reps.

In and Outs

Sit down with your legs straight slightly off the ground. Hold your spine and back straight and pull your legs into your chest. Straighten them out and stay as sturdy as a balancing elephant.

Bicycles

Start in the same position but move your legs in a cycling rotation, as if you’re riding a bike across a tightrope. Don’t look down.

Crunches

Lying on your back with knees bent and hands behind head, pull your abs inward and curl your head forward until your shoulders are off the floor. That’s right, you performing monkey.

Wide Leg Sit-Up

Lie with your legs spread out wide. With one arm behind your head, sit up so that you’re opposite arm reaches diagonally to your toes. After returning to the start switch arms and repeat.

Scissors

Position yourself flat on the floor and lift your legs to a 45-degree angle. Alternate between each leg by slowly lowering them to an inch above the ground before lifting them back to the top. Breath, you’re half way through. At least you’re not the lion trainer.

Hip Rock n Raise

With your legs bent and feet together, rock backwards and raise your hips off the ground. Embrace the contractions in your core as you screw up your face like a world-class gurning act.

Pulse-Up

The motion is identical to the Rock n Raise but this time keep your legs pointing straight in the air.

V Sit-Up

Perform a regular sit-up while reaching forward with your hands and touching your toes. Slightly lift your legs at the same time. Can you see your abs yet? What a magic trick.

Leg Climbs

With one leg pointing to the sky, sit up so both hands slide to the top of your ankle. You’re going to have to battle through 26 reps this time, 13 on each leg. Unlucky for some. Well, you.

Russian Twists

The last exercise comes from Russia but brings little love. Plant your bum on the ground with legs and torso raised off the ground. Rotate from left to right in a controlled twisting motion with hands interlocked between your chest.

Hello again, my lovelies!  Well, it’s been an exhausting week of training, which usually leads to one thing…sore muscles!  Everyone knows about stretching tight muscles, rolling out muscle knots, etc.  However, there are also FOODS you can eat which will help your stressed muscles repair and rebuild!

Tart Cherries

Studies on professional athletes show that tart cherry juice can help improve recovery time, decrease muscle pain, and reduce muscle damage when compared with other drinks. Add a bit into your post-workout smoothie or have a small glass as a pre-workout snack.  Life is like a bowl of cherries… (okay, you’re supposed to sing that bit!)

Cottage Cheese

With roughly 27 grams of protein per cup, cottage cheese is an amazing post-workout snack for a reason. It’s a fantastic source of casein protein, the slow-digesting fuel that is perfect for rejuvenating sore muscles while you sleep.  

One study found that when athletes worked out in the evening and were given casein protein shortly before bed, they saw a spike in muscle synthesis compared to a placebo. Plus, the unique branched-chain amino acid, leucine, found in abundance in cottage cheese, has been specifically found to speed recovery and pain.

Enjoy it as a parfait with fruit and nuts, puree it into smoothies, or use it as a protein-rich base for pancakes or baked goods.  Or simply have a bit as a “before bedtime snack”, then hit the sheets and let your muscles relax and revive!

Baking Spices

You don’t have a thumbs up to go down a Cinnabon or gingerbread cookies post workout; however, some spices may help your muscles calm down. Studies show that when compared with a placebo group, trained women who were given cinnamon or ginger described having significantly less muscle soreness after working out. So throw a bit on your morning oatmeal, toast, or sweet potatoes for a muscle-friendly flavor boost.

Turmeric

This powdery gold spice is incredible.  Research on turmeric’s active ingredient found that a curcumin supplement helped reduce the pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness, reduced injury, and improved muscle performance recovery.  Add a generous sprinkle of curcumin-loaded turmeric to your morning eggs, smoothies, coffee, baked goods, etc. to get the effect.  And Tumeric now comes in essential oil form (thank you, Dōterra!), so add a drop to your water bottle; just make sure your bottle is made of glass!

Coffee

Caffeine addicts rejoice!.  A moderate dose of caffeine (about 2 cups of coffee) can reduce post-workout pain by 48 percent!  Plus, one study showed that when caffeine was given along with other pain-relieving pharmaceuticals, 40 percent fewer drugs were needed to provide the same level of relief. Caffeinated and motivated—words to live by!

Salmon

Loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and muscle-building protein, salmon is a perfect post-workout food. Research on omega-3 consumption in athletes suggests that it may specifically help prevent DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), inflammation, and muscle soreness after strength building exercises. Add salmon to a green salad, grill some filets, or mix with potatoes for salmon cakes.

Watermelon

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as biting into a cold, juicy piece of watermelon after a serious sweat session. But research on watermelon’s key amino acids, l-citrulline, suggests it might also soothe those sore muscles too.

One study found that giving athletes watermelon juice—which contains the rind, the highest source of l-citrulline—post workout helped reduce recovery heart rate and muscle soreness after 24 hours. The natural sugars also help drive protein into the muscles and replenish low glycogen stores, while the high water content is essential to preventing muscle-cramping dehydration.

Throw watermelon chunks into your smoothie, add cubes of it to a crisp salad, or get fancy and throw it on the barbecue for a naturally sweet treat.

Eggs

Protein is the essential building block of muscles so it’s not surprising that research has found that adding a source of protein, like eggs, during or after an intensive endurance exercise may help reduce the risk of DOMS.

Like cottage cheese, eggs are an amazing source of leucine, which is linked to muscle recovery. And with an impressive six grams of protein in each 70 calorie egg, we suggest prepping a big batch of hard-boiled eggs at the start of the week for a brilliant post-workout snack.

Bananas

Bananas are an easy-to-digest source of quality carbohydrates that help spike your insulin just enough to drive protein into the muscle to stimulate muscle rebuilding and growth. They’re also an amazing source of potassium, which may help reduce muscle soreness post workout. Add to a smoothie, slice them onto oats, or simply enjoy it “au naturel” for a handy take-along snack.

Foods to Avoid When You Have Sore Muscles

So the good foods are plentiful!  Now let’s look at foods to avoid like the plague. (Haha, these should not surprise you much.)

Sugar

Since muscle pain is considered a form of inflammation in the body, it makes sense to aim to cut back on inflammatory foods on days you work out—most notably refined carbs like sugar.

One study found that drinking just one can of sugary soda daily increased inflammatory markers. Other refined carbohydrates (think white bread) may have a similar effect. The good news is that natural forms of sugar in foods like fruits, milk, whole grains, and veggies don’t yield the same effect, so get your sweet-tooth fix from whole foods when you can.

Alcohol

While you shouldn’t plan a workout after too many shots for some pretty obvious reasons, even a tiny bit of booze can cause post-workout pain or even up your risk for injury. Alcohol dehydrates cells, resulting in soreness, cramps, and potential strains. Research also has shown that it can interfere with how effectively your body breaks down lactic acid, which also increases perceived soreness.

So there ya go!  Tons of wonderful foods that will help your muscles recover are available for you to enjoy!

If you have favorite “muscle fixin’ foods”, please share in the comments below!

So train hard, eat plenty, and as always, I’ll see you in class!