FOR AERIAL FABRIC ACROBATICS®

SAFETY FIRST AND ALWAYS

  • Check your rigging
  • Remove all jewelry (including rings, watches, and earrings) before working on the fabric
  • Never practice alone – have a spotter handy
  • If you are tired: Stop
  • If you feel something is painful: Stop
  • Correct shoulder positions and core conditioning essential
  • Practice all wraps low to the ground, before doing them high up
  • Talk through all parts of a trick out loud
  • Breathe out more than in
  • Make sure you have enough distance between yourself and the floor

STRENGTH AND AWARENESS KEEP YOU SAFE!

All poses can be done in ceiling heights of 13’ or higher
Linking your movements in a small routine is the goal.
All positions can be used in combination to make a routine.

Disclaimer

Not all exercises are suitable for everyone and this or any exercise program may result in injury. To reduce the risk of injury, never force or strain. Because of individual differences in physical conditioning, consult your doctor before attempting these routines or any other fitness program. If you experience any pain or discomfort during these routines or any other fitness program, you should stop and consult a physician.

Use product only as intended and demonstrated herein.

The creators, producers, participants, and distributors of this program disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the exercises demonstrated or the instruction and advice expressed herein.

CONDITIONING ON THE FLOOR

Goal: To warm up the spine, shoulders, and work on foot, ankle, and leg articulation.
Use a combination of movements presented in Aerial Fabric Acrobatics Level 1 Beginning Basics Instructional Information, and the Conditioning Companions 1, 2, and 3.

Focus on Spine Roll ups, Pelvic Clock, Plank, Bicycle Crunch, Mermaids, and Spine Side Twists.
Also warm up the shoulders, legs and continue foot and ankle articulation.

Jackknife

Goal: To increase back mobility and core strength.

Laying on the back on the floor or mat:
Raise hips up off the floor with the toes pointed to the ceiling. Arms can be over-head, not pushing off the floor. Lower back down to floor, one vertebrae at a time, do this movement several times.
This position is necessary for many tricks in Level 2 so practicing it is helpful.

Finding Neutral Spine

Goal: To find the strongest position to access the core muscles.
This movement is helpful to do frequently during your workout.
Laying on back on floor or mat:
Feet standing, place heels of hands on outer pelvic bone (hip) points, fingers on pelvic bone center. Roll pelvis up with lower back pushed against floor then arch back tilting pelvis back. Tilt back and forth several times. Feel where your hands are at the same level between all points of the pelvis, this is “Neutral Spine”

With your hands on your stomach breathe in and out. Feel your stomach raising and lowering. Feel where stomach is drawn in, keep this position during all movements

Lunge

Goal: To Warm up the Legs.
Keeping hips square to the floor, rock hip up and down, back and forth for maximum stretch with the front foot flexed. Move forward into the splits holding the weight off the floor unless extremely flexible. Do both legs.

Straddle

Goal: To stretch the inner thighs and open the hips.
Sitting on the floor in a straddle position, toes flexed or straight, move spine toward the floor. When tipped forward move the torso back and forth, keeping back very flat, drawing your chest to the floor. Do the stretch slowly.

Forward Bend

Bring the legs together and straight on the floor, lean forward with the toes flexed.

Ankle Warm Up

Warm up ankles by rocking forward and back in a squatting position on the balls of the feet.

CONDITIONING ON THE FABRIC

Make sure the lat muscles and core are engaged for all conditioning. Continue to do the conditioning from the Aerial Fabric Acrobatics Level 1 Instructional Material:
Do pull-up to a count of 10
Side hang to a count of three, each side.
Add on to this conditioning.

Egg

Goal: To engage core and lat muscles.

Climb once with the body in between the fabrics. Bring the knees to the chest,then roll up and back like doing a back roll. Then roll forward and back again. Keep the legs together and bent.
Do three each practice session.

Mermaid

Goal: To engage the core muscles.
With the body in between the fabric, bring knees up and then straighten legs so the feet move out away from the body. This is the same movement as on the floor. It is hard to do the mermaid well on the fabric. Do one taking the legs away from the body and one with the legs coming toward the body. It is not the number of mermaids done per practice, but the quality of the movement. Try to add one each practice session.

Russian Climb

An Alternate Climb
Fabric is on the outside of climbing leg,the blade of the right foot is against the fabric. Use the left foot to scoop the fabric up and onto the right foot, then step on the right foot with the fabric in between the feet. The fabric can stay on the outside of the climbing leg, or can come between the legs. Start by keeping the fabric to the outside.
To Descend: Return to the climbing position, both fabrics between the legs and come down hand-over-hand.

DOUBLE FOOT LOCK

Preparation on the Floor:
Stand with fabric in the middle of the body. Separate the fabric, wrap each foot individually so the ankles are exposed. The Leg Circles with Foot Flex and Point and the Foot Alphabet from Level 1 will help you with foot locks.

