Conditioning for Your Aerial Future

How does she do that? The crowd wonders as the aerial performer twirls and flips above them in the air. 

Aerial arts are so much more than meets the eye. Offering profound rewards to practitioners and audiences, the thrill and the allure of flying is nothing less than magical. 

Photo from Natalie @riseaerialyoga

While crowds may still feel a long way off since the wake of COVID, now is the perfect time to start conditioning if you have aspirations of performing in the future. Even if you do not have aspirations to perform, aerial practice can help you reach the best shape of your life! The art form brings intense challenges that are beyond mere mastery of certain tricks or sequences. 

Aerial arts can be very demanding on the body, but you will likely find that your career is greatly enhanced by keeping in your best condition. This includes all of the physical, mental, and emotional aspects that make up who you are. Remain attentive to conditioning all of these and you can stay on top of your game.

Photo from Sam @itsfiveam

Here are a few tips and tricks for maximizing your wellness in aerial arts:

1. Sharpen your body awareness. Put it on the calendar, to scan your body and get in touch with any uncomfortable or odd sensations. Being in tune with your body means you can catch little problems before they turn into chronic problems. Something feels off in your arm? Rest that arm and let it heal. By regularly checking in, you may find something that needs more of your attention or even that of a trusted and professional bodyworker.
2. Get plenty of sleep, eat nutritiously, and spend time with those who lift you up and nurture your soul. Remember, that life is short and precious - prioritize what matters most.
3. Devote time in your aerial practice to conditioning exercises that will support various muscle groups to bolster your work. Some of these moves can be done on your apparatus, some with tools like exercise bands and muscle rollers, and some on the floor with just the body’s resistance to get stronger. Some may find conditioning to be a chore or a bit on the boring side in comparison to running a routine, but it will definitely pay off in the long run. Check out Uplift Active Studio to get started with a routine at home. 
4. Train your mind with meditation and visualization techniques, which also help to balance the emotions. Visualizing your act before a performance is a great way to make it shine!

While many factors are at play, you can think of your conditioning routine as a way to safeguard against things like injuries and other preventable setbacks.

Aerial arts present an illusion of effortlessness that expertly hides the years of training and hard work that it took to get to that moment in time. This is part of the beauty of the work. When you build a strong foundation with good self-care, strong technique, and a conditioning routine that works for you, you are setting yourself up for success.

Check out Uplift Active Studio here to get a 7-day Free Trial of Online Classes

Cover photo by Michelle Quesnel - find her on Instagram @michelleq22