Working with aerialists, polers, gymnasts & circus artists means that flexibility frustrations & concerns come up…A LOT. It’s not just about injury prevention, sometimes it’s aesthetics and skill acquisition that are limited by flexibility.
The psoas can be the difference between lower back pain and lower back health.
Active stretching, not to be confused with dynamic stretching or ballistic stretching, can be defined as using agonist muscles to relax and stretch antagonist muscles without the aid of any additional forces.
Have you ever set a goal, but you just never really seemed to make any progress?… What was it that really set apart those that achieved success and those that fell short? I realized that the goals needed to be SMARTER.
If you’re just starting out with aerials or pole, it’s likely you’ve already recognized that the amount of strength required to make it look effortless is significant! You need a strong core, athletic back and beast arms to ensure clean & safe skills. Inadequate strength is a recipe for injury - and setbacks are costly in this sport.
Well, don’t worry! ACRO’s got you covered! We (Angie, Sarah S & David) have put together a 6-week strengthening program designed to get you started at home. We have included a schedule, instructions, and exercise descriptions with pictures so that you can get the most out of the program. The only equipment required is you & some resistance bands.
You know yourself better than we do (yup, even if you’ve been to the clinic) so listen to your body and modify as needed. We recommend this introductory program for beginners, but also for more seasoned athletes too. (Even strong athletes can benefit from a little foundational conditioning.) The goal is to build strength effectively and ensure the best technique (which in the long run means better gains).
“As this program is not individually tailored, stop and contact your physician/PT if you experience pain at any time. You know yourself best - modify when necessary!”
We get a lot of questions and requests for advice about how to get started and/or how to get stronger with aerials. We wanted to provide this resource, free of charge (no strings attached), to help empower your training. We know from experience that there is no better feeling than when you have the knowledge and strength to progress in your sport!
If you like what you see, we’d love to hear from you! Comment or tag us on Facebook and Instagram!
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Arm/Shoulder Exercise Descriptions
Questions?
Tag us in a post on Instagram @acrophysicaltherapy
or email us at frontdesk@acropt.com
How does stretching actually work?
Included are just some of the yoga poses that will help to move the thoracic spine in all of the available planes of motion!
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When you've been told to "stretch more" but your pain isn't going anywhere....
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Shoulder flexion is essential for our day to day living and our acrobatic and aerial pursuits. This week's post focuses on the muscles involved, and a great stretch to loosen them!
Up Dog & Down Dog - two of my favorite "whole body" stretches!
In this post, we will tackle ankle anatomy, joint biomechanics during landings, and how taping/bracing changes those mechanics. If at that point you can appreciate the potential for injury - I'll consider this a success! If not - let me know so I can better explain and prove it!
Part 1 of 3 in a series that details the relationship between ankle taping and knee/hip/low back injuries in gymnasts/acrobats. Topics include anatomical/biomechanical review, strategies for minimizing injury risk and techniques for improving long-term outcomes.
Friday 5 pm Flexibility #3 - And also, some of my favorite postural stretches!
Want to improve your postural fitness? Try these few exercises for 4-6 weeks to help your postural awareness - And don't be surprised if you also hit some exciting personal records in the gym & some new skills in the studio!
Knowing what ideal posture looks like is important, but like any knowledge - understanding it makes you far more likely to put it to good use. If you believe in and understand the "why" of proper posture - how to achieve it is far less complicated.
Rotator cuff tendonopathy is a degenerative condition that affects one or more of the rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder. Studies suggest that it is probably the most common cause of shoulder pain among athletes and the more sedentary population alike!