Cirque_Physio

Tight lats The latissimus dorsi is the main worker bee for aerialists, pole dancers, gymnasts, and many other upper extremity dominant athletes. Many of us are in the habit of stretching our lats after training, but often we don’t take into account our LAT ANATOMY when we stretch! Check the photo on the to see lat muscle anatomy, and take special note of where they ORIGINATE: our pelvis, sacrum, and lumbar spine (low back)!! SO: although we can go deeper into... the stretch if we let our back arch and our butt stick out (anterior pelvic tilt), we are effectively putting the origin of the lats on SLACK and therefore shifting the focus of the stretch AWAY from the lats. WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE if you’re looking for a non-specific shoulder and upper back stretch, but if we’re trying to focus the stretch to our lats, we MUST keep our back neutral/slightly rounded and our pelvis TUCKED into a posterior pelvic tilt. KEY POINTS for stretching your lats as demonstrated in the BOTTOM photo: keep your low back ROUNDED, not arched at ALL (if your back arches, the ORIGIN of the lats (your lumbar spine) comes closer to the INSERTION (your shoulder) and therefore puts the lats on SLACK, which decreases the specificity of this stretch. RIBS IN! TAIL TUCKED! Remember, that posterior pelvic tilt is what keeps the lats on STRETCH. Shoulders shrugged/elevated (like in a handstand), NOT down and back! (Read more about WHY in a blog post that I’ll link in my story!) Slowly sink chest until you feel a nice stretch in your armpit, back of your shoulder/shoulderblade, or side body. NOTE: you should feel this stretch in the bulk of muscle under your armpit or along the side/back of your ribcage. You should NOT feel this stretch on TOP of your shoulder, or along your anterior deltoid/biceps tendon, or pinching ANYWHERE. If you feel this, go see a physio, because you will NOT make shoulder flexibility progress if you push through this! Questions Comments ConcernsLeave them riiiiight here, and tag a friend who could use this stretch Xo, #cirquephysio See more

Ramping up your ACTIVE split flexibility First of all, there is NOTHING wrong with the picture on the left! It is a GREAT drill for working on PASSIVE split flexibility! HOWEVER, if your intention is to improve your ACTIVE split flexibility for inverted splits, or if you’re trying to decrease your injury risk by narrowing your active/passive flexibility gap, try the exercise on the RIGHT! ... In the drill on the left, the band is doing ALL (or at least most!) of the work for your glutes- the band is pulling you into hip extension, so your glutes say oh neat! I don’t have to do the work right now, I guess I’ll take a nap. In the drill on the RIGHT, your are WAKING UP those glutes by making them do the hip extension at your end range split. And my favorite part: because the band is pulling you into hip ADDUCTION, your gluteus medius (AKA your SIDE BUTT) has to kick in as well, to resist being pulled towards midline! This is a muscle that is VITAL for protecting your hip, knees, and low back during flexibility training, so I *love* a drill that facilitates SIDE BUTT activation IN a split!! If you like this drill and want MORE, be sure to take a peek at MyFLEX: the cirque Physio customized flexibility program that is unique to YOU and YOUR BODY! Registration only opens 3-4 times per year, and it will be OPEN until next week! Click the link below for more info. SO- give this drill a try during your next flexibility session! Want feedback? Post a clip of you doing this drill, tag me, and use the hashtag #cirquephysiosplits! Xo, #CirquePhysio Ps- thanks to The Artist Athlete for being my lovely glute/split model MYFLEX INFO: https://myflex.cirquephysio.com/enrollment/

San Diego!! I’m here until JUNE, and I have a TON of awesome workshops coming your way at the one and only San Diego Circus Center - the first one is NEXT SATURDAY! I’ll be teaching injury prevention AND leg flexibility diagnostics- which is my BRAND NEW workshop series based around my new flexibility training program, MyFLEX! Here’s the quick rundown of dates and times: Save Your Shoulders: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 3/30... Flexibility Diagnostics: 3 part series (must commit to all 3 dates!) PART 1: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 4/13 PART 2: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 4/27 PART 3: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 5/11 For more detailed info, and to sign up, check the links below: Shoulders: https://goteamup.com/p/39027-san-diego-circus-cent//34555/ Flex: https://goteamup.com/p/39027-san-diego-circus-cent//34554/

