Flying Trapeze: Learning My Swing

I love flying on the weekend.

Sunday morning, I headed to class. It was foggy and sprinkling rain so I kept checking my phone to see if class was canceled. The forecast had said cloudy, but it lightly raining at my house.

I drove to the rig, and sure enough there were people there. I pulled out the rain jacket that lives in my trunk (from college) and set up shop in one of the white plastic chairs. Class was on and the rain was dying down.

The ladder wasn't slippery and neither was the bar. In fact, the net wasn't wet like I thought it would be. The weather wasn't really an issue actually. I would have preferred sunshine, but it was dry enough to safely fly and I had a blast.

Class was eight people. Four regulars (I'm including myself in this!), two middle aged lady, and a couple. The girl was an experienced flyer who'd been to two other rigs, and her boyfriend was a newbie.

Today was the day I practiced my swing. Or at least the back half of it. You learn it in pieces.
(All the regulars practice their swings, so to me, it's a step that I'm moving up! I was ridiculously pumped to learn this.)

There are so many things to learn so I'm fine with this.

First time up, I don't go on hep. Haha. After one night of one-handed take-offs I'm still getting used to it.

The swing is: (my version of how I remember it is)

Take off

Hang straight

Towards the end of the arc, arch with your feet behind you.

Then, it's three kicks: forward, backward, forward.

You practice this a few times, and then it's the bullet drop.

You eventually drop straight to your back on the net.

My first time up, I swung way too hard. I also dropped like a dead bug to the net.

Shain told me to swing SMOOTHER and connect them together.

I was happy that I swung big enough. I've been doing these awful tiny swings so, I'm probably overcompensating.

The regulars tell me learning your swing is frustrating. Shain says not to try to be perfect the first time. I think I made a valiant an un-embarassing effort.

Try two: Take off was better. I think my bullet drop was closer to straight. Not quite there. Shain tells me the goal is to get into a rhythm, to try and get there.

Try three: More swinging. I'm trying to make it smoother. And I'm trying to anticipate the calls (which is bad, Just listen to Shain!) My drop on this one was awful.

We talk about it. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do for the drop. Am I suppose to kick on the "ready" call ? I will work on this more next week.

TRICKS
For my trick, I'd been doing a straddle whip for a few classes (and catching it), so Shain suggests a back end straddle. I've got this. He has Laura demo it for me.

I go up on the board and they put the lines BETWEEN MY LEGS.

Well this is weird. I take off. And when I straddle the LINES POP OUT TO THEIR NORMAL POSITION.

And IT IS THE WEIRDEST FEELING EVER. Am I supposed to move my legs out of their way? My brain is exploding. What am I supposed to do? And then I remember that Shain said that was supposed to happen and that means I did the trick right. I straddle. And whip for the catch. And save it.

It's not a perfect first attempt. I tell Shain the lines confused me. He said for a second I tried to thread my leg through the lines. But figured it out.

At this point, it's time for catches. I get lucky, because the couple has to leave early, and the ladies said they were done, so I get one more practice run while Alex puts up the catch trap (the bar the catcher swings from. Note: I save the day, with my Lululemon small towel, that they use to dry the bar).

And I get it! I don't let the weirdo lines between my lines phase me. I straddle, I reach. I fall to the net.

"Do it just like that for catches," Shain says.

Yasss, I am so awesome, I think.

Now, time for catches. After two practice runs, I get my catch. And I think it's beautiful. My toes are pointed. I catch. I sit perfectly in the mat. I look at the video and wonder I'm going to learn RETURN TO THE BAR. Look at my height. (Ha ha, I know this is months away. I also bent my arms on take-off, but this is a work in progress. I'll get there.)

My second catch is a little messier. But I didn't record it, so it doesn't count. I kicked backward when Shain said forward (brain, muscles? Hello, what are you doing) and had to muscle up to straddle, so my timing was a tad off, and then the catch was barely there—because I was searching for the catcher, while he was searching for me. I grabbed his wrist (no!) and it counts.

So for next week: Need to work on working in hands.

I know I'm not supposed to reach for the catcher! But some part of my brain wants to keep me safe and wants me to reach. (Maybe we should blindfold me? Doesn't THAT sound safe?)

And I want to work on that bullet drop. I need that explained again, to watch a few people do it.

But overall, I'm super happy with the class. I started working on my swing. (Yes!) I went two for two on catches. I'm making progress, learning new things and getting better with (most) every class.

Shain said "Good job today" (Shain's the tough one, so this is awesome.)

Rod, the white haired guy who'd never seen me fly before, told me I was amazing. Yes, I can catch my trick after two practice runs!

(I also love watching the other girls get so much better! It warms my heart to see a girl that was awesome before, be a total bad-ass in the class. Erica and Tara! This is you).

Flying trapeze made my weekend so happy. Now I have to wait another week to do it again. See you soon, trapeze!