MALE MUSCLE
40 MUSCLE & FITNESS^ /^ AUGUST 2019
AERIAL STRAPS
Aerial straps are a type of free-form
gymnastic equipment commonly seen
in circus performance. Originally a Chinese
speciality, modern aerial straps performance
was pioneered by the Panteleenko brothers
and their acrobat coach Vladivien Levshin. Training on straps feels similar to Olympic
rings, yet there are a lot more options
as to how you can test and express your
strength and flexibility. Locking yourself onto the straps is the
first step, by either using a loop that goes
around your wrist which you grip hold of,or using a technique called a Chinese lock,
which wraps the straight part of the cotton/
nylon web around your wrist and hand. Once you are locked onto the straps you can
work through all kinds of lifts, holds, twists,
rolls, spins and swings. The really impressive
stuff is where two people work together on
a single pair of straps to hit doubles action. I’ve benefited from training with aerial
straps, which includes a tremendous increase
in shoulder mobility and overall strength. The
control needed for all the movements and the
instability of the straps makes them an incredible
way to improve core strength, I noticed my
oblique strength go to another level with
movements like meat hooks and side planches.