Category Archives: Training

Working A Sassier Angle: Get A Better Straddle In 30 Days

By 19 commentsFlexibility, Training, Uncategorized
 

 Is your straddle more sad than sassy? Do you celebrate every inch beyond 90 degrees? Take heart, Dear Danglers – help is on the way!

The Anatomy of a Straddle

 

When I say “straddle”, I’m referring to the wildly indelicate position we adopt while inverting in the air, stretching our inner thighs, or falling down the stairs. It looks like this in the air…

… this while seated….

… and this while falling down the stairs.

Several factors go into whether your position is wow-worthy, namely:

  • The structure of your hip joint
  • The flexibility of the inner thigh muscles
  • The strength of the “side butt” (glute medius) muscles
  • How much padding you have in said area
  • How many times you’ve fallen down the stairs (kidding…. mostly)

How to Make It (More) Awesome

  1. Stretch your inner thigh muscles while seated in a straddle. Remember: only go to strong sensation, never to pain! Now, play with the position of your torso – take it forward, over one leg, over the other, etc. Play with flexing & pointing your feet. BE GENTLE – you want to be able to walk tomorrow. Consistency counts! A little stretching most days will yield greater results than a weekly marathon session.
  2. Strengthen your “straddle pulling” muscles. Lie on your back with your legs up a wall. Straddle, turn your legs out from the hip, and engage the muscles of your tush & outer thigh to puuuuuuuuuuuull your straddle wider. Jump around to get rid of that muscle spasm you just gave yourself. Now, do it away from the wall.
  3. When conditioning in the air, squeeze those same muscles you just used & see if you can get some extra inches – strength matters almost as much as flexibility!

As usual, consistency counts. Take three minutes every day for the next 30 days to work these two exercises, and you’ll be thirty days closer to sittin’ pretty like Ms Hannah up there. Before you ask, yes – it really can be that simple! However, if you’ve plateaued, or are just feeling a little stuck, let’s schedule a virtual session! As a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified Flexibility Coach, I’d be happy to create a “super straddle” routine for you to get you over the hump. Happy straddling, friends! Love and pull-ups , Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Many thanks to the beautiful and always sassy Miss Hannah Risner for posing for photos!

Photos: Laura Witwer

Learning To Spin Without Tossing Your Cookies

By 24 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized
ImaginAerial Duo Lyra

I’ve done my share of spinny acts, most often with a bucket offstage in case of “too much of a good thing”. Love web, lyra, single point trap, and other spinning apparatus, but afraid of the up-chuck factor? That’s OK, it’s very real. Here’s how to get off to a good start, and keep your cookies where they ought to be!

First, some fun info about why we throw up when we get too dizzy. A doctor I met a few years ago in a trapeze workshop had an interesting answer: poison. Apparently, a number of poisons make your head spin and disrupt your orientation, so your body’s natural response is “Aw, hell no! Get that OUT of here!!!” And there you have it – you cast up your accounts and live to see another day. Whether that’s true or not, it can be a real drag to have to sit out half your aerial class with your head between your knees. So here are some things that may help:

 

 

  • Ginger (my personal fave is the Trader Joe’s crystalized stuff). Eat a bit before class and see what happens!
  • Experiment with closing your eyes. This makes me more nauseated, but I know some aerialists who swear by it!
  • Fix your eyes on your apparatus. Don’t try to spot the way you would in dance, you’ll look like you’re having a seizure. Just focus on your hoop or rope.
  • If focusing doesn’t help, try this! Blur your focus as much as you can (this one works well for me).
  • Start slow and keep at it. The more you spin, the greater your body’s ability to acclimate – don’t give up!

Bottom line? Rome wasn’t built in a day. Spinning the way we do simply isn’t natural, and your body will let you know in a dramatic fashion! You can and will get used to it – just keep a bag handy while you learn. If you’re a spinning apparatus enthusiast, what works for you? Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Butt-Whoopin’ Aerial Smackdown: Increasing Aerial Stamina (Part 2)

By 5 commentsStamina, Training, Uncategorized

This week, we’re tackling how to get through your aerial act without gasping for air, barfing, crying, wetting your pants, or collapsing (the last four were worst case scenarios… I hope). Suit up, peeps – it’s time for The Laura Witwer Aerial Smackdown!

So I’ve Wet My Pants… Now What?