MyFLEX: IT’S HERE!!!! Ok, its not technically HERE here, but the pre-launch HOLIDAY SALE is here!!! I’ve spent the last several months doing a TOTAL OVERHAUL of my online flexibility programs. Ive been working with the GREATEST web developers, videographers, and all-around MASTERS to help me with my vision: create hyper-customized online flexibility training that turns my brain and my thought process when working with students into a self-assessment base...d algorithm. AND THE FINAL RESULT IS EPIC Want to learn more?? Check it out THIS LINK: http://myflex.cirquephysio.com/holiday-presale/ FREE STUFF!! As an added bonus, if you get in on this holiday sale, you’ll get one month of FREE access to the MyFlex online community facebook group. This is an optional add-on to the MyFLEX program, for those who want a bit more one-on-one attention and feedback! This is the a group where you’ll be able to ask questions about the program, about your progress, AND be able to post videos of any exercises in your program you’d like a form-check on! Additionally, there will be TWO live streams per month (2 hours each) dedicated to Q and A. These live streams will be on a different platform, which will allow students to phone in for live form checks with yours truly! So- you’ll get ONE MONTH FREE if you buy your program before Monday at midnight. SCORE! Alright- I *know* you must have tons of question!! Check the link below for more info, OR drop your questions in the comments section and I'll answer them ASAP!! Katie D Betts, Kevin F. Pietilä, and Shared Culture Concepts, THANK YOU for turning my CRAZY, far-fetched vision into a brilliantly gorgeous reality. You’re the dream team, and I’m SO lucky to have you http://myflex.cirquephysio.com/holiday-presale/

FIX MY MICROBEND!!! In my last #cirquephysio post, I discussed a common reason for the overhead elbow microbend: TIGHT or SHORT lats! Of course, when anyone explains the reason behind an issue in life, or circus, the *obvious* response is: HOW DO I FIX IT?! My darlings, there are MANY ways to address this issue, and obviously, IT DEPENDS!! However, I want to take a moment to highlight one of my favorite, and one of the most often incorrectly-performed, lat ...stretches in performing arts. KEY POINTS: keep your low back ROUNDED, not arched at ALL (if your back arches, the ORIGIN of the lats (your lumbar spine) comes closer to the INSERTION (your shoulder) and therefore puts the lats on SLACK, which decreases the specificity of this stretch. Hold a block in your hands, and keep wrists stacked over elbows (don’t let elbows slide out). RIBS IN! TAIL TUCKED! Remember, that posterior pelvic tilt is what keeps the lats on STRETCH. Shoulders shrugged/elevated (like in a handstand), NOT down and back! (Read more about WHY in a blog post that I’ll link in my story!) Slowly sink chest until you feel a nice stretch in your armpit, back of your shoulder/shoulderblade, or side body. NOTE: you should feel this stretch in the bulk of muscle under your armpit or along the side/back of your ribcage. You should NOT feel this stretch on TOP of your shoulder, or along your anterior deltoid/biceps tendon. Read that again, because its SUPER IMPORTANT. You should NOT feel anything pinching at the top of your shoulder!! If you feel this, get in to see a physio, because you will NOT be making shoulder flex progress- this often means that the muscles on and around your shoulder blade are not working together correctly in this overhead position, and may eventually lead to a shoulder injury if you keep pushing though this stretch!! Questions Comments ConcernsLeave them riiiiight here, and tag a friend who could use this lat stretch

