Technique Tip: Alien Splitđź‘˝
The Alien Split is one of those aerial shapes that looks really interesting but can feel surprisingly disorienting when you first try it.
You may have seen this skill performed underneath the bar on lyra, but it translates nicely to silks too.
While I consider the Alien Split an intermediate-level skill, you can start by practicing the shape on the floor before taking it into the air. This is especially helpful because one of the trickiest parts of the skill is understanding where each leg needs to go.
A strong shoulder position and a clear understanding of the leg pathway are key. See below for a video breakdown and tips!
Start by Marking the Shape on the Floor
Before taking the Alien Split into the air, practice the shape on the ground.
Begin in a lunge. Tuck one arm underneath your front leg and bend your arms to about 90 degrees into your sides.
From here:
Extend your front leg forward.
Reach your back leg behind you.
Keep your chest lifted.
Reach both legs strongly away from one another.
This position is commonly called Flying Splits in yoga. Practicing it on the floor first can help you understand where your legs need to go before adding the element of being in the air.
Understanding the Leg Pathway
The leg pathway is one of the most important parts of the Alien Split. One leg passes through the center of your arms, while the other travels to the outside. The outside leg should reach toward your upper arm, around the tricep area. From there, extend the legs strongly away from one another. Aim for a long, nearly parallel split line rather than allowing the back leg to float upward.
Alien Split on Silks
Option to wrap your wrists for more support.
Invert into a frog around one arm. One leg passes through the center while the other stays to the outside.
Reach the outside leg toward your upper arm/tricep.
Internally rotate your arms and squeeze them in toward your sides for stability.
Stay active through your shoulders and lift through your chest.
Extend both legs away from one another, keeping the back leg reaching back rather than up.
Keep your head and chest lifted to finish the shape.
Retrace your pathway to exit.
Common Mistakes
❌Legs passing in the wrong directions
This skill can feel disorienting at first, so double-check your pathway:
One leg through the center. One leg to the outside toward your tricep.
❌Collapsing through the shoulders
If your shoulders sink, your chest may drop and your back can start to arch, placing extra stress on the shoulders. Keep your arms active, internally rotated and squeezed toward your sides while lifting through your chest.
❌Back leg lifting too high
A higher back leg can still create a beautiful shape, it’s just not the Alien Split shape we’re going for here. Think lengthen straight back, not up to create a longer, more parallel line.
A More Advanced Beat Entry
Once you’re comfortable with the static Alien Split, you can try a more advanced entry using beats. This is the version Nafeesa and I incorporated into our Curse act last year!
The beat pathway is:
Front → back → front → back → front into Alien Split
From your beats with straight arms and legs, pass one leg through the center and the other to the outside, lift up and over as you rotate into the Alien Split, draw your chest forward up while you extend your legs away from one another. Then retrace your pathway to exit or add your own flair!
This variation requires more strength, timing, and control, so get comfortable with the static version first.
Happy splitting! đź‘˝
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