Just pray no one posts it on YouTube, friend. In the meantime, here are some tips for what to do the next time you find yourself in the air and headed towards Exhaustion-ville during a performance or rehearsal.

  • BREATHE!!!! I’ll betcha $10 you’ve been holding your breath.
  • Come down immediately if you feel dizzy or unable to continue safely.
  • Find a resting position and hang out for a minute (trust me – the audience has no idea what’s really happening). Continue when you’ve stopped gasping like a guppie on a counter top.
  • Go to Plan B. If you’re performing a new piece, or dealing with a challenging situation (a cold, altitude, etc.), it helps to have a “plan B” version of your act in your back pocket. This may include swapping risky or difficult moves for ones you’re extremely comfortable with, or adding in more resting holds if you feel it’s necessary.

Don’t Settle For Depends – Preventing Aerial Exhaustion

  • BREATHE!!!! I’ll say it again! In rehearsal, identify times when you’re holding your breath and correct it.
  • Build rest time into your act. Not only does this allow you to breathe and reorient yourself, but it gives the audience a moment to really SEE what you’re doing. Remember: what feels like resting forever to you is very quick to an audience!
  • Take into account environmental or situational factors that may affect your stamina: altitude (BIG ONE), dry climate, lack of sleep or rest thanks to travel arrangements, illness or injury, an intense show schedule, etc. and do what needs to be done to compensate. PLAN AHEAD!
  • Drink heavily. I mean – stay hydrated! Geez, you people…
  • Make sure you’re getting your cardio in outside of class. Cardio = healthy lungs and ticker!
  • Train train train practice practice practice and come to class, dammit!

That’s it in a nutshell, my loves! It’s a process, both in class and when you’re working on a piece. And keep in mind that any time you begin working on something new, it’s gonna wear your butt out until your body gets used to it. Enjoy building your stamina, and please don’t barf in my class. Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Why Is Popeye In My Trapeze Class? 5 Ways to Increase Aerial Stamina ( Part 1)

By 2 commentsStamina, Training, Uncategorized

What IS she doing? Why is he pounding on his forearms? Is it a new dance? Obscene gesture? The latest in myofascial release? No! It’s the dreaded AERIAL POPEYE! If you’ve been giving your apparatus some quality time, you’ve probably already experienced this delightful sensation, and wondered what you can do about it. Hang on tight – we’re talking aerial stamina!

The Why of Popeye (Hint: It Has Nothing to Do With Spinach)

It’s all about grip, baby! When we are working on new things, or approaching an apparatus for the first time, we naturally over grip. This is not a bad thing – it shows that your intuitive powers of self-preservation are functioning the way they should! (Remind me to tell you about “The Let-Go Guy” some time – he’s responsible for all 40 3 of my grey hairs).

Another cause is a repetitive grip-release pattern in your choreography – too many “grippy” moments too close together equals forearms like a sailor (and worthy of a mermaid tattoo!).

OR you could be dehydrated, or a little low on a vitamin/mineral essential to proper muscle contraction like calcium, manganese, and potassium.

When It Happens, Go To Your Happy Place

What should you DO when you feel that tell-tale tingling in your forearms?

  1. Immediately assess your safety. Do not pass go or collect $200 – go immediately to a safe rest position on your apparatus, or come to the floor. Now.
  2. Wait it out, relax, and stretch your forearms if you can (if you’re in performance, get creative with this! Spirit fingers!).
  3. Continue if you are safely able, or come down to the floor and go back up when you’re ready.
  4. DO NOT PANIC! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! Panic helps not at all.

Popeye Prevention

  1. Train train train train train. Familiarity breeds comfort, which encourages relaxation, which reduces the likelihood of Popeye. It also makes for stronger, more capable muscles.
  2. Pay attention to the moments you are most likely to over-grip and consciously relax your hands as much as you safely can (don’t be droppin’ out of the sky and telling people Laura said to “relax”!).
  3. Stay in the moment. Breathe – it really does make a difference. Take your time.
  4. Drink your water! Electrolyte drinks might be helpful as well (coconut water, Gatorade, etc.) if you’re working particularly hard.
  5.  If you’ve been noticing a lot of muscle fatigue during your training, consider taking a trip to the doc to get your bod checked, or making an appointment with a nutritionist to make sure you’re getting what you need in your diet (I wish I could think of a Popeye/spinach joke to make here… but I can’t. Just eat your spinach.).

