Master the Silks

5 Steps to Mastering the Aerial Silks

Cheat Sheet:

1: Be Informed (Train like a beast!)

Take as many Aerial Silks classes as you can, with as many different teachers as you can. Travel if need be, spend weekends in the city nearest you (or different cities if possible) and take back-to-back classes at a reputable studio. Different teachers will teach different tricks and have unique variations as well as introduce you to new and exciting styles of movement on the apparatus.

2: Seek Inspiration (Troll the web)

Explore YouTube and other online sources, go to live shows, find acts and/or artists that inspire you. Ask yourself what makes this performance so inspiring. Is it the tricks or movement quality? The artist’s interpretation or musicality? Try to identify what it is that speaks to you about this performance and begin to cultivate this quality in your own practice.

3: Identify Your Strengths

Look back at your training videos. What looks good to you? Is it your back flexibility? Your ability to hold a challenging strength move (e.g., planche)? Do you have perfect form in your drops? Ridiculously good splits? Do you spin like a dervish? Identify your strengths and then focus on developing them.

4: Find Your Signature Moves (‘Like!’)

Once you have identified your strengths, focus on the tricks that best show this off. Drill them in class with your teacher, record and review them. Analyze (in the most loving way possible J) what you could do better, then get up and try again. Your signature moves will the cornerstone of your Aerial Silks act and/or the most popular posts on your social media!

5: Be Committed

Whether it is two hours per week or 32, regular training is imperative. Keep your strength up if you are not able to train daily by doing pull-ups and crunches. Stretch often, not only does it feel awesome but it will give you beautiful lines in the air. Visualize yourself performing your favorite tricks perfectly. Put in the hours both mentally and physically, enjoy the process, mastery awaits!