As a new aerialist, it’s very easy to get excited. A big reason why I practiced aerial silks in the first place was to create beautiful shapes and try out fun tricks. After watching incredible videos on YouTube, and seeing stunning photos on Instagram, I wanted to try everything.
I started attending class twice a week at a studio to train under the supervision of experienced instructors. I learned basic foot knots, wrist locks, and practiced my double foot knot splits from the ground. The strength and coordination I needed to start climbing the silks began to build.
One night, a friend at the studio taught me how to do a Russian climb while the teacher was helping some other students. Feeling pretty confident, I climbed my way to the top of the silks, and then froze. I got myself about 12 feet in the air, but I had no idea how to get myself back down. My weak and inexperienced arms started to shake. Looking like a cat stuck in a tree, my nervous eyes darted around the room looking for help. Then, finally, I heard my teacher yell, “you have to use standard climb to get down!”
Even though I knew the climb, and how to do it, I still needed my teachers help. Not knowing how to get myself to the ground was a scary. While I had watched the more advanced students improvise on their own, I realized I just wasn’t there yet. Luckily, I made it down safely, and this minor incident helped me learn some very important lessons to succeed in aerial silks as a beginner.
Safety is the most important thing!
Training on aerial silks can have serious consequences if you’re not careful, and therefore you need to put as much dedication into practicing safely as you do into perfecting tricks. Regardless of your experience level, if you get yourself tangled in the silks 15 feet in the air, there isn’t much anybody else can do to help you. While striving for a safe practice might not seem incredibly fun, it will protect your body and allow you to continue practicing without injury.
In aerial silks, safety means ALWAYS practicing with a trained professional, or in an experienced group. Although you might think you are capable of practicing on your own, some knots are just too difficult to undo by yourself. Ever cinch your waist so hard while practicing wheeldowns that you think you’re stuck? Ever get an arm tangled up in the silks along with your legs? Believe me, you do not want to. But, if it happens (which it probably will at some point) you will be very thankful to have somebody knowledgeable nearby to help you get unstuck and back on your feet.
Practicing safely also means listening to your body. While the silks play an important role in this activity, it is your body that is really doing the heavy lifting. If you feel exhausted or sore, take a break, or try again the following day. It is always better to honor what your body needs rather than trying something in a state of exhaustion and risking injury.
Master the basics, first.
I know this is challenging, but it is incredibly important for success as an aerialist. While we all want to jump in and start doing big beautiful things, make sure you build a strong foundation first. Take the time to learn proper foot knots and wrist locks. Understand the differences between a hip key and a thigh hitch. Build up the strength, endurance, and proprioception (one of my favorite words used by my teacher meaning perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body) needed to feel confident with the skills you already know. If you take the time to master the basics, not only will you have a safe practice, but you will also be more successful when you are ready to advance
Listen, observe, and copy.
In aerial silks, something as small as flexing your foot or engaging your abdominal muscles can change the entire outcome of a move. It is essential to listen carefully to your teacher’s instructions, and to follow them as precisely as you can. Use their extensive knowledge, observe how they move, and then try to mimic those actions in your own body. Watch other students in your class to see how they approach aerial silks in different and unique ways. If you aren’t sure about how something is done, ask questions! Even if a sequence makes sense to you on the ground, it might not seem as obvious when you’re upside down in the air. While experimentation and improvisation are great techniques to master as you continue to practice, as a beginner focus instead on being an open and receptive student. Learn at least five different ways to get into cross back straddle before trying to make up your own.
Although the potentially dangerous nature of practicing aerial silks means that it needs to be taken seriously, if you practice safely under an experienced teacher, you will be flying high in no time. Be patient with yourself while you build a strong foundation by learning from those around you. Dedicate yourself to your practice, following these tips, and you’ll be prepping for your first angel drop before you know it!