Join me next week when we tackle Part Deux of this post – how to finish a tough aerial piece without emerging a quivering mass of Jell-O (because nothing looks cooler than barfing or passing out when you’ve finished your act). Love and pull-ups, Laura

Click here to read Aerial Stamina – Part 2!

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

 

How Old Is That In Cirque Years? The Truth About Aging In Circus

By 81 commentsAttitude, Training, Uncategorized

At the ripe old age of twenty four (you can’t see me right now, but I’m snickering in a very snarky way), I decided to run away and join the circus. Among the many sensitive and caring questions I got from friends and family was, “Aren’t you a little old for that? I thought you had to be born into the circus!”. The short answer is no, I wasn’t, and no, you don’t. Let’s unpack this, shall we? Here’s the straight talk about age and circus.

The Downside of Starting Later

You want the bad news first? You got it. Now, when I say “later”, I mean anything after sixteen (brutal, right?). If you are lucky enough to be born a Wallenda, you start training practically in utero. Some lucky kids get hooked up with awesome youth circuses like Circus Smirkus, and are performing at a professional level before they’re out of junior high. But what about the rest of us who didn’t discover this wacky world of circus until (gasp!) their twenties? Thirties? Forties and beyond? 

The downside is this: you have to work much harder, and the older you are, the longer it takes to bounce back from injuries. Jumping in without a warmup is no longer an option, and you may find that you spend more time with frozen peas taped to your shoulders that not. BUT. That’s it. That’s the whole downside, people  – hard work and some frozen peas.

The Upside of Starting Later

I began my training with the legendary Tanya Gagne in New York City.  When I kvetched about my age, she set me straight in a hurry. She told me she had never felt so strong (seriously – she could squash a watermelon with her bare hands), or had mastery over so many skills. She assured me that with patience and hard work, I could have my dream.  She was right! There are real upsides to starting later: intense focus, greater vision, perseverance, resources, and more. Did you know that your thirties are a spectacular time to pack on major muscle? Our perceptions can age us faster than our bodies ever could.

 So, what are you waiting for, friend? Here’s a quotable from Julia Cameron:
 
“Question: Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn how to play the piano?
Answer: The same age you will be if you don’t.” – Julia Cameron, “The Artist’s Way”
 
Deep thoughts, people! If you’re using your age as an excuse not to try aerial arts, or anything for that matter, knock it off. Get going – there’s living to be done! Love and pull-ups, Laura
 
PS – check out this quick video from Marie Forleo about this very thing – highly entertaining! 

Sitting On Your Own Head: The Joys And Perils Of Increasing Flexibility

By 5 commentsFlexibility, Uncategorized

I am not a contort-y person. For the last twenty years or so, I’ve had a recurring dream in which I sit on my own head (a perfectly reasonable dream for a circus performer, I assure you); I kick up into a chin stand, bend my knees, and my feet just gently float down to the floor on either side of my head – I can actually FEEL my ankles in my hands! Well, in my dreams is the only place I will ever do that, or someone will have to call an ambulance. Today, we’re going to chat about the bendy-flexies, and what you can do to increase the likelihood of a Gumby Moment. Join me, won’t you?

Not Fitting Into Your Genes 

Alas, genetics are a massive factor in determining the bulk of your flexibility. Some folks are like walking rubber bands, others have to chant, visualize, and sacrifice a virgin once a week to be able to touch their toes. What gives? Your genes, my friend! They affect:

  • thickness of spinal cartilage (a big factor in back flexibility)
  • the structure of your joints
  • length/tension/attachment of connective tissue

ALL of which play a huge role in whether you’ll be billed as Courteney the Contortionist or Rodney the Rigid.

Why Bother To Stretch If It’s All Genetics?

