Chris, the co-founder of Flying Fantastic and a fitness fan who has done martial arts and rugby, explains that he discovered aerial silks fitness programmes when he was in South America. The fastest and most fun way to develop a six pack in his view – and a recent experiment showed that an hour and a half of aerial silks burned 650 calories.
In Buenos Aires there are over 50 classes but he was disappointed to learn there were none when he returned to London (although he found some circus classes which focus on performance rather than fitness), so set up his own.
He explained that as well as the workout, there was a real adrenaline buzz from being in the air – I tried to ignore the fact that he used the word “terrifying” in there somewhere when he talked about being upside down. With his five instructors (who include performers, personal trainers and Pilates instructors) he has already grown the organisation from one class a week to four and aims to add more – possibly also one for those under 16.
The other 17 in the class are probably in the mid-20s to mid-30s age range although Chris explains that younger and considerably older people have attended. There are two young men amongst the women of assorted shapes and sizes and a girl who attended a similar class in Amsterdam. There’s one other newbie – a chap who looks pretty confident. Dress is informal – tee shirts and leggings that leave the ankles free. Everyone is barefoot (so check out your pedicure before attending).
There’s a 20 minute warm up on mats at one end of the hall – lots of loosening of those shoulder joints, some light cardio and some leg stretches and a few roll downs. Apparently, while upper body strength is developed by the exercises – the aerial work really uses your core tummy muscles – that accounts for the six pack comment then. The silks – in red, purple, blue, yellow and green – are hanging in innocent twists like tied back curtains over mats further down the hall.
Then the class is put into groups of three and each is allocated to a silk – which, after a quick tug, unravels smoothly. The regulars are straight into their first exercises, looping the silk around one foot and pulling themselves up (climbing) and stretching and inverting. One or two tuck their bodies in – while in the air.
The newbies watch in a mixture of excitement and incredulity and wait patiently for the instructors to come over. The instructors are kind and patient. Explaining how to do that silk-looping thing (“the silks are always in the middle”) and making encouraging noises as you try to ascend. The newbie guy is up in the air pretty quick. Gulp.
The others are now going into straddles (legs apart) and pikes (legs together) and even needles (legs together upside down). They are doing around 10 to 20 repetitions under the guidance of the instructors. Some are way up in the air, some are nearer to the floor mats. Those who are able to do the various positions are coached in how to achieve better balance. Those who are having difficulty with the silk looping thing are helped and guided.
The camaraderie and encouragement of the team members is intense – and surprising bearing in mind that most only met a few minutes previously. No one seems to mind that some of the positions are less than elegant (bottoms in the air). There’s no rivalry – just mutual encouragement (and admiration in one or two cases). One or two start doing some pushovers – their feet moving over their heads in a kind of aerial roll.
The new guy is back in the air again and doing some impressive work – and he’s only been going 15 minutes. Another relatively new guy – a dancer apparently with some decent pecs – is almost perfect holding his arms outstretched (clutching the silks, obviously) and legs outstretched in front of him straightaway. Without wobbling. But there are plenty of others who are laughing as they practice repeatedly. We are here for fun and fitness, rather than a Cirque Du Soleil performance after all.
Towards the end of the class, the more experienced folk are twisting silks round their wrists and ankles, and doing the splits. In the air. This pulls the silks into an attractive circle around them which does look professional performer standard. One or two of the girls manage to get their legs into perfect splits – and they look fantastic. The sense of achievement in their eyes is there although you can also see the exertion on their faces. But everyone – including the newbies – is smiling.
Further details from http://www.flyingfantastic.co.uk/ Classes on Monday and Tuesday evening in Battersea (about a 15 minute walk from Battersea Park or Queenstown Road stations) and in Farringdon on other days. One off classes are £18 but bundles of four and eight classes provide discounts bringing the cost down to £15. There are also aerial hoops classes. There are drop in and online booking sessions.
