Aerial Silks Basics

Goal: To keep fabric separated to prevent fumbling to find the center.
Grasp fabric with hands in the “OK” hand sign so that the index finger is in between the fabric. Climb once with index finger between the fabrics. Do a single foot lock. Keep index finger between fabrics when wrapping the foot lock so the fabric can be opened easily for the poses.

Fabric in the center of the body, wrap the fabric around one foot once, flex the foot. Step with the other foot on top of the fabric and the flexed foot. Pull first then wrap, then step.
Reach up again and pull winding foot up along fabric, then step on flexed foot. Shoulders away from ears, with the core engaged. Breathe out with every climb up.
To Come Down: Cross legs, squeeze thighs, come down hand over hand, one ankle over the other, in a controlled descent.

Utilizes Leg muscles more than arm muscles. Hold fabric in front of face in a strong grasp. Draw one foot up to body as close as possible, wrap fabric around foot and flex the foot. With other foot, step on top in a crouched position. This is a rest position. if the feet are held tightly together. Then stand up. Reach above head, grab fabric, draw leg that is wrapped in the fabric up towards the body, Step on it with the other foot and stand. Keep the foot flexed, squeezing feet together.
To Come Down: Hand-over-hand, thighs squeezed, one ankle over the other. No dropping down. No sliding down, which can burn hands or feet.

Preparation on the Floor:
When on ground, do leg circles, with knee bent at 90°.
Circle foot towards the standing leg, point the foot through the bottom of the circle and flex through the top.
Articulate the ankle.
On the Fabric:
Fabric is on the inside of the body, and on the inside of the thigh, the leg circles once as in the climb, then circles one more time. Reach above head, lean back with straight arms, take free foot and push the fabric under the heel to the instep or arch of the foot. Pull to upright or standing position.
To Come Out: If low to the ground, step back, raising leg to 90°, point foot so fabric comes off the heel and the front of the foot or the toes. Let the fabric fall from the foot Shaking the foot or stepping back not forward can result in getting stuck in the foot lock. If stuck, rest, breathe do not flail or kick Take weight off foot by climbing, Then repeat the lift of the knee to 90°, Point the toe, so the fabric can fall forward from the foot.
Make sure you are breathing out more than in.

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.

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.

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. 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.

Goal: To increase awareness of using the non-dominant foot.
Climb using the dominant foot and switch while climbing to use the non-dominant foot. Also, change the hand that is on top from the dominant for one climb and then the non-dominant for the next climb.

Preparation on the Floor:
Hold fabric in front of body, on the inside of the thigh, wrap foot around once; Then turn it out so that the fabric is caught at the arch of the foot. Press the foot and leg out. Do the other leg.
On the Fabric:
One climb in the traditional style, then lean back. Whichever foot is on top, comes around behind and over the pole of the fabric, wrap the foot around, turning it out to catch the fabric on the arch of the foot, Then push it forward, Pull to upright, keeping feet together. The bottom foot will then slide behind in a slight splits or arabesque position, Bring it around to the front of the fabric, Wrap, turn out, push out for the second climb up.

An alternate single foot lock. For some single foot lock poses this is the preferred lock, especially the Twirly.
Preparation On the Floor:
In the climbing position, one wrap, take the fabric that is coming up the inside of the calf. With the other foot, push it over the top of the foot being locked, around to the outside and under the arch, making a “Figure 8” over the top of the foot.
To Come Out: Take the unlocked foot, push the top fabric forward off the foot.
On the Fabric:
Climb once, lean back with straight arms and legs. Foot that is pushing the fabric is turned in a “pigeon toe” position. Let the bottom foot slide a little to make slack for the lock.
To Come Out: Lean back and with the free foot pointed out, kick the fabric off the locked foot.
Use the Figure 8 foot lock for the Twirly from Level 1 Aerial Fabric Instructional Material, as it is more difficult to lose this lock.