Because it’s NOT all genetics, Negative Nancy!  It’s a good thing to know where you are in the Great Pantheon of Stretch-iness, as it can help you keep your expectations realistic; you can’t change the thickness of your cartilage, but you can stretch your glutes. Here’s what I recommend:

  • Work those muscles hard! And then streeeeeeeeeeeetch them out when they’re hot hot hot. Don’t stretch cold (put a rubber band in the freezer, then try to stretch it and you’ll see why). Save your deepest stretching for AFTER your training.
  • NEVER stretch to pain – only to sensation. Why? Because if you tear the muscle, it creates scar tissue which is less flexible. And that sucks. Some days will be tighter than others – work with where your muscles are TODAY!
  • Be consistent. 10 minutes of stretching 5 days a week will yield greater results than 60 minutes once a week.
  • Be patient – it takes muscles and joints a very, very long time to truly become more flexible. Don’t get frustrated, it will just make you all mad and reckless and then you decide you’re going to do a split right this second and you do it and pop your hamstring and then you can’t do a split for the next 8 months. Be patient, friend.
  • Spice it up! We often spend most of our flexi-time doing passive stretches, but a solid amount of research shows that you’ll get the best results from a combined approach! Include:
    • Passive stretches held about 30 seconds each
    • Active flexibility training (strengthening the muscle at the end of it’s range of motion).
    • Dynamic stretching (stretching through broader movements)
    • PNF training (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation)

 Many of us in the circus world are reasonably flexible – we may not all  be able to sit on our own heads, but we can pop out a decent splits and get at least one toe to our noggin after morning coffee and a running start. Flexibility differs from joint to joint, day to day, even hour to hour. Remember: the goal is not to be able to trot out a cool trick at a party (that’s just a fringe benefit); your goal is to keep your muscles and joints healthy, and increase the possibilities in your work. With that in mind, work consciously, consistently, and  gently – you’ll be straddling your ponytail in no time (or at least be one inch closer). Happy bending, my loves!

NEED HELP WITH YOUR FLEXIBILITY? I’m an American Academy of Sports Medicine certified flexibility coach! Zap me an email and let’s get a program going for you.

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, FB, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Pullups – The Most Important Exercise On The Planet

By 12 commentsExercises, Training, Uncategorized

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. Friends, I give you (cue confetti canons)… the Humble Pull-Up. That’s right – hauling yourself up and down using your well-on-their-way-to-being-super-strong arms is my number one essential training tool, and it should be a part of your regular training at least a few times per week.

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 meaningfully moving ahead in your aerial skills, 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.

Here’s a good (though admittedly intense) video series for how to properly execute a pull-up, and a link to the bar I have at home (no installation required). I’m also including this link from Cirque Physio which dives deep into shoulder position when hanging with arms extended overhead (required reading). If you’re a beginner, try putting a chair underneath you or using pull-up bands to help you go through the full range of movement. Start slow and small, Rome wasn’t built in a day. For more advanced puller-uppers, you can try varying your hand positions to work the muscles from different angles and keep things interesting. In closing, know this: if you train your pull-ups consistently, you’re gonna love what it does for your aerial work. Surprise and amaze your friends! They’ll think you’re a total Bad Ass Rock Star. Because you are. Love and pull-ups, Ms Laura

PS – click here to download 21 Days of Pull-Ups if you need a little challenge!

Suck It Up, Buttercup! Circus Is Hard

By 53 commentsAttitude, Training, Uncategorized, ,

The number one question I’m asked by new students? “What can I do to get better? I feel like it’s taking so long!” It’s a fair question, I mean, who doesn’t want to excel at what they’re pouring their hearts and pocketbooks into? But, for many, what they’re really asking is, “Why haven’t I picked this up in ten classes?” Um… because it’s difficult, Buttercup! Ask yourself: would you waltz into a ballet class, having no dance training, and expect to be turning triple pirouettes three weeks from Sunday? Of course not. Then why would you assume that you can do that in an aerial class?

Wise Saying From Laura #1 – You have to be willing to suck at first. A lot.

Perhaps it’s our culture’s growing appetite for Instant Results , or maybe spill-over from social media pressure. Whatever it is, let me be very candid: if you want to get really good at something, whether it’s aerial goodness or accounting, you have to work your ass off for a good long time. That girl with the beautiful lines? She’s been dancing since she was 4. That guy with the bone-crushing grip? He’s been rock climbing for the past 5 years. They’ve all put in the time, just not in my class. 

Wise Saying From Laura #2 – Just show up.

I have yet to meet a student who was a truly hopeless case – just about anyone in reasonable health can become proficient in an aerial discipline. I’ve watched some students throw themselves into classes, train on their own, and fight for every victory they got on the silks. That kind of hard work inevitably pays off. I have one student who couldn’t even hold on her first class, and cried in fear the first time she did an ankle hang; she’s now performing beautiful pieces in showcases and making me proud. She showed up. She put in the time (several years, to be exact). She’s reaping what she’s sown. You will too, friend.

