Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Training For Circus
Training For Circus
Training For Circus
Contributors
Clare Armstrong
Yuri Bozyan
Pierre Carriere
Ezra Groenen
Melissa Merran
Jonathon Priest
Luc Richard
Manfred Tscheche
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author,
and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may
be made of the information contained therein.
Contents
Part 1 - Physical Preparation / Training theory:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Transitions
Basic Moves
Hangs
Balances
Basic Drops
The four specific qualities required by the body to perform on these aerial apparatus are:
1. Strength
2. Endurance
3. Power
4. Mobility
STRENGTH
The greatest amount of tension which can be produced in a muscle or muscle group under an
imposed load. For example, the absolute strength of the muscle group which makes a bench
press is the greatest weight that can be pushed just once.
ENDURANCE
Endurance can be divided into two sub-categories:
a. Cardio-respiratory (heart-lung) endurance
b. Local muscular endurance
Cardio-respiratory endurance is the ability of the oxygen transport system to carry and to continue
carrying to the working muscles.
Local muscular endurance is the ability of the muscle to continue contracting (working) under a
certain load.
POWER
Power is a function of strength and speed and can be defined as the rate of doing work.
MOBILITY
Mobility is most simply defined as the range of possible movement in a joint or a series of joints
2.
This is where the muscle contracts and shortens under a load: for example, the biceps muscle
contracts during a pull up on the trapeze bar.
2. ISOTONIC (Eccentric) CONTRACTION
When a muscle lengthens under a load then it is said to be contracting eccentrically, that is, it is
resisting lengthening. The triceps muscle contracts eccentrically in the down part of a push up.
3. ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION
In an isometric contraction the muscle contracts without any movement. In other words the
muscle does not shorten or lengthen but maintains resistance at a set length. For example, the
hip extensor muscles and the abdominals when the legs are held in half lever position during a
rope climb.
4. ISOKINETIC CONTRACTION
The maximum load which can be imposed upon a muscle is dictated by the amount it can lift at its
most mechanically inefficient (usually when it is fully extended or almost completely contracted).
An isokinetic contraction occurs when the speed of contraction is fixed and the muscle is taxed
to its maximum throughout its range of movement.
3.
4.
All human movement is caused by the system of working (contracting) muscles pulling the bones.
The jointed bones change their position relative to one another and so cause movement.
This is made efficient through a system of levers which allow the bones to move through a great
distance whilst the muscular contraction is small.
For each movement there are one or two muscles which do most of the work and are called
PRIME MOVERS. However, there can be many other muscles assisting them which make the
movement more controlled and stable. Each muscle works (contracts) when the brain sends a
message as an electrical impulse through the nervous system. It is the complex process of
impulses telling some muscles to work and others to relax which coordinates the movement.
Contraction and relaxation within muscles are both caused by chemical reactions. It is the
complex reactions of proteins, oxygen and other chemicals which makes the muscles fibres
move. The result of any chemical reaction is an exchange of energy and in the case of muscular
movement waste products are formed (Lactic acid and carbon dioxide) whose presence within
the muscles makes further more difficult. They in effect, clog up the muscle and stop it from
contracting, they also cause muscular pain. Lactic acid and carbon dioxide can only be
reprocessed into the original chemicals in the presence of oxygen.
If a muscle contracts without the presence of oxygen it is said to be contracting
ANAEROBICALLY and will eventually cease to function until oxygen is introduced. The amount of
oxygen required to restore the contracting chemicals is called the OXYGEN DEBT.
If the oxygen supply to the contracting muscle is sufficient restore the contractile chemicals
continuously then the muscle is said to be contracting AEROBICALLY.
Most physical activities require the use of both contracting mechanisms, that is, aerobic and
anaerobic. Arial circus skills are predominantly of an anaerobic nature, but the aerobic side of
training should not be ignored in the training programme.
5.
Training Principles
6.
Movement Pattern
Example
SHOULDER CONTROL
Opening forwards
Closing forwards
Opening sideways
Closing sideways
Crucifix position
MID-SECTION CONTROL
closing
opening
Tension
Dish, handstand
ARM THRUST
ARM FLEXION
LEG THRUST
SUPPORT THRUST
To clarify this, if we take a simple inversion on the rope or tissue, this action requires
1. Forwards closing of the shoulders
2. Closing of the mid section
Consequently, we should use exercises which include these two actions to strengthen for this
skill.
Following are a number of exercises specifically designed to help strengthen for trapeze, rope
and tissue. These are by no means exhaustive but will help to create a balanced programme of
physical conditioning.
Following these specific exercises is a suggested circuit for general conditioning and stamina.
