NOW THAT IT'S a new year, why not take your fitness routine up another notch - literally - with an aerial workout?
That's precisely what I did a week ago with professional aerialist Shana Kennedy at her Air Play studio on Greene Street in Germantown.
Shana fell in love with the circus as a kid growing up in Natick, Mass. At 15, she mastered the unicycle, then moved on to juggling. While a student at George Washington University, she made a bold move, taking a year off to pursue her passion at Circomedia, the academy of circus arts in Bristol, England.
"Going to circus school really crystallized it for me," Kennedy recalled. "There was really no respect in the U.S. for circus performers. In Europe there are circus schools everywhere. The government funds the circus culture like art. It showed me it was possible."
And possible it is, as this this 30-year-old wife and mother who's expecting her third child certainly showed me. Shana brought out my inner aerialist. Thanks to her, I have yet another cool way to have fun, get into shape and - ahem - test my courage.
The first thing I discovered was that each apparatus gives a challenging, full-body workout. A good performer makes it look easy, but this is a very demanding workout, particularly on the upper body, abdominal region and back. Here's an overview of a typical workout session:
Warm-up
As usual, the first thing you'll do is about a 10-minute warm-up of basic body weight exercises like push-ups, lunges and stretches.
The rope
Rope climbing is not just a great upper-body exercise; it is a tremendous confidence builder as well. Though I can do 10 pull-ups with no problem, I must admit I was initially intimidated by the 16-foot rope.
But I quickly discovered that climbing a rope is more technique than strength. There are several techniques for rope climbing, and you have to find out for yourself which style works best for you.
Shana instructed me to wrap my foot around the rope and grab it as high up as I could. I tried with all my might, using the strength of my upper body, to pull myself up the rope. After several unsuccessful attempts I took a break, relaxed and observed what the other three students were doing.
That's when I realized what I was doing wrong. The secret to successful rope climbing is to hold on with your hands and to pull your legs up as high as you can, then climb like an inchworm, hand over hand. Talk about core control!
I got almost to the top - then suddenly froze when I realized, hey, how do I get down?!
Well, there's a technique to that, too, because if you try to slide down the rope, you'll get serious rope burn.
Once you master ropes, the real fun begins with the other aerial skills, such as:
Static trapeze: Acrobatics performed on a single trapeze. This can also be done in doubles or triples.
Spanish web: A performance executed by using the rope, looping it around either an arm or leg, then spinning.
Corde lisse: Acrobatics performed on a vertical rope.
Lira: A steel hoop used in aerial performances, usually spinning.
Aerial fabrics: The use of fabrics has been introduced into modern circus performance; the movements are similar to those of corde lisse.
A daring new workout
If you're looking for some new fun and fitness this year, an aerial workout may be just what the doctor ordered - once you muster up your courage.
"I highly recommend that you cross-train" too, Shana said. "Pilates is really good, [plus] weight training, and you need some type of balance and cardiovascular training. My strongest students cross-train."
Group classes at Air Play are $160 for eight weeks and private lessons are $70 an hour.
Cautioned Shana, "It can be very daunting. I was 19 when I started and found it very challenging. But when I learned aerial skills, it was incredibly empowering. It taught me to overcome and to have confidence. I know my arms will hold me. I wanted to share this with other people and show them, yes, you can do it!" *