Wise Saying from Laura #3: It’s an awesome adventure, my love. Quit focusing so much on the destination.

Here, in a nutshell, is how to get better, and enjoy the journey.

  • Quit taking yourself so damned seriously, it ain’t the Peace Corps. A light heart and the ability to laugh at yourself will make training more enjoyable (for both of us). Frustration is a roadblock, laughter is a detour.
  • Be a student. Check your ego at the door, and be willing to be really, really bad at something. Think of it this way – you can only get better!
  • Accept instruction graciously. It’s what your paying your coach for! When you’re tempted to argue, defend, or get all grumpy, take a deep breath and simply say, “Thank you.” 
  • Ask questions. Not sure why something works the way it does or why you’re supposed to do something a certain way? Ask!
  • Just show up – to class, to workouts, to your training time. I strongly recommend at least one class and one practice session on your own each week. Regular workouts can be tailored to support your air time – Pilates, deep stretching, weight training (PULL-UPS), and more can make your class time more productive.
  • Don’t compare yourself with others. Apples, oranges. Focus on YOU.
  • CELEBRATE EVERY VICTORY!!! Don’t sweep it under the rug, you worked hard for it!

It’s not Insta-Aerial, ya’ll! It took me over a year of training almost every day to get to a reasonably professional level on fabrics, and I still had miles to go. You can do it. Here’s what I can promise you: show up, do the work, and you’ll see results. Now, suck it up and get to class! There’s work to be done and fun to be had! And no whining. Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are posting things these days!

Tuf or Buff: How Spray Rosin Might Sabotage Your Training

By 22 commentsTraining,

I have such a love/hate relationship with spray rosin (aka Tuf Skin or Firm Grip). On the one hand, I love the awesome flypaper effect it creates when I’m performing doubles and my partner is being so inconsiderate as to actually sweat. On the other hand, I hate watching my students douse themselves in it in hopes of Velcro-ing their hands to the fabric. So, when is spray rosin a blessing, and when is it like the friend who brings over a pie when you’ve sworn off sugar? Let’s discuss.

Spray rosin, mostly powdered rosin (pine tree sap) and alcohol, can be a God-send when:

  • You’re working with a partner and need a little extra grippy oomph
  • Smoke, fog, or haze will be used during your performance (this can sometimes leave a slick coating on your apparatus)
  • You’re pushing your limits of endurance in your piece, are working at altitude, or are performing multiple acts in a show and want to be conservative with your grip strength
  • You have a grip/hand difference or injury that prevents you from firmly gripping the fabric and you need boosties 
  • It’s seriously hot or humid and you’re sweatin’ like the dickens, causing you to slip and slide in alarming ways
  • You’re recovering from an injury or a break and you need a little grip amplification so you can focus on working safely
  • You’re in a really cold, dry climate and the silks feel slick as glass. Try moistening your hands before you apply powder rosin! No luck? Give a little spray!

When is it not a good bet? During your daily or weekly training if one of the issues above aren’t present. Friend, training your grip is as important as training your shoulders, your core, your pull-ups, etc – if you coat your hands in aerial super glue every single time you touch a fabric, don’t be surprised when your grip is noodle-y and you can’t work without it. It’s like using antibiotics right away for a sniffle – you’re not even sure if you need it yet!

TRY THIS: Each class, try your first climb with no sticky stuff. Feel ok? Carry on! Feels like glass? Rosin up. You’ll notice that some days will feel better than others thanks to the weather, how you’re feeling, how filthy those silks are, etc.

My philosophy is this: use as little Sticky Awesomeness as you’re comfortable with during your training. Use what you need to be safe, but also actively train those fingers to hold tight. You are free to have a differing philosophy, but this is what has consistently worked for my students for over twenty years. I’m not at all anti-rosin – it’s about finding that balance between nothing at all and permanently adhering yourself to a silk. You’ll thank me one day when you can hang on to a trapeze with one finger. While sneezing uncontrollably. Over a shark tank. Love and pull-ups, Laura

As always, if you like this post, share it on your blog, the F-books, Twitter, and wherever else you crazy kids are sharing things these days.

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