Seated Pull up
Keep the legs horizontal
Elbows out
Keep the shoulder blades depressed
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Chins in Pike
Keep the legs horizontal
Do not arch the back
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Pull ups
The body remains static
Lift the chin to the hands
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V-Sits
Should be done with control up and
down
The lower spine must be flat to the
floor
Legs straight throughout
Abdominal Crunches
Keep the knees still and raise the chest
to them
Do not pull the head with the hands
Back Extensions
Raise the upper body
Hands can be by the sides, by the ears
or arms extended
Side Lifts
Maintain a straight position from fingers
to toes
Put the upper hand on the floor to help
balance
Dish Rocks
The body position must remain the
same throughout
Small rocks
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Adductor Lifts
Lower leg is lifted
Keep a straight line form fingers to toes
Abductor lifts
Upper leg is lifted
As above make sure the leg is lifted in
line with the body
Tension Bridge
Start with the hands just in front of the
shoulders and move forwards with time
The back must remain straight, no arch
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WEIGHTS EXERCISES
Closing Shoulders (Straight arms)
Move only the arms
There should be no movement in the
body
Bicep Curls
Keep the back straight
Use a light enough weight to ensure
only the arms are moving
Pullovers on bench
Weight starts at the waist and arms
are maintained slightly bent
Keep the back flat
CIRCUIT TRAINING
Begin with 20 seconds work intervals and 40 seconds rest, increase intensity by:
1. Lengthening the work interval
2. Shortening the rest interval
1. Inversion on rope
2. Tucked V-sits
3. Dorsal Lifts
4. Rope Climb
5.Tricep Dip
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7. Squat Jumps
8. Press ups
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8.
It is obvious that for some joints the limits of mobility are dictated by the boney structure of the
joint itself, for example, in a joint such as the knee it is impossible to extend much beyond 180
because of the position of the bones.
In ball and socket joints (which are the vast majority of joints we are concerned about) for
example, the shoulder joint, the limitation of range of movement is imposed by the soft tissue.
Ie.
i.
ii.
iii.
Experimentation has shown that the most important factors limiting mobility are:
i.
ii.
iii.
The ability of the antagonist muscles and their fascial sheaths to relax
The joint capsule
The tendons
MOBILITY AND THE STRETCH REFLEX
If a muscle is stretched with a jerky movement it will respond with a contraction whose amount
and rate will correspond directly to the amount and rate of the movement that causes the stretch.
This is the result of the myotatic reflex or stretch reflex.
Conversely, a firm, steady stretch will invoke the inverse myotatic reflex and will actually relax the
muscle being stretched.
Dynamic stretching involves fast movements of the bobbing or bouncing kind eg. Leg swinging,
whereas sustained stretching requires the gymnast to hold a position for a number of seconds.
Active stretching means that the performer must be moving the limb or limbs his or herself
whereas in passive stretching the movement is caused by another person pushing.
Sustained stretching has certain definite advantages over dynamic stretching for increasing range
of movement. These are:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
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Consequently it can be seen that for improving range of movement, sustained stretching is
preferable to dynamic stretching.
Passive, sustained stretching also has certain advantages over the active type. These are:
i.
ii.
iii.
However the teacher should be very careful when stretching students to apply tension slowly and
firmly and in the case of male teachers remember the possible difference in strength between
himself and the student.
There is one kind of stretching not yet mentioned which is called PNF stretching or resistance
stretching. PNF stands for Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and is designed to invoke
the inverse stretch reflex and relax the muscles to be stretched. The teacher pushes the student
to the limit of his/her range of movement and the student then pushes back against the teachers
resistance (with no movement). After this the student relaxes and the teacher applies pressure
again. It will be found that this stretch will exceed the last one, as the antagonist muscles relax.
This method should only be used on larger muscle groups such as the hamstrings.
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9.
19
HIP/LEG MOBILITY
Straddle stand, stretch forwards to
sideways to each leg.
Bounce and hold.
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Grande Battement:
X 10 forwards, sideways and
backwards
Each time the student should
touch a hand at maximum
stretch height.
Stretch to side:
Fold x 8 then the teacher
applies pressure.
Progressively increase the
height of the leg.
Finish by holding leg free of the
bar using muscles
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Lumbar fold
Head lifted
Back straight
Start with feet extended, then
flex
Straddle fold
Start with narrow split and then
widen
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Lumbar fold
Head lifted
Back straight
Start with feet extended, then
flex
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Splits to front
Keep the hips square
Turn the front foot out
Lift the front off the floor min.
3cms
Bend the back leg and lift the
foot towards the head to ensure
the hips are square, leaning the
upper body back towards the
foot.
The teacher can manipulate the
student into the correct position
For all these exercises students should work in pairs so they understand the principles
and can help each other.
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