How Aerial Training Transforms Your Circus Skills

In the circus industry, making a difference requires mastering acrobatic acts and empowering both your movement and spirit. Aerial training offers a unique opportunity to enhance your circus skills in ways that are truly awe-inspiring. Explore the air, test your own strength, and discover the transformative power of aerial training.

The distinction between Aerial Skills and Circus Skills

While aerial training plays a crucial role in developing circus skills, it is important to note that aerial skills and circus skills are not synonymous. Aerial skills specifically refer to the acrobatic movements performed in the air using apparatus such as silks, trapeze, and hoop. These disciplines focus on utilizing the vertical space to create breathtaking displays of strength, flexibility, and grace. On the other hand, circus skills encompass a broader spectrum of disciplines within the circus industry. In addition to aerial skills, circus skills also include juggling, clowning, balancing acts, contortion, acrobatics on the ground, and various other performance arts. Circus skills often require a diverse set of abilities and techniques, combining physical prowess with artistic expression to captivate audiences.

By understanding the distinction between aerial skills and circus skills, aspiring performers can gain a deeper appreciation for the vast array of disciplines within the circus industry. While aerial training offers unique opportunities for individuals to develop strength, flexibility, and body control in the air, it is just one facet of the multifaceted world of the Circus. Exploring other disciplines such as juggling, clowning, and acrobatics on the ground can broaden one’s skill set and artistic expression. Embracing the diversity of circus skills allows performers to create captivating performances that showcase their unique talents and contribute to the vibrant and dynamic nature of the circus arts.

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

1. Increase muscle strength

Aerial acrobatics like aerial silks, trapeze and aerial 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, the 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

Practising 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 provide are:

• Releases tension in the muscles and joints.
• Decompresses the spine which aids posture in both sitting and standing.
• Injuries to the joints are less likely than weight-bearing exercises 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.

Epilogue

Aerial training not only improves your physical abilities but also expands your mental horizons. By challenging yourself to confront fears and pushing the boundaries of what you thought possible, you can reach new heights in both your circus skills and personal growth. Join forces with the air and unleash your full potential. Check out our blog post on Circus Talk

We would love to hear about your aerial training journey and how it has transformed your circus skills. Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. Let’s inspire and support each other in reaching new heights!