1. You’ll start out slow…
Even the best aerialists all started in the same place: we’ve all been in our very first class, and we all have memories of that moment. It can seem intimidating to walk into, but the curriculum at AerialCLT is designed very thoughtfully and caters to the experience of the individual student. No matter where you are in your fitness journey, we all start with the very basics in the first class. You won’t be going upside down. You won’t be climbing to the top. What you WILL do is get a really solid foundation of ways to hang and wrap in the fabric, which we will continue to build on. And you’ll learn a move or two!
2. … but you’ll work hard!
With that being said, you’ll still get a good workout in your first class! We will work muscle groups across the whole body: grip, forearms, biceps, pecs, back, shoulders, hamstrings, and feet. You will do some sweating, and you might be sore for the next day or two! But this is very normal for a beginner (or even an advanced) aerialist. We will spend a lot of time talking about muscle groups and how to appropriately engage them and stretch them.
3. We mean it: you DON’T need to do a pull-up.
It’s true: you don’t need to be able to do a pull-up to be successful. When I first started aerial classes, I was a distance runner. I had a strong lower body, and noodle arms! No pecs or back muscles here. I was in shape, but I didn’t have the strongest muscles for aerial arts. I also was very, very inflexible – I could only touch my toes on a good day. But how do you think I developed the right muscles? ☺ We all started from somewhere!
4. A few things may not come naturally, but that’s okay.
We cover a wide range of skills in aerial, and we will introduce you to many of those things in your first class. Some things will make sense and feel good right away! Some things may take more practice and experience for you to get the hang of it. (Get it? Hang? Like hang from the silks? Hehe.) Don’t let yourself get discouraged if something doesn’t click for you in the first class. Every person is different and has different strengths – plus, you’re learning a sport and an art that is probably brand new for you! Everything that we’ll learn in the first class will be reviewed and practiced for many classes to follow, so you’ll get plenty of chances to master it all.
5. You’ll join the tribe.
We call our aerial family a tribe, because that’s what the AerialCLT community feels like. No matter what class or location you go to, you will find a loving, supportive community that is ecstatic to welcome you in. AerialCLT is 100% judgment free! There’s no competitiveness. There’s no harsh criticism. Instructors and fellow students alike just want you to learn something new and have fun! We do a lot of laughing and we have a great time. From the very first class, you will become a part of that tribe, too.
We absolutely can’t wait to see you at AerialCLT. If you have any questions or concerns at all, we’re happy to talk through them with you. Your first class will be the very beginning of an awesome aerial adventure!
Below is a picture of my very first aerial class. It’s blurry and silly, but it’s an amazing reminder of where it all began. ☺
