28 Dec Kids can fly at Flex! And they love it…
Anna Agawa is one of Flex’s two aerial instructors. She recently took some time out of her FlexKids and Teens aerial classes to find out exactly what it was that the kids loved about playing around in silks. Apart from how much fun they have, it’s the swinging and the flipping they love. And most of them find it helps with their flexibility, strength and other sports, plus adds to their confidence too.
Lana LaBelle does running and used to swim regularly too, as well as booking in for her aerial classes.
“I like aerial because it helps loosen your muscles if they are sore and also makes you more flexible and it’s really fun.
“I feel more flexible because before I couldn’t really do the splits and barely open my legs to V-shape, but now I can expand my legs more.” She adds, “I feel stronger in my arms too as sometimes in the warm up we do the hanging exercise and that has helped me.”
When asked how aerial has helped her other activities, she answered, “I think aerial helps me with running because I think it makes my muscles stronger, in my legs and arms, and I have more form in my body when I run.”
Megan Hui does swimming, rugby and tap dancing. “Aerial silk makes me more flexible so in rugby I can stretch my legs and run faster,” she says.
Her favourite thing about aerial? “I just like hanging upside down. I like playing with the aerial silks. And I’m able to pull myself up more easily.”
Does she have better balance and flexibility? “Uhuh!”
Jaime Shih fills her free time with swimming, running and playing on the monkey bars in the park opposite her house. “I like the swinging part of aerial,” she says. “And I like flipping!”
“I feel I can balance more. I can do something difficult, and I am strong. And braver. It makes my arms stronger and I feel braver in my swimming lessons.”
Her sister Abigail Shih agrees, saying, “I like swinging.” But when asked if she feels stronger, she replies, “Not strong.” More flexible? “Nope.” Taller or longer? “Nope!” Braver? “Think not!”
However, a quick note from Anna her instructor. “Abigail may have said “Nope” during her whole interview, but she’s actually one my most promising students, and she’s the youngest of all the aerial kids.
And their mum says that aerial classes have made her daughters incredibly brave when they go rock climbing, giving them such agility and strength they were able to reach the top of the wall while other children held back.
Anna Lee is super sporty and does running, rugby, horse riding, swimming and ballet as well as classes at Flex!
“I guess aerial has helped me be more flexible for ballet. I think my torso is stronger – it used to hurt when I arched my back but it doesn’t any more.”
And aerial helps her feel stronger for swimming too. “My arms feel stronger than my legs now, and I feel I can pull my whole weight with my arms. My mum wants me to get taller so she wants me to stretch because if I get taller it is easier to glide in the water.”
She loves practicing aerial, because, “You get to work with the fabric and not just yourself, and you get to be in the air. I like helping the other kids if they can’t do a pose, and give them tips on how I do it.”
Mimi Gordon isn’t really into sports but she feels like aerial helps her with other activities.
She says, “My favourite part is each time doing better and better. I get more consistent each week. I notice a huge improvement each week, even when I haven’t practiced so much. And my core strength – I can really hold myself up, can even pull myself off the ground for a few seconds now.”
She also adds, “And it’s a lot of fun!”
Michelle Lau fits running as well as Flex into her busy days, and says, “My spine is stretched. I stand taller. Also I’m stronger than before.”
“I run a lot, about five miles a week. Aerial helps my muscles relax and makes me stronger in a way – helps me run faster. And yes, I feel more balanced and creative as well.”
She really appreciates the opportunity to wind down a bit, that it brings too. “My favourite part is coming in and getting time to relax and forget about everything else we have to do later in the day and just have fun!”
Check out the aerial classes especially for FlexTeens and FlexKids classes included in the 2017 Winter Term. Check out the schedule with instructors like Anna and introduce your child to flying in the studio.
