Progress

Our last trapeze class on Monday morning was a lot of fun.  I started out by revisiting the splits, a trick that I had tried and failed to perfect last summer.  To my surprise, this time I was much more comfortable doing this trick and managed to master it during the first half of the class.  In the meantime, Margaret learned the set whip (the trick that I had been working on earlier in the weekend).

After that, we both learned a new trick called the single reverse knee hang.  This one is a little bit tricky because of the takeoff.  Your right hand starts out on the bar, palm up, and then the palm-down grab with the left hand is on the other side, so your hands are crossed at takeoff.  Then your body does a half turn during the first swing, and you have to let go and re-grip with your left hand so that both hands are facing the same way.  Immediately after this, you pull yourself up and hook the bar with one knee.  That part is not too difficult, but it's kind of challenging to put it all together when doing all of these new things at once.

I only got to try this new trick one time, and here is a video of my first, and only, attempt.  It is pretty rough, but that's often how it goes the first time trying something new.


Afterwards, I got to try a catch with my splits, and I was able to do the catch both times.


Margaret also caught her set whip, the trick she learned that morning.


Next time, I will probably work on my straddle whip again, then possibly learn how to swing (it's a lot harder than it sounds!).  Once we've got that technique down, it opens the door for many other tricks.

We had such a great time taking trapeze classes over the weekend.  I really wish there was a flying trapeze rig in Portland!  For now, I will have to wait until my next trip to New York.