Tight lats The latissimus dorsi is the main worker bee for aerialists, pole dancers, gymnasts, and many other upper extremity dominant athletes. Many of us are in the habit of stretching our lats after training, but often we don’t take into account our LAT ANATOMY when we stretch! Check the photo on the to see lat muscle anatomy, and take special note of where they ORIGINATE: our pelvis, sacrum, and lumbar spine (low back)!! SO: although we can go deeper into... the stretch if we let our back arch and our butt stick out (anterior pelvic tilt), we are effectively putting the origin of the lats on SLACK and therefore shifting the focus of the stretch AWAY from the lats. WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE if you’re looking for a non-specific shoulder and upper back stretch, but if we’re trying to focus the stretch to our lats, we MUST keep our back neutral/slightly rounded and our pelvis TUCKED into a posterior pelvic tilt. KEY POINTS for stretching your lats as demonstrated in the BOTTOM photo: keep your low back ROUNDED, not arched at ALL (if your back arches, the ORIGIN of the lats (your lumbar spine) comes closer to the INSERTION (your shoulder) and therefore puts the lats on SLACK, which decreases the specificity of this stretch. RIBS IN! TAIL TUCKED! Remember, that posterior pelvic tilt is what keeps the lats on STRETCH. Shoulders shrugged/elevated (like in a handstand), NOT down and back! (Read more about WHY in a blog post that I’ll link in my story!) Slowly sink chest until you feel a nice stretch in your armpit, back of your shoulder/shoulderblade, or side body. NOTE: you should feel this stretch in the bulk of muscle under your armpit or along the side/back of your ribcage. You should NOT feel this stretch on TOP of your shoulder, or along your anterior deltoid/biceps tendon, or pinching ANYWHERE. If you feel this, go see a physio, because you will NOT make shoulder flexibility progress if you push through this! Questions Comments ConcernsLeave them riiiiight here, and tag a friend who could use this stretch Xo, #cirquephysio See more

The MICROBEND dilemma: Elbow edition Alright, I hear you! For each person who was like YAS ELBOW HYPEREXTENSION WTF DO I DO ABOUT IT?! There was *another* person being all grumbly, like MY ELBOWS DON’T STRAIGHTEN, HELP! Shh. Its ok; today is YOUR day! Today I’m going to talk about the most common cause for the elbow microbend when arms are overhead, as in a bridge, handstand, or hanging. First, lets do a little test: 1) keep your arms at your sides, and look at your ...elbows. Do they get all the way straight? Let’s assume the answer is yes. Now, compare that elbow position to the position they assume when your arms are overhead (handstand, bridge, etc). If your elbows are STRAIGHT when your arms are at your side, but MICROBEND when they’re overhead, guess whatthe issue is NOT your elbows While this can have multiple causes, the most common one by FAR is tight or short lat muscles (swipe to see a photo of lats). To understand this, lets dive in to a quick #cirquephysio anatomy lesson: lats are HUGE muscles. They start on your pelvis and spine, run all the way up your back, go under your armpit to attach on the FRONT of your arm bone (humerus). They do two main movements: pulling (bringing arm back down towards your side from an overhead position), and shoulder INTERNAL rotation. IF your lats are TIGHT or SHORT, AND you’re doing something where they’re at their maximum length (handstands), AND you’re too stubborn to stop handstanding until your overhead mobility is better, WHAT HAPPENS? What compensation does our body make if we are in a handstand with tight lats, and cannot move the ORIGIN (spine and pelvis) of this muscle group to decrease the stretch? Our body moves the OTHER end of the lats to put them on SLACK so we can stay in the handstand. Functionally, this looks like shoulder INTERNAL rotation and subsequent elbow BENDING. So, how do you fix *most* elbow microbends when arms are overhead? Yep, work on that ACTIVE LAT FLEXIBILITY!! Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave em here, and tag a friend with a pesky elbow micro bend to share the love!