Like the single foot lock, the fabric is wrapped twice around the ankle, then placed under the arch of the foot. With the double foot lock, both feet will be wrapped. From the ground start with one leg, wrap it once then twice around the fabric. Then the other leg. Then, from the floor, pull up and step back to create the lock.
To Come Out: Put the fabric in front of the face pull up, point toes, and step forward.

On the Fabric:
Climb once with the index finger between the fabric holding fabric apart. Instruction from Level 1 Aerial Fabric Acrobatics Instructional Information. Climb with fabric separated, hold fabric apart and dive the feet through the middle, between the fabrics. Wrap both feet at the same time or wrap one foot then the other. Shoulders should be down, lat muscles engaged, core engaged. Breathe. Pull up and step back in the loops of fabric created for the lock with the toes in a “pigeon toed” position. When feet are wrapped twice, and locked, do the splits on both sides, holding weight up by engaging the thigh muscles. For the splits pose, hold with one hand if secure, do not let go with both hands.
To Come Out: Pull body up, lifting legs to 90 degrees, step forward to let the fabric fall from both feet. Try not to kick.

Bow Pose

Climb once with one finger in between the fabric. Climbing with fabric separated, hold fabric apart and dive the feet through the middle. Then warp each leg once and twice with the toes together and thighs together. For best results, keep the toes slightly turned up. Swim each arm through the middle of the fabric. For the pose, make sure the toes and thighs are held tightly together, arms are in a “T” position held out to each side.
To Bow:
Push the fabric over the hipbones, bend the knees, and tip forward while still keeping the legs and feet tight together. This is a good resting pose, and is a transition to the double foot lock. To move into the double foot lock, reach up over-head and pull up creating a loop to step into for the double foot lock.

Splits Roll Up

Preparation on the Floor:
On the floor, go into splits and then roll over onto the stomach, the front leg swings up and over. Do this a second time.
On the Fabric:
When in fabric both legs will be locked. Hold onto the front fabric then, as on the floor, lean toward the stomach. Swing the heel of the front foot up and over, between the fabric. Then repeat, and pose.
To Come Out: Pull up a little bit and unwind yourself.

Lounge Chair

In the double foot lock, face either fabric, to the right or the left holding onto the front fabric with one hand and the back fabric with the other. The back fabric is running right up the middle of the back along the spine. Take the back leg and cross it over the front foot, sink back into the pose, and let go with one hand not both. This is a rest pose.
To Come Out: Hold on in front and simply uncross the feet.

Knee-hang

In the double foot lock, cross the fabric behind the back elbows are between the fabrics, reach behind the head with one hand in front and the other around behind, pull fabric apart making a cross in the middle of the back. Push the cross over the hips to the knees, keeping the toes pointed outward. It is important to keep the toes pointed out so if fabric slips off the knees, it will be caught at the ankles. It is important to have a spotter for this trick.
To Come Out: Sit up.

Straddle Back Balance

Preparation on the Floor:
Do the jackknife with legs in a straddle position, then roll backwards like in a back roll position, hands in front of the face as if holding the fabric. The hips tip up and then roll back. If the back is arched, it is not possible to roll backwards. Try to roll backwards with the back arched to find out what happens. Then round the back, and roll backwards with legs in a straddle position to see it is easier with a rounded back. When on the fabric, make sure to round the back first, then roll back.
On the Fabric:
In the double foot lock, legs are together, thighs engaged. Take one arm at a time, thumbs down, lean forward a bit and reach in front of and behind the fabric that is behind your back. Pull the fabric into an “X” pull shoulders through so the “X” is at the waist. Straddle the legs; tucking the hips, like on the floor. Then pull up with the hands, and roll back pushing against the poles of the fabric to tip into the straddle-back position.Once in the straddle-back, play with the fabric, or have a partner spin you.
To Come Out: Roll forward, one fabric will be close to the back, hold this fabric with both hands, and with the shoulders in the middle of the fabric. The criss-cross will come undone in a smooth transition to the splits.

HIP KEY

Preparation on the Floor:
Laying on the side do a fan kick with the legs then roll to a fetal position. Fan kick the other direction to determine which side is dominant.
On the Fabric:
Hold the fabric to one side, fan kick to bring the fabric onto the upper thigh. Fan kick in both directions. The fan kick allows the fabric to come under the front leg and over the back leg and up onto the upper thigh. To get into the fetal position, bring the fabric under the front leg, over the back leg and then around the back. Holding onto the tail, and onto the pole of the fabric above the head, tuck the body around pole of fabric in the fetal position.
The Hip Key has Three Parts:
First, lean away from the pole of the fabric. Second, fan kick and look up to the ceiling. Third, roll into the fetal position, with the top leg crossed over the bottom leg. Rushing through the steps of the hip key prevent the fabric from being in the best position, on the hips.
On the Fabric:
Climb once, holding fabric to one side of the body. Lean away, fan kick, look at the ceiling, then roll into a tight fetal position with the top leg crossed over the bottom leg. It is now safe to let go and pose.
To Come Out: Open hips and roll out and back to climbing position.

