Technique Tip: 4 Exercises for Stronger Straight-arm Inversions
Straight arm inversions are a challenging and rewarding part of aerial practice. Compared to bent arm inversions, they typically require more from your body, especially in terms of shoulder stability, grip endurance and active core engagement.
Why are they more difficult? With straight arms, you have to lift your body further to invert, and you can’t use the pulling power of bent elbows to help you. In bent arm inversions, your biceps, lats, and upper back do a lot of the work by pulling you in close to the apparatus.
With straight arms, that pulling assist is gone. Instead, your shoulders have to work harder to stay strong and stable, your grip has to hold more and your core has to do the heavy lifting to get your legs up.
It’s a full-body effort that asks for active compression, a combination of strength through the front body and length through the back body, making straight arm inversions a great long-term goal for aerialists looking to level up their skillset.
With the right exercises and some focused practice, real improvement is absolutely possible!
👇 Check out Jill’s top four exercises to help you improve your straight arm inversions:
1. Shoulder Spirals
This is a great warm-up that targets shoulder mobility and awareness. Instead of shrugging up and down, alternate between internal and external rotation of the shoulders.
For straight arm inversions, we aim to be primarily in external rotation. In this position, the biceps gently rotate forward, and the shoulder blades widen across your upper back.
At the same time, draw your ribcage back to align over your pelvis. This helps you build the control and awareness needed to stay strong in the position. Repeat 10x.
2. Tucks with Straight Arms
From a straight-arm hang position in the air, practice lifting your knees as high into your chest as possible. Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control.
This drill builds active compression and targets the hip flexors and deep core.
As you lift, press your arms forward instead of pulling with the elbows to engage your shoulders and improve grip endurance.
Repeat 5 -10x | 2 rounds - 60 second rest between
3. Supported V Lifts
With the hammock knot supporting your upper back, place your hands on the poles and press forward as you lift both legs into a V shape. Avoid leaning back, keep your chest upright and quads engaged to maintain straight knees.
Initiate the lift by tucking the tailbone under and engaging through your center, think of a scooping-under-to-lift motion. This strengthens your deep core and trains the movement pattern needed for the inversion.
Repeat 5 -10x | 2 rounds - 60 second rest between
4. Floor-bound Straight Arm Inverts
Start seated on the mat, holding the silks with straight arms and lean back into a hollow body position. As your legs open into a straddle, tuck your tailbone under and engage through your center. This helps you lift with control rather than momentum.
Press your arms forward as your hips rise toward your hands. This drill builds the mechanics of the invert while improving shoulder strength and core coordination.
Repeat 5x | 2 rounds - 60 second rest between
With consistent practice, these drills can help you build a stronger, more controlled straight-arm inversion ... but if you’re ready to go beyond a few individual exercises, having a clear plan can make a big difference!
🛠 Want a Complete Roadmap?
My Straight-Arm Inversion Course is a focused, self-paced program designed to help you work on the different pieces of the skill with more intention, from floor-based conditioning to on-silks drills and technique.
Inside the course, you’ll get:
✔️ Detailed technique breakdowns and alignment tips
✔️ Warm-ups and conditioning you can do from home
✔️ On-silks conditioning drills to build strength and control
✔️ Strength and mobility work for shoulder stability, grip and active compression
✔️ Step-by-step progressions to help you work toward the full skill
✔️ A printable training tracker to help you stay consistent
✔️ Lifetime access, so you can train at your own pace and revisit the course anytime
Right now, you can join the full course for $89 USD that's 30% off through Thursday, September 10th at 11:59 PM PST.
If a stronger, smoother and more consistent straight-arm inversion is one of your aerial goals, I’d love to help you keep working toward it.