Ramping up your ACTIVE split flexibility First of all, there is NOTHING wrong with the picture on the left! It is a GREAT drill for working on PASSIVE split flexibility! HOWEVER, if your intention is to improve your ACTIVE split flexibility for inverted splits, or if you’re trying to decrease your injury risk by narrowing your active/passive flexibility gap, try the exercise on the RIGHT! ... In the drill on the left, the band is doing ALL (or at least most!) of the work for your glutes- the band is pulling you into hip extension, so your glutes say oh neat! I don’t have to do the work right now, I guess I’ll take a nap. In the drill on the RIGHT, your are WAKING UP those glutes by making them do the hip extension at your end range split. And my favorite part: because the band is pulling you into hip ADDUCTION, your gluteus medius (AKA your SIDE BUTT) has to kick in as well, to resist being pulled towards midline! This is a muscle that is VITAL for protecting your hip, knees, and low back during flexibility training, so I *love* a drill that facilitates SIDE BUTT activation IN a split!! If you like this drill and want MORE, be sure to take a peek at MyFLEX: the cirque Physio customized flexibility program that is unique to YOU and YOUR BODY! Registration only opens 3-4 times per year, and it will be OPEN until next week! Click the link below for more info. SO- give this drill a try during your next flexibility session! Want feedback? Post a clip of you doing this drill, tag me, and use the hashtag #cirquephysiosplits! Xo, #CirquePhysio Ps- thanks to The Artist Athlete for being my lovely glute/split model MYFLEX INFO: https://myflex.cirquephysio.com/enrollment/

San Diego!! I’m here until JUNE, and I have a TON of awesome workshops coming your way at the one and only San Diego Circus Center - the first one is NEXT SATURDAY! I’ll be teaching injury prevention AND leg flexibility diagnostics- which is my BRAND NEW workshop series based around my new flexibility training program, MyFLEX! Here’s the quick rundown of dates and times: Save Your Shoulders: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 3/30... Flexibility Diagnostics: 3 part series (must commit to all 3 dates!) PART 1: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 4/13 PART 2: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 4/27 PART 3: 9:45 - 11:45 AM Saturday 5/11 For more detailed info, and to sign up, check the links below: Shoulders: https://goteamup.com/p/39027-san-diego-circus-cent//34555/ Flex: https://goteamup.com/p/39027-san-diego-circus-cent//34554/

MyFLEX: IT’S HERE!!!! Ok, its not technically HERE here, but the pre-launch HOLIDAY SALE is here!!! I’ve spent the last several months doing a TOTAL OVERHAUL of my online flexibility programs. Ive been working with the GREATEST web developers, videographers, and all-around MASTERS to help me with my vision: create hyper-customized online flexibility training that turns my brain and my thought process when working with students into a self-assessment base...d algorithm. AND THE FINAL RESULT IS EPIC Want to learn more?? Check it out THIS LINK: http://myflex.cirquephysio.com/holiday-presale/ FREE STUFF!! As an added bonus, if you get in on this holiday sale, you’ll get one month of FREE access to the MyFlex online community facebook group. This is an optional add-on to the MyFLEX program, for those who want a bit more one-on-one attention and feedback! This is the a group where you’ll be able to ask questions about the program, about your progress, AND be able to post videos of any exercises in your program you’d like a form-check on! Additionally, there will be TWO live streams per month (2 hours each) dedicated to Q and A. These live streams will be on a different platform, which will allow students to phone in for live form checks with yours truly! So- you’ll get ONE MONTH FREE if you buy your program before Monday at midnight. SCORE! Alright- I *know* you must have tons of question!! Check the link below for more info, OR drop your questions in the comments section and I'll answer them ASAP!! Katie D Betts, Kevin F. Pietilä, and Shared Culture Concepts, THANK YOU for turning my CRAZY, far-fetched vision into a brilliantly gorgeous reality. You’re the dream team, and I’m SO lucky to have you http://myflex.cirquephysio.com/holiday-presale/

