Aaron Koz

Movement, Circus, and Aerial Coach

Work with me

1-to-1s & Monthly

1-to-1s & Monthly

Work with me online or in-person

Retreats / Intensives

Retreats / Intensives

Maybe a week somewhere sunny?

E-Manuals

E-Manuals

All the technique written down.

L1/L2 Teacher Trainings

L1/L2 Teacher Trainings

Learn to teach & perform straps.

About Aaron Koz

Aaron Koz is a world-class aerial coach and mostly retired performer with 10+ years  coaching aerial, fitness, and wellness drawing from current research in human performance, motor learning, and exercise science.

Koz has taught students on every continent  (yes, including research scientists in Antarctica), ranging from happily recreational to Cirque Du Soleil performers. Online teacher/performer training courses and workshops have spread a unique science-backed training methodology to hundreds of coaches and thousands of students worldwide. 

Read more about Aaron

Koz has authored several comprehensive e-manuals, including “All Apparatus C-Shaping,” “The Aerial Spinning Reference Guide,” “The Aerial Swinging Reference Guide”, “C-Shaping At Home,” and has co-authored e-manuals on advanced 1 & 2-arm swinging as well “Couch To Aerial Fitness” and “Aerial Straps Level 1 Teaser.”

Aaron currently works as a health, wellness, and performance coach with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and goals outside of his aerial coaching work. He uses his background in neuroscience and his extensive experience in strength and skill training to empower individuals to unlock their full potential for Fount.bio, a human performance optimization coaching service.

Aaron’s fitness and longevity coaching approach is supported by his past work in the Fitness, Aging, & Stress Lab at UCSF in San Francisco, where he delved into the effects of cortisol on telomerase and other blood marker levels, and whether coaching could support high cortisol individuals in getting the CDC-recommended guidelines of exercise.

Aaron’s personal training journey in aerial arts and coaching began in Washington, D.C. before he ventured to New York City, where he embarked on Circus Warehouse’s intensive program. Seeking continuous growth, he sought training under elite coaches in San Francisco, Montreal, and Mexico, further refining his skills and expanding his repertoire. Drawing from his background in neuroscience, Aaron brings a unique perspective to his coaching and personal training informed by his natural utter lack of motor control, all while effectively integrating scientific principles into his pedagogy.

In his pursuit of constant learning and growth, Aaron actively collaborates with other experts in the field, ranging from physical therapists, performance psychologists, and occupational therapists, enriching his coaching offerings. This collaboration ensures the physical and psychological safety and well-being of his students while optimizing their progress and preventing injuries.

Aaron Koz – Performer

Aaron Koz is an aerialist specializing in aerial straps, hand-to-hand, and duo aerial.

Most recently, he performed aerial straps in Saudi Arabia with The Tap Factory. He has been in shows up and down the west coast for festivals, clubs, corporate events, lead aerialist for Cedar Point’s nightly show as well as local cabarets and full length circus shows. Moving from Washington, D.C. to NYC, he began at Circus Warehouse’s intensive program, and has since studied under different coaches in SF, Montreal, and Mexico. He enjoys adding comedy through clowning and puppetry to his straps and hand-to-hand acts.

1-to-1s and Coaching

1-on-1 online or in-person coaching 

These are for you if you want expert assessment and guidance on:

 

  • how to unlock a specific movement or skill;
    aerial straps, aerial rope, swinging/spinning, c-shaping, or rings
  • evidence-based guidance for your own aerial, circus, or fitness program
  • general fitness and personal training for life, aerial, circus, calisthenics
  • sleep analysis + sleep coaching
  • pain science education to reduce pain perception
  • injury risk reduction strategies and tools
  • how to modify/adapt/structure your life to optimize for circus gains
  • bloodwork analysis for sports performance optimization

Reactive Monthly Custom Programs

Customized monthly programming based on your current level for all your physical training goals!

No program should stay the same over the course of 4, 6, or even 12 weeks. Unless your life is static and you’re training for a scheduled event, planning 12 weeks out isn’t truly ideal for allowing for the changes you may experience in life and training. Monthly coaching gives you an open channel direct to your coach  so your program adapts to the different wins, progress, and challenges you’re facing in your life.

Trainings & Retreats

MTL Straps Lab Levels 1 and 2

MTL Straps Lab Levels 1 and 2

July 2nd – July 15, 2025

Last year’s was a blast. This year is going to be even better. With a student:aerial point ratio of 2:1 and a student:coach ratio of 10:1, the lab is focused on providing a years worth of straps material in 5 days. Take home skills, drills,, cues, and pathways and new straps friends from all over! 

Tropical Straps Party Mexico!

Tropical Straps Party Mexico!

February 8th – 15th, 2025

Escape dreary winter for a beach-side aerial straps & handstand retreat on the Oaxacan coast in southern Mexico. Warm sunny days, tropical smoothies, on an outdoor aerial deck raised above the beach, and aerial straps friends the world over!

Portugal Straps & Rope Retreat

Portugal Straps & Rope Retreat

April 6th - 13th, 2025

 Join Koz and Alex Allan for 7 days of pastel di natas, aerial straps and rope on an outdoor aerial rig raised above the Portuguese beach, a hot tub (aka the Think Tank), and a heckin’ dang good time. 

Testimonials

I took an aerial straps workshop when Aaron was traveling on the east coast. He is an incredible instructor with such important knowledge about the body and how it works.

He was great at spotting and I left the workshop feeling much stronger and capable than before it. I also worked on skills that I thought were completely out of my range and felt successful. Aaron is an all around great instructor and I am so glad I had the opportunity to train with him!

Katie Rothweiler

Aaron’s knowledge of anatomy and movement is vast and well applied in how he sequences teaching handstands. He is warm, personable, well-organized and thoughtful with his instructions. His approach is inventive and reflects a deep understanding of the body works.
I always enjoy his classes and am left with a feeling that i have worked worked harder and more intelligently than I could have without his expertise. He clearly knows his stuff which he offers with light-hearted inspiration.

Carl G.

Oakland, CA

In my own aerial journey, I had a move I had been working on for ten months (an arduous ten months!)–the flare to flag. He had developed his own scaffolding for that particular move–a variety of warm-ups and “floorial” and isometric positions. I went through it in the space of one workshop, a few days of training, and then a private lesson, and then, on video no less, at the end of the hour I did it for the first time in my life. Other coaches and tried to get me there, but the cueing was all the same–because it was all the same thing their teachers had told them.

Alex Rowland

Teacher Training

Aerial Straps Level 1 Teacher & Performer Training

• Guest Lectures by Max March-Steinman (@bo_ties), Sebastian Rojas (@aregularpieceofasparagus), Francesco Lanciotti (@ceccofoile), & more!
• Participants will receive the Aerial Straps Level 1 Skill Reference List for use after the training
• Skill reference (with 100+ videos) of static positions, dynamic techniques, skills and transitions
• C-shaping, swinging, spinning, and strength training foundations and Analysis for ALL aerial apparatus
• Spotting and un-spotted teaching technique discussion
• Progressions/regressions using multiple apparatus geared towards training straps-style skills safely
• Curriculum development and class planning practice
• Identifying common problems in static straps techniques and pathways
• Developing effective teaching practices based on current learning research
• Focuses on both strength and conditioning as well as movement patterning
• Fun and varied warm-ups and lesson guidance to use in the future
• Functional anatomy/physiology/kinesiology
• Shoulder/thoracic spine health/injury prevention

Aerial Straps L2 Teacher & Performer Training

• Participants will receive the Level 2 Skill Reference List for use after the training
• In-depth skill investigation for: 1-arm switches, 1-arm swings, 1-arm spins, intermediate/advanced sequencing like split grip, sling, and open-handed transitions, intermediate drops, waist rolling, and 1-arm strength skills.
• Ergonomic and effective spotting technique for: all 1-arm switches, 1-arm inversions, spotting intermediate/advanced swinging skills, and waist rolling.
• The benefits and tools to implement effective off-apparatus training
• How to use sport psychology principles in your coaching practice with intermediate/advanced performers
• Private lesson/workshop programming
• Identifying common problems and things that can increase injury risk in DYNAMIC techniques and pathways
• How to approach (re)patterning of skill pathways that are limiting the athlete’s success.
• Tendinopathies and risk management strategies
• Skill Acquisition strategies (segmentation, fast vs. slow., guided inquiry vs. discovery, external cueing, etc)
• Advanced in-depth anatomy/physiology/kinesiology for 1-arm skills – what is happening during skills.
• Using an “occupational therapy” framework to coaching around/through injuries

CircSci: A podcast on the science of circus training and performing.

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CircSci

E-Manuals

These manuals go into every minute detail you need to understand and follow along with all of the skills and conditioning you need.

Thoughts

Aerial Straps Review Pt. 3 – Caffeinated Acrobat Straps

Caffeinated Acrobat straps are made by a straps artist with safety, grip, and comfort as the priorities, and it shows. I trust them quite a lot, find them versatile, and still quite comfy (but not as comfy as some of the microsuede/velvet makes).  Total scoresPrice: ...

Aerial Straps Review Series Pt. 2 – Lyons Straps

Straps made by a straps-mom. Lyon Straps are new on the scene, but so far have been slinging straps left and right to folks who last minute need new pairs and are based in the US or CA. Overall, they're a solid option for pretty comfy straps for nearly all skills. ...

Aerial Straps Review Series – Pt. 1

Alright y'all, so I'm starting a new series based on the many questions I get about what straps I use, where to buy them, and the pros and cons of each of the different styles and producers of straps. This was partially prompted by my video of single strap breaking on...

Language Use, Perfectionism, and Nervous System Regulation – How They Impact Our Training/Performing ft. Janelle of CirquePsych

Alright, y’all, we’ve got a new episode up with @janelledinosaurs AKA @cirque_psych (LSW). In this episode, we covered how the language we use can impact our physiological response in training, the benefits and detriments of perfectionism as it applies to training,...

Autoregulation, Minimum Effective Dose, and Oral Contraceptive Use on Maximal Strength Output (ft. Dr. Eric Helms)

Ever been curious about how to assess when to stop training a dynamic aerial skill versus a strength skill? In this episode of CircSci, we explore the way you can use autoregulation and repetitions left in reserve to pick sets/reps and load for differing types of...

Hormonal Cycle Periodization – The Pun Wasn’t Made

Interview with Jess Allen - @awyrol - who is an aerial instructor/performer in Wales, has completed two