6 ways aerial training will improve your circus skills – Explore the air and test your own strength!

In the circus industry you are asked to make a difference by presenting an acrobatic act. To do so, you need to master the techniques that will empower your movement and your spirit. But how will aerial training help you improve your circus skills?

We present 6 ways that aerial training will improve your circus skills

1. Increase muscle strength

Aerial acrobatics like aerial silks, trapeze and hoop provide a range of health benefits. In particular, they increase muscle strength -those of the core body- and are great for improving upper body strength; something that many forms of exercise neglect. This strengthening goes beyond the muscles to other soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments, helping to prevent injuries while undertaking other activities.

2. Improve flexibility and hand strength

Adding aerial acrobatics into your training routine will help you gain strength, build endurance, increase flexibility, and enhance body awareness.

With hand strength, aside from the obvious benefit of keeping you safely glued to your apparatus or partner, grip has a number of hidden benefits. The muscles of the hand, wrists, and forearm are small and delicate. By creating a strong web of muscles, you reduce the risk of all sorts of injuries like overuse, structural, and hyper-extensive.

3. Gain control and self-confidence

Practicing aerial acrobatics will not only give you more control of your body but will also improve your self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-esteem can be boosted because by participating you are placing trust in yourself when working at a height and on mastering this skill there is a real sense of achievement.

4. Add combinations and choreography

Apart from the obvious benefits like flexibility, control and strength, you’ll also learn how to spin and turn gracefully. Aerial training blends the artistry of dance with the joy of movement in the air and will help you gain the confidence to move in front of an audience. If combined with contemporary dance or other dance disciplines then you will probably create something unique and different. Challenge yourself with combinations and choreography that will strengthen your technique.

5. Become more safety conscious

With the help of your instructor, you will be aware of what is keeping you safe in each move, what to look out for, and what could go wrong. Like any kind of exercise, aerial comes with risks, including paralysis and even death. So, find a qualified teacher who practices proper safety measures.

6. Confront your fears

Be ready for some mental challenges along with the physical ones.

In addition to all the improvements mentioned above, there are the health benefits.

Some examples of the range of health benefits aerial training provides are:

• Releases tension in the muscles and joints.
• Decompresses the spine which aids posture on both sitting and standing.
• Injuries to the joints are less likely than weight bearing exercise such as running.
• Tones the muscles and allows a large amount of energy to be released.
• Boosts your mental health due to the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain.

Aerial training constitutes a unique method of expression as well as a means of testing our limits. Explore your limits and reach your full potential.

Joined forces – better world

Check out our blog post on Circus Talk