FIX MY MICROBEND!!! In my last #cirquephysio post, I discussed a common reason for the overhead elbow microbend: TIGHT or SHORT lats! Of course, when anyone explains the reason behind an issue in life, or circus, the *obvious* response is: HOW DO I FIX IT?! My darlings, there are MANY ways to address this issue, and obviously, IT DEPENDS!! However, I want to take a moment to highlight one of my favorite, and one of the most often incorrectly-performed, lat ...stretches in performing arts. KEY POINTS: keep your low back ROUNDED, not arched at ALL (if your back arches, the ORIGIN of the lats (your lumbar spine) comes closer to the INSERTION (your shoulder) and therefore puts the lats on SLACK, which decreases the specificity of this stretch. Hold a block in your hands, and keep wrists stacked over elbows (don’t let elbows slide out). RIBS IN! TAIL TUCKED! Remember, that posterior pelvic tilt is what keeps the lats on STRETCH. Shoulders shrugged/elevated (like in a handstand), NOT down and back! (Read more about WHY in a blog post that I’ll link in my story!) Slowly sink chest until you feel a nice stretch in your armpit, back of your shoulder/shoulderblade, or side body. NOTE: you should feel this stretch in the bulk of muscle under your armpit or along the side/back of your ribcage. You should NOT feel this stretch on TOP of your shoulder, or along your anterior deltoid/biceps tendon. Read that again, because its SUPER IMPORTANT. You should NOT feel anything pinching at the top of your shoulder!! If you feel this, get in to see a physio, because you will NOT be making shoulder flex progress- this often means that the muscles on and around your shoulder blade are not working together correctly in this overhead position, and may eventually lead to a shoulder injury if you keep pushing though this stretch!! Questions Comments ConcernsLeave them riiiiight here, and tag a friend who could use this lat stretch

The MICROBEND dilemma: Elbow edition Alright, I hear you! For each person who was like YAS ELBOW HYPEREXTENSION WTF DO I DO ABOUT IT?! There was *another* person being all grumbly, like MY ELBOWS DON’T STRAIGHTEN, HELP! Shh. Its ok; today is YOUR day! Today I’m going to talk about the most common cause for the elbow microbend when arms are overhead, as in a bridge, handstand, or hanging. First, lets do a little test: 1) keep your arms at your sides, and look at your ...elbows. Do they get all the way straight? Let’s assume the answer is yes. Now, compare that elbow position to the position they assume when your arms are overhead (handstand, bridge, etc). If your elbows are STRAIGHT when your arms are at your side, but MICROBEND when they’re overhead, guess whatthe issue is NOT your elbows While this can have multiple causes, the most common one by FAR is tight or short lat muscles (swipe to see a photo of lats). To understand this, lets dive in to a quick #cirquephysio anatomy lesson: lats are HUGE muscles. They start on your pelvis and spine, run all the way up your back, go under your armpit to attach on the FRONT of your arm bone (humerus). They do two main movements: pulling (bringing arm back down towards your side from an overhead position), and shoulder INTERNAL rotation. IF your lats are TIGHT or SHORT, AND you’re doing something where they’re at their maximum length (handstands), AND you’re too stubborn to stop handstanding until your overhead mobility is better, WHAT HAPPENS? What compensation does our body make if we are in a handstand with tight lats, and cannot move the ORIGIN (spine and pelvis) of this muscle group to decrease the stretch? Our body moves the OTHER end of the lats to put them on SLACK so we can stay in the handstand. Functionally, this looks like shoulder INTERNAL rotation and subsequent elbow BENDING. So, how do you fix *most* elbow microbends when arms are overhead? Yep, work on that ACTIVE LAT FLEXIBILITY!! Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave em here, and tag a friend with a pesky elbow micro bend to share the love!