Grasshopper

This is a rest pose to build into a routine, once the hip key is mastered. This pose allows your body to learn how it feels to be held in a lock around the waist and thigh.
Climb a few times, do the hip key. Wrap the tail of the fabric over the bottom leg once. Holding onto the tail, bend the lower leg. Lower down and open the body so you are being held by bottom leg in an arabesque position. The tail can be over the arm to let go and pose.
To Come Out: Sit up roll into the hip key, take fabric off the lower leg, then roll out of the hip key.

Hip key Spin

Preparation on the Floor:
Laying on the side bring the toe of the upper leg to the knee of the lower leg. With the foot of the bent leg in turned out position, shift weight to the back, then bring the knee to the knee and straighten the legs. In this preparation, imagine that the knee is going up the back of the fabric, and then is moving through fabric to the front. Let the hips move forward and back with the movement. Do a few times.
On the Fabric:
Climb up a couple of times. Do the hip key. Hold the tail close to the hips with the upper arm above the head holding the pole of the fabric with enough space for knee to make it through to the front of the fabric. Swivel the hips and knee through just like on the floor, then straighten the legs out. Pose with legs either straight or bent. Let go of the tail pull the pole of the fabric to create some slack, then turn into the pole of the fabric. Take the tail of the fabric and try to make a big circle, like stirring a pot.
Once spinning, pose with the legs straight or bent, spin and pose.
To Come Out: Swivel the leg back through the fabric and weave foot out and return to the hip key.

Star

From the double foot lock, drop one foot out with the knee on the outside of the fabric. With the same arm and leg, reach down and wrap the arm around the loose fabric and have the other arm wrapped high.
Lean out and lower down in a straight body position. If unstable, then bend the knee of the locked foot and bring your body back to the pole of the fabric. The more parallel the position, the more difficult the pose.
There are several poses in this position; one is with the fabric around the upper back.

Ankle Hang

Preparation on the Floor:
Sitting on the floor, practice the lock by imagining the climb. If the right leg is dominant the right foot would be on the bottom and the left foot on top. Left foot would come in front and back circling clockwise. If the other way, circle the feet counter clockwise. Both feet are held together as they are circled. Lay on the back and imagine being upside down. Peel body off the floor. Imagine the head is pointing to the floor, roll off the floor one vertebrae at a time. Exhale through the hard spots as you sit up. Roll back down, breathe, and do this several times until it is smooth to build abdominal strength.
On the Fabric:
Do this lock low first, climb up once to practice the lock low. In climbing position, feet together, circle behind and around. The tail of the fabric should be laying on top of the ankles with the pole of the fabric coming between the feet making a “T” between the ankles. Lower the body down making sure the fabric is around the ankles. If it is around the calf, it will be painful.
When the lock is mastered, do the ankle hang with at least one body length or more above the floor. Wrap the fabric around the body like a barber pole.
Another variation, reach behind and arch the back by climbing up the free fabric.
This pose is best done if the back is very flexible.
To Come Out: The fabric must be over the shoulder, pull up, bend the knees, keeping the knees together. Lean to the side, pose, then toss the fabric off the shoulder and the fabric will fall from the feet. Hold tightly as the fabric falls free from the feet.

Tying A Slip Knot

There are a several ways to tie a Slip knot. Hold the fabric together; take one arm as if chopping the fabric, wrap the arm around, creating a loop. Then take the other arm and wrap low on the fabric, bring it up to meet the upper loop with a nice amount of slack. Take hand and pull through creating a Slipknot.

To Pull Knot Out: Separate the tails and pull apart.

Slip Knot Swinging or Spinning
From a low slip knot,
Bring arms through, arms in a “T” position
Swing or spin (rigging permitting)
This position is similar to the angel swing from Level 1 Aerial Fabric Acrobatics Fabric Instructional Material

Getting into the Slip Knot
Lift knee and slide into a seated position

Pullover
With the tail to one side separate the fabric and holding over the head,
Do a back somersault into the fabric
Then holding with both hands to one side, pivot hips to come to a seated position.

Slip Knot Knee Hang

From a seated position,lower to the knees to hang from both knees.
Then move to hang from one knee, holding on then moving into the pose on a single knee.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/xsVsTORiZ4Q
ADVANCED SLIP KNOT
Take time to build a routine, play around to see what works best

Slip Knot Knee Drop Series
Sitting in the slip knot,
Cross arms in front and pull to make an “X” across the stomach
Then do backwards roll in between the fabrics.
Then balance if fabric is on the hips, or hold on,
Bend knees and slide into a knee hang.

Finish each level of the curriculum by building a small routine. Add tricks and poses from each level.
Continue to explore new transitions, and practice with a partner!

By repeating your basic routine each time you practice, your stamina, grace, and style will increase!

Main Goals: Graceful transitions, build in rest poses.

Make all movements seem effortless and fun!

Remember, Progress Builds from Practice, Experimentation, and Working Together.

Advance to Aerial Fabric Acrobatics Level 3 Instructional Information.