How Yoga can help you to improve as an Acrobat. -

If you’ve ever asked yourself

“How do other aerialists make this all look so effortless and graceful?”.

I get that question quite often

The answer is: CONDITIONING.

Efficient conditioning done consistently, with proper rest and recovery.

Did you know that yoga can help you to improve your conditioning practice?

Yes!, Yoga can help so many people in so many way.

And the best of all, you don’t need to be flexible to start practicing,

Let me tell you something, when I was in my earliest twenties I had a lot of energy and I only care about improving my physical condition without being aware on how important it is to work in your wellbeing integrating mind, body and soul in order to improve yourself in any discipline.

Maybe you are like me and you practice aerial circus acrobatics, maybe you are a professional or you just started taking classes. Maybe you are a gymnast, a pole dancer, a rock climber or you just enjoy to play around practicing acrobatics postures of yoga like headstand, crows and arm balances.

If so, let me ask you somehting;

How long have you been practicing and how much have you improve?

It is already proved that we won’t get different result by doing always the same thing.

Every time I am in my trainings dealing with a hard move during my climbing sessions or if I am trying an inverted posture in my aerial silks trainings; I try to take the time to discover a new awareness of the posture and focus my attention in the details.

How do I feel my feet? Am I using my strength in an efficient way?

To be able to brig your mind to be present in the moment is something I learned form my yoga practice and I can transfer that to any other areas of my life.

It helps me so much what I practice on the mat to prepare my body and my mind to be ready for my aerial trainings or when I go to rock climb for fun.

But you might be wondering how does that exactly happen?

Basically I practice de yoga postures where I am using the same muscles or similar movements I will do later in my trainings.

For ex:

1- If I am working in improving my straddle position for the aerial trainings; in yoga I will practice Upavistha Konasana

Another examples;

2- If I am working an aerial pose or trick witch demands lots of shoulder opening in yoga I will practice Reverse Prayer Pose, also known in Sanskrit as Viparita Namaskarasana and I make sure that I am present with intention the palms of my hands as well as my fingers.

In Sanskrit the name is Paschim Namaskara or Paschim Namaste.

Benefits:

💗It is a heart-opening posture that increases flexibility and strength in the arms, shoulders, chest, and wrists.

Level:

Beginner- Intermediate

Equipment:

You don’t need any equipment to practice but you can experiment trying to hold a yoga block or something in between your reverse prayer hands

3- If I want to work in the flexibility of my spine ; I will practice a yoga twist pose named, Marichyasana twist. (there are many variations of the pose)

Benefits:

It calms the mind and the body.
It stretches the shoulders and the upper back.
Massages the internal organs and improves digestion.

Level

Beginner/ Intermediate

Equipment

None, but you could use a yoga strap or a belt to hold between the hands if needed.

3- Urdhva Dhanurasana pose also known in English as the Bridge pose.

Benefits:

Expands chest, lungs, shoulders.
Stretches hip flexors, muscles of the abdomen, wrists.
Strengthens the gluteus, hamstrings, lower back muscles
Enlivens the heart chakra and throat chakra.
Increases energy.

Level:

Intermediate/ Advance

Equipmnets:

You don’t need any equipment to practice but you can experiment trying to push from a safe elevated surface like yoga blocks or the step of stairs, if you feel your shoulders are tight.

And the examples can go on; because I have been there I know how it feel when you can not tell what are you doing wrong and why you can make any progress an an specify posture or trick.

Bringing together my years of experiences as a practitioner, my university education and my observance in my students; I have create a conditioning workshop specific for people who practice aerial circus acrobatics, such us aerial hoop, aerial silk or aerial trapeze combining yoga tools and physical education trainings.

If it happen you are in Cayman Islands I am leaving here a flyer with the info and a link.

If you are no currently in Cayman Islands but you understand the importance of working your body with love and awareness being respectful of your possibilities and limitation, knowing these limitation will transform in achievements with the practice then add other kind of practice like yoga to improve your training.

I will suggest to practice:

Vinyasa yoga if you are looking to build endurance
Hatha Yoga to cultivate more awareness.
Restorative yoga to rest and recover your body.

Are you interested in having access to an online training where you can practice at home?

Let me know, send me an email to tell me what would you like to learn online to make your performance as an acrobat easier

Join the Facebook Group, Yoga for every Acrobat and take advantage of the weekly videos tutorials I posted with easy yoga postures to practice at home

Find the practice that suits you better.