The hardest thing about aerial for me is persevering through the plateaus.
At the beginning of my aerial journey, I was basically a blank canvas. Everything was new. Every new muscle unlocked new tricks, new movements, and huge improvements. Progress felt fast and exciting all the time. It was the best. 😊
But as you move into higher levels, progress slows down dramatically. Sometimes it takes months to achieve a single goal.
Crossback invert on hammock? Six months of struggling, pushing, and having coaches and friends literally hoist me up. It required improvements in almost every part of my body. A clean hip key on silks? About a year.
And then there’s swinging trapeze… 😂🤣
I don’t think I truly swung properly until almost two years in. My body simply needed that much time to build the strength, understanding of timing, and stamina.
Some tricks took me nearly two years to land… only for me to get them once and then immediately lose them again. 😭😂
So one of the hardest lessons aerial taught me was this: Even when training sessions feel awful, I’m still building strength, still improving my stamina, and learning what not to do.
Bonus if I fail spectacularly and get epic blooper reels.
On the days when my body completely refuses to cooperate (ugh, the worst feeling), I try to remind myself that I’m still flying through the air doing what I love and hanging out with my aerial friends.
And that’s pretty sweet. 🥰