The Hyperextension Dilemma- ELBOW EDITION Last week when I did my instagram live on hyperextension in performing arts, most of your questions were about ELBOWS: what to do in a handstand if you hyperextend- do you micro bend until your elbows are straight? Or handstand in your naturally hyperextended angle? What about aerial- back levers? Do elbows have the same rules as knees for hyperextension?? Since there were so many good questions about this, I thought I’d turn it ...into a post all of its own. DISCLAIMER: you know how I said last week that there was an appalling lack of literature on knee hyperextension? Well, there’s even LESS info on elbow hyperextension. As such, this post is almost ENTIRELY formed by my opinion and experience as a physio working with this population, and as a handbalancer and aerialist with substantial elbow hyperextension. The ideas in this post ONLY apply to the NON-INJURED artist. Here are the most COMMON questions that I answered in my instagram live last week, and my answers/thoughts: 1 Do I handstand in a straight vs hyperextended line? In my opinion, NO. This takes substantially more energy and muscle groups (muscle groups that are much smaller than the analogous groups in our legs), and I’ve seen many tendon overuse injuries as a result of hyperextended handbalancers attempting to handstand micro bent with straight elbows. Because we don’t walk around on our hands all day, I se much less repercussion from weightbearing on hyperextended elbows versus knees (remember, we *don’t* want to hang out STANDING in knee hyperextension!!) 2How do I protect my hyperextended elbows so that I can circus FOREVER? The answer to this question, ironically, does NOT lie in our elbows! The best thing we can do to protect hyperextended elbows is to ensure we have enough STRENGTH and MOBILITY in the joints above and below- in our shoulders and wrists. For example: if you lack overhead mobility in your shoulders OR if you lack wrist extension mobility, guess what takes up the slack? Yepyour ELBOWS. To mitigate elbow injuries in the hyperextended handbalancer, we must first ensure our shoulders and wrists are appropriately mobile!! Now, go back and re-read this bullet point, replacing mobility with strength at end range. If our shoulders and wrists are SUPER mobile and LACK strength, this also causes more stress to be absorbed at the elbow. How are we feeling, my friends? What questions about your hyperextended elbows do you still have? Leave ‘em in the comments (and up-vote your favorites by liking them), and I’ll address the top 2-3 in my next post! Peace, love, and safe hyperextension, #cirquephysio

The Hyperextension Dilemma Would you LOOK at those lines?! Her KNEES! Beautiful!! Linesa HOT topic in the circus world, and something we ALL care about! If your knees don’t straighten all the way, or are just barely straight, you are likely on an ENDLESS quest to kill the microbend. But what about those of us who’s knees gopast straight? If you HAVE hyperextension, it can feel like a loaded gunhard to know how to handle itis it bad? Is it good? What do you d...o with it?! This a huge issue in performing arts: Our aesthetic of beauty is often defined by nice lines flat splits or over-splits, a nice toe point, high arches, and knees that are AT LEAST straight, and hopefully hyperextended(I hope you caught the sarcasm in that hopefully) Many sports medicine providers tell us hyperextension is BAD and you should STAY AWAY FROM IT AT ALL COSTS . Then, they stick their heads in the proverbial sand, and just ignore it (and you), hoping it (and you) will go away. However, the circus world tells us that hyperextension is beautiful, and something you should PUSH. So- what’s the truth?! Fear not, friends, I wrote a blog post ALL about it! In this post, I explore the biomechanics of hyperextension, its implications on knee health, and discuss a few ways to deal with it safely and responsibly. NOTE: this blog post is PURELY my (educated) opinion- NOT scientific fact and NOT written in stone Get 10 physios in a room and ask them about hyperextension, and you’ll get about 30 different opinions (#truth) There is a ridiculous lack of evidence in literature about what to do and what NOT to do, so these guidelines are MY OPINION, formed by my unique perspective as a (hyperextended) dancer and circus artist, as well as a highly educated physio. These guidelines are ONLY for the artist WITHOUT PAIN OR INJURY. Have pain? Not sure if this is the best plan for you and YOUR body? See a physio They’ll evaluate you and give you *their* educated opinion. Intrigued? Read the full post through the link below, and tag a hyperextended friend in the comments https://www.cirquephysio.com/the-hyperextension-dilemma/

#CirquePhysioMYTHBUSTING: You’re NOT. Killing. Nerves. You know how when you start training a new aerial skill and OMG IT HURTS SO MUCH THERE’S NO WAY I WILL EVER ADAPT!! And then the next day, your thigh/armpit/foot is covered in burns/bruises/general flesh wounds? And you go around the gym, parading off your new war wounds? And then, like clockwork, one of your circus buddies tells you Don’t worry, the nerves will eventually die and then it won’t hurt! My darlings, NO. Ju...st NO. Nerve death is *not* the mechanism by which painful apparatus tricks become tolerable. Let’s take a moment to discuss a fancy schmancy term that actually IS this mechanism: Peripheral Desensitization. OMG, SO many syllables! Think of how sexy librarian you’ll sound dropping that term at your next circus gathering!! OK, lets unpack this concept. Here’s what happens within your body when you learn an especially ouchy new trick (toe hangs, roll ups, I’m looking at you): After your first toe hang, all of the pain receptors on the top of your feet get SUPER worked up. Next, they send a signal through the nerves up your leg, into your spinal cord, and up to your brain, where you PERCEIVE this horrendous new discomfort. What else happens in your central nervous system after this assault to your feet? Great question. Your CNS responds by activating the inflammatory process LOCALLY at your feet: VERY long story short, your brain flips the switch to release the hormones and neurotransmitters that cause bruising. The same thing happens after an injury, and is a VITAL for self preservation! However, something very different happens when it’s not a true injury, but an innocent Lyra, that causes this process: You train the painful trick for a while, & eventually you stop bruising/feeling horrible pain. We can attribute this to our stubbornly goal-oriented circus selves: we WANT that toe hang, and over time as we keep training these tricks, our CONSCIOUS brains tell our CNS that HEY- this isn’t a threat to our existence! We are FINE. You actually don’t need to give us bruises- we have this under control. And then, our nervous system LISTENS, and we STOP bruising! Isn’t the body incredible?! Peace, love, and peripheral desensitization, #CirquePhysio PS: be sure to tag your nerve-killing #circusbesties in the comments and spread the good word

#CircusForCivilLiberties FUNDRAISER and SALE! Yep, I’m getting political (again). A lot of terrifying and unconstitutional proposals and policies have been emerging from the White House over the past two years- along with potential changes that will VERY negatively impact a HUGE percentage of our circus family. Since Trump has been president, we’ve witnessed efforts from his administration that seriously threaten the basic civil liberties of immigrants, muslims, women, an...d the LGBTQ community. As a result, many of us in the circus community feel upset, scared, and helpless- it’s hard to know what to do and how to help in times like this! There are tons of organizations that are taking impactful steps towards supporting the oppressed communities and fighting back to defend civil liberties. After the latest onslaught of attacks towards the trans community, I’ve decided its time for another FUNDRAISER because I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!! For the next WEEK, I’m having a 20% off SALE on my active flexibility programs (use the code civilliberties). I’ll be donating 75% of all sales to two organizations who are fighting for change: the ACLU and the Trans Lifeline. Additionally, I’m doing a GIVEAWAY: I’ll give THREE FULL SETS of these programs to three randomly selected people who do the following: 1. Share this post on your page 2. Do something kind for someone who’s having a hard time right now. You don’t even have to tell me what it is, just do a random act of kindness. 3. Use the hashtag #CircusForCivilLiberties Thats literally it: Repost and do something NICE! I’ll announce the three winners next Thursday when the sale is OVER. In the meantime, lets band together, fight back, and actively be KIND to each other! The world can definitely use some random acts of kindness right now Peace, love, and kindness, #cirquephysio https://www.cirquephysio.com/flexibility-programs/

OMG YOU GUYS!!! Shannon McKenna (of The Artist Athlete), Rachel Strickland (of The Audacity Project), and I are hosting an AERIAL RETREAT...in february...IN THAILAND!! Aaaaand you should DEFINITELY join us SERIOUSLY- we are pulling out all the stops for this one! Shannon, Rachel , and I created a curriculum to educate, exercise, and excite with zero distractions (except maybe a fabulous sunset or two) from advancing your aerial practice. BRAINS : Learn about a...natomy, biomechanics, flexibility, injury prevention, and so much more from daily workshops with yours truly . BICEPS : Shannon is leading aerial strengthening classes with highly specialized drills to help you bust through plateaus to take your skills to the next level. BLISS : Inspired by her work fostering the growth of artists through The Audacity Project, Rachel will lead classes that look deep into your soul and pull out your inner brilliance. Trust me, you’ve got it, she sees it, and she’ll get you to show it! RETREAT : We’re gonna have skill share and creation classes on Aerial Hoop and Aerial Silks, do photoshoots to die for, take snorkeling excursions, and then hit the bar for some dranks because WE’RE IN THAILAND BEING BADASSES!!! Link to learn more and apply for your spot is below. These will go FAST, so now is TOTES not the time to procrastinate See you in THAILAND https://www.dancesinair.com/brainsbicepsbliss

#cirquephysiorecovery101: Horses before zebras. I love a good zebra as much as the next gal, but when we’re talking recovery, I ALWAYS go back to the basics: SLEEP: Are you getting 8-10 hours REGULARLY?? How’s your wind-down bedtime routine? ... NUTRITION: are you FUELING your body with the good stuff, at the right times, on a regular basis?? HYDRATION: 35-50ml per kilogram of body weight per day. MINIMUM. (Swipe to see an AWESOME graphic posted by @scienceforsport!) Personally, I know if I followed ONLY THESE GUIDELINES, *my* athletic performance would skyrocket. The basics are HARD, but are SO incredibly important. So, my friends, this week I challenge you to pick ONE of these THREE basics that you struggle the most with, and make an actionable goal around it. Then SHARE it in the comments and TAG a friend to join you and keep you accountable! Here are my goals (I made two because I’m an overachiever and I know y’all like examples): 1 This week before bed, instead of spending my last waking minutes scrolling through Instagram, I will: 1. Put my phone on do not disturb mode and forget about it. 2. Make a cup of peppermint tea 3. Read Harry Potter for 15 minutes. 2 Every morning, I will make AND ingest a smoothie with: 1. My fancy schmancy Whole Foods protein powder 2. Hemp hearts 3. banana or raspberries Once we’re solid on the basics, THEN we can move on to the FUN #recoveryzebras!! Peace, love, and #recoveryhorses, #cirquephysio See more

CHICAGO CIRCUS ARTISTS I’m going to be IN YOUR CITY next weekend, September 8-9, teaching workshops at Aloft Circus Arts! I’ve got a TON of great stuff lined up: Save your shoulders: shoulder injury risk assessment and prevention for circus artists and pole dancers... Circus Booty: the key to a pain free spine! Low back injury risk assessment and prevention for circus artists and pole dancers. THREE active flexibility workshops focusing on SPLITS, upper back/shoulders, and low back/hips AND A BRAND SPANKING NEW workshop on how to LEVERAGE your nervous system to boost your training, performance, and recovery (imsoexcited!!!) You can check ‘em out through the link below...and lmk your favorite Chicago things to do/places to eat https://www.aloftloft.com/classes (click fall session: register now then click the physio workshops tab at the top of the screen) by @blindgenius_visuals

#CirquePhysioRecovery101 Now that I’m back from my social media rest week (SO IMPORTANT YOU GUYS!), I’m ready to hit the ground running with our new seriesALL ABOUT RECOVERY!! In this series, I’ll be discussing the importance of rest and recovery in circus arts. We’ll be talking about the physiology of recovery, and what actionable steps you can take to make sure you’re training as safely and efficiently as possible to meet your #CIRCUSGOALS!... Here are some of the questions that will be covered in this series: How much rest and recovery do I *actually* need? What does a rest day actually LOOK like? What CAN I do on a rest day?? What CAN’T I do?? What do I eat?? Can I stretch?! Can I hike?! what about handstands How do I know if I actually NEED a rest day or if I’m just being LAZY?! HOW DO I RESIST THE URGE TO CIRCUS?! IS THERE A SUPPORT GROUP FOR THIS??! Friends, this is one of my absolute FAVORITE topics as a circus physio. It’s wildly important, and aggressively UNDER-discussed. To start, I have TWO questions for you: 1. How many days per week do you NOT circus? 2. When was the last time you took ONE WEEK (7 days) off circusing - that was NOT catalyzed by injury or illness? Leave your answers in the comments, and tag a friend to join you on this #CirquePhysioRecovery101 journey! Have questions? Use that hashtag if you need some MORAL SUPPORT on your recovery journey!! Peace, love, and regularly scheduled rest days, #cirquephysio See more