Hey Reader,

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A concept that I talk a lot about in my classes is “your connection to your apparatus”. Which might sound obvious because, duh, you’re on it but let’s dig in a little.

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Human beings are inherently unstable.

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That’s why we have so much movement available to us. We receive a whole lot of stability from being on the ground, and the evolution of human movement is based on the interplay of our bodies in between the ground and gravity.

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We are constantly using the ground to push us up into gravity, which is pushing us down into the ground. But that also means that when you take away the ground, you’ve taken away our stability.

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Enter the aerial apparatus.

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You already know that doing shit in the air is way harder than doing it on the ground.

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You don’t need me to tell you that.

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But the one of the big reasons why it’s so much harder is because we no longer have the support from the floor, so our only opportunity for external support is the support of our apparatus.

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So being really intentional about the way that you are using your apparatus can provide a tremendous amount of assistance in helping your body be stronger and more supported. And being conscious about the fact that every point of contact that you have with your apparatus is an opportunity for support.

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As aerialists, we tend to get really focused on using our upper body to navigate our apparatus. And sure, upper body strength is super important.

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But so is your spine, and your legs, and how all of your parts are working together.

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Every part of our body that is touching our apparatus creates an opportunity for us to push or pull or pivot or tip or fold or roll or whatever.

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And getting intentional about using those connections can go a long way in allowing us to move on our apparatus with a lot more ease, and a lot less muscling through things.

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So the next time you’re training, maybe spend some time thinking about how you are being supported by your apparatus?

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Can you lean into it, push into it, pivot around it, or pull it down?

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Can it be your partner instead of something you’re working against?

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And if you want to dig into this concept, and understand how it fits into the bigger picture of movement on an apparatus, "Connection to your apparatus" is a core part of how I use movement analysis in aerial arts.

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And that's what I'll be talking about in my newest masterclass, Framework for Flight!

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In this masterclass, I'll be laying out the map that I use to understand aerial movement. If you've ever wondered what it's like inside my brain, that's basically what I'll be sharing! (but slightly less chaotic and a bit more cohesive, hopefully!)

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Class is September 8th at 10am PDT, and yes of course the replay will be available.

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And if you've got questions, I'd love to answer. Respond to this email and I'll get back to you!

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See you in class!

Lauren