It's Technique Tip Time! We’re ending the year with the beloved, (or dreaded,) no leg climbs! This is a great New Year’s goal, before we attempt the full no leg climb, we’ll begin with some conditioning skills to get you ready and strong to attempt this skill safely.
1) Begin laying on the mat with your rope or silk at your hips. You are going to climb up the rope using just your upper body while keeping the rest of your body as straight as possible. Try to limit your hip’s natural rock back and forth, staying as tight as you can! While it might seem like the relief comes as you descend, it’s actually much harder to control! Focus on staying tight and controlling the descent, not just flopping down onto the mat! 2) For another variation, place your feet flat on the mat and bend your knees. Keep your body straight from the top of your head to your bent knees and begin to pull up. Keep your elbows close to your body as you pull up using your lat muscles. Halfway through, switch the top hand to make sure you don’t develop a muscle imbalance in your body. (If you are using silks, you can do the whole thing with separated fabrics, negating the need to switch the top hand!) 3) One of the best ways to train the no leg climb is to descend using just your arms. Climb as high as you are comfortable and straddle with the rope or silk in between your legs. Cross one leg over and squeeze your legs together to take some weight off of your arms and into your legs. This is a progression that will make it much easier and safer to train this skill. As you continue to train the descent, use less and less leg strength, putting the weight into your arms as you feel it is safe to do so. 4) When you’re ready to try it, start from a standing position with the rope or silk in between your legs. Start to climb and lift your legs up in a straddle shape. We begin in a straddle because it is slightly easier to hold than a pike position. The higher your feet are, the lighter your legs will feel! Engage your quads to straighten your legs and point your feet as much as you can. When you’ve nailed the descent with the leg crossed over the rope or silk, try the no leg descent from a safe height, close to the ground. Try not to have a loose, sloppy position as this will make the climb harder and messier. When you’ve achieved the straddle shape, try it in a pike! For an extra challenge, start sitting down in a pike and place a yoga block on your feet. Try to climb without dropping the block. We know, these are some serious 2021 #goals! We'd love to see your no leg climb progress. Tag us on the 'gram @aerialphysique and #iloveap.
With encouragement, Gabe & Jill