Free Splits Video & Flexible despite Aerial Acrobatics
We hope you had a good start to the new year and wish you all the best for 2024! Another exciting year has begun: We started at the beginning of January with our Front Splits Challenge, an upgrade for Full Body Stretching and a new Hoop class! A good time to take a closer look at the topic of mobility... Our trainer Olena reveals how you can stay flexible and make great progress despite aerial acrobatics!
AND: To help you continue working on beautiful front splits, we have combined our challenge exercises into a compact splits training session for you. We've also set the date for our next student show - this time in a circus tent!
No time for reading? Get directly to the topics of interest for you here:
Front Splits Video
Keep at it!
In January, we all worked together to get 10 cm deeper into the splits with our Front Splits Challenge. We are impressed by the amazing progress you have made. Thank you so much for being part of it. We feel very inspired by you and are thrilled to have such a motivated community!
So that you can continue working on your splits, we have put together a compact complimentary video with the exercises from the challenge for you.
Train front splits when, where and as often as you like!
In this video you get 13 exercises with different levels of difficulty that are effective and easy to do. The entire workout takes around 30-40 minutes.
You can do this unit once or twice a week in addition to your splits training with us, for example. However, pay extra attention to the correct execution here!
In our online splits classes, you receive individual feedback and can have your technique checked by a trainer.
Flexibility despite Aerial Acrobatics
Mobility training is not exactly the favourite part for many acrobats. It requires time, dedication and sometimes a good deal of patience. However, it is a key piece in the puzzle of acrobatic excellence! Let's take a look at why it's so important and how it can help you perform at your best.
Stretching forms the basis for breathtaking aerial stunts. Flexibility, agility and a good balance between strength and stretch are the key to successful and injury-free performances.
Unfortunately, this part of training often falls short, which leads to an imbalance of strength in the body and is one of the most common causes of injury. Some of the basics already require a lot of strength as well as flexibility. The risk of injury is particularly high if we go into deep stretches without having the necessary muscle support.
The supporting muscles play a decisive role in stabilising the joints
A strong supporting musculature enables precise control of movements. If it is weak, you lack the necessary control over your body during tricks. This can lead to unclean or uncontrolled movements, which in turn increase the risk of injury. In the long term, there is even a risk of chronic problems, including excessive wear and tear on the joints and muscle imbalances.
Targeted exercises not only strengthen your muscles, but also improve joint mobility. The result is a performance in the air that is not only visually impressive, but also keeps your body healthy!
We asked our trainer Olena, a professional stage performer, about the topic. She has been training and performing aerial acrobatics for 38 years and has been coaching both amateur and professional acrobats for 12 years. She teaches aerial hammock and aerial hoop at our studio.
You need a lot of strength for aerial acrobatics, how do you still manage to stay so flexible?
Yes, that's true. You need a lot of strength to get up there in the first place, especially in your arms and core. But you also need good flexibility to be able to do beautiful figures. That's why regular strength and flexibility training are equally essential. To maintain both strength and flexibility, you need to stretch well before and after each aerial acrobatics training session.
Why is active flexibility so important and how has it affected your skills in the air?
Flexibility not only brings beauty to the movements and lines in aerial acrobatics, but also makes it possible to perform different tricks of varying complexity. Active flexibility, which means we don't just passively sag into the stretch but activate our postural muscles, helps to strengthen and protect the joints. So a good mobility training programme has enabled me to learn my best tricks and stay healthy at the same time!
So you recommend an additional stretching routine for aerialists?
Yes, absolutely. More flexibility creates more safety, as the body has better movement options to cope with difficult situations in the air. Flexibility brings beauty, strength, the ability to build up a large repertoire of tricks - and most importantly, safety!
As you can see, a routine that strengthens your muscles and joints in a balanced way is always worthwhile. Flexibility training doesn't have to be boring either! Our trainers have developed effective methods to guide you through your training.
From dynamic stretching routines to playful exercises that combine fun, challenge and progression, we turn the seemingly unpopular into a valuable and enjoyable part of your training, bringing you a little closer to your aerial goals every day.
SAVE THE DATE: Summer Student Show on June 16 2024
And finally, some news we hope you are as excited about as we are! Last year in November, our first IMA Student Show took place and it was a big success. For one day, we transformed the studio into a stage for you. We shared some impressions of it in the last newsletter .
We are very excited to take our upcoming Summer Student Show to the next level: this time a little bigger, with a professional stage in a circus tent and a photographer.
So mark your calendar for June 16! More information will follow soon.
