Technique Tip: Hip Swivels
- Aerial Physique
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
Hip Swivels are a fun, dynamic way to change direction between inversions, but they’re definitely what I call a journey skill!
This is an intermediate/advanced skill, but even if you’re not quite ready for the full Hip Swivel yet, there are progressions you can start working on now to build the strength, coordination and technique needed to get there.
If your Hip Swivels currently feel a little clunky, don’t worry! This skill usually takes time to develop, and consistently working through the right progressions can make a big difference.
See below for a video breakdown, progressions and tips! ⤵️
1. Learn the Leg Pathway
Before taking your Hip Swivels into the air, make sure you understand the coordination of the legs. One leg leads and the other follows.
When you’re hanging on the silk, the leg closest to the silk leads, followed by the opposite leg. As your legs travel, allow your hips to turn to the side and your arms to lift. That side rotation is an important part of creating a clear pathway around the silk.
Practice the pathway from the floor first with your arms so it starts to feel natural before adding the demands of hanging and inverting.
2. Build a Strong Straight-Arm Hang
Hip Swivels require a good amount of grip and straight-arm hanging strength.
Before working on the full skill, get comfortable hanging with long arms while maintaining an active, strong position through your shoulders.
Aim to hold for approximately 15–30 seconds, and make sure you practice with either hand on top since you’ll need to be comfortable switching sides.
If simply maintaining the hang is already exhausting your grip, spend more time building this foundation before adding the full skill.
3. Add the Leg Pathway to Your Hang
Once your straight-arm hang feels strong, begin practicing the same leg pathway from the air. Remember: The leg closest to the silk leads. The other leg follows.
As the first leg lifts, turn your hips toward the side before the second leg follows.
Try to create enough rotation that your legs have a clear pathway around the silk rather than kicking into it.
4. Strengthen Your Pike & Straight-Arm Inversion
Straight-arm pike lifts are a great conditioning exercise for Hip Swivels because they help strengthen the lift of the legs while maintaining long arms. It's also helpful to have a strong, straight-arm inversion.
You are inverting with straight arms during a Hip Swivel, although the momentum generated by the swinging pathway can assist the final lift into the inversion. As you put everything together, think:
Lead leg → turn the hips → follow leg → invert.
The smoother your pathway becomes, the more effortless the skill will begin to feel.
Common Hip Swivel Mistakes
❌Not Turning the Hips Enough
If you stay too square to the silk, your legs may end up kicking directly into the fabric.
Allow your hips to rotate toward the side as your lead leg travels. You’re creating space for your legs to move around the silk rather than through it.
❌Bending the Arms Between Sides
Bending your arms isn’t necessarily wrong, it creates a different movement.
When you bend your elbows, you break some of the momentum between each side. You can still perform the skill this way, but if you’re working toward continuous straight-arm Hip Swivels, focus on maintaining long arms throughout the transition.
❌Leading With the Wrong Leg
The coordination can take some practice! Remember that the leg closest to the silk leads first, followed by the other leg. If things suddenly feel tangled or you find yourself kicking the silk, double-check which leg you’re initiating with.
❌“Let Me Try One More Time…”
…when you already know your grip is exhausted. 😅
Hip Swivels are demanding on your grip, especially when you’re practicing multiple repetitions. Give yourself enough rest between attempts and pay attention to grip fatigue. If you feel your grip beginning to fail, come down and rest rather than squeezing in another attempt.
Unless you have cat-like reflexes and claws 🐱, losing your grip mid-skill can result in a fall! If your grip is starting to feel fatigued, come down, take a proper rest, and save that “one more try” for when your hands are ready.
Keep Working Through the Progressions
Hip Swivels may not happen in one or two classes and that’s completely normal.
Build your straight-arm hang, practice the leg pathway, strengthen your pike and inversion, and gradually start putting the pieces together.
Stay consistent with the progressions, and over time your Hip Swivels can become smoother, stronger and much more dynamic! 🌀
And since a strong straight-arm inversion is an important piece of this skill, want to strengthen yours?
💪 Join me for my FREE 5-Day Straight-Arm Inversion Challenge, starting September 1st! You’ll get one effective exercise each day that you can do from home to work on some of the key components that contribute to a stronger straight-arm invert. JOIN THE FREE 5-DAY CHALLENGE →
