I have been meaning to do this for months. After seeing their Halloween show, and the girls in the silks, I desperately wanted to try. However, the fact that I can't really even do a pull-up kept me away. But I had the now-or-never mentality.
A bit about the class. It was 90 minutes, beginning with a warm-up stretch, then moving directly to a circuit of exercises at each different trapeze, which are deadhung at different heights. These were basic positions. Then we did a series of exercises from pike position, before finishing the class with different hangs. In case attempting this wasn't fun enough, I got to watch everyone else do these tricks, which was almost worth the price of admission.
That said, the operative here is attempt. I was paired with a guy, who has been doing this for a while. He was very supportive in every sense. Cheered me on when I managed to do something right, and frequently helped me get upside-down. I discovered that once I got a position, I looked really good, but I was terrible about maintaining or recovering. It was tricky because so many different muscle groups are involved, and when you are so focused on not letting your shoulders out of the sockets, it's hard to think about that. And it requires a very specific sequence of muscles. I also learned never to underestimate the weight of my butt, which is great for keeping me grounded in wrestling, but total shit in getting me aerial. But my attempts at getting upside down nearly made it flying trapeze, as it swung as I scrambled to get into position AND achieve some stability. I am not as flexible as I thought, which is only half the challenge, since so much of trapeze is sheer power. But I can scurry up ropes and silks pretty well. And I am a double-knee hang natural. And my bird-nest looks pretty good (once someone slings my ass in the air)
All in all, it was fun and a good experience. It was a little interesting to combine my "I'll try anything once" attitude with the "um, my body doesn't do that" awareness. I got all the way to the end of the class by sheer will (my jaw was sore from clenching) because I am stubborn, if not terribly strong.
No pictures, mostly because everyone was advanced and working their stuff. And I can't say I was looking terribly pretty. But here's a picture of my bruise from the ankle hang.
(I still have some of the chalk on it. Ain't it pretty?)I got it for half a second before losing my grip and sliding down until I slid onto the nice thick mat below. (I'm a pointer, not a flexer) Which is not the preferred exit route.
The other perk. When I was running my next errand, I nearly sprained my ankle stepping off a curb funny. However, since I was already chewed up and warm, I bounced right back! And got just enough adrenaline running to get my mind of the aches and scrapes of my lesson!
Now to see how sore I am tomorrow, before trying silks.
on iTunes: "Girl Can Tell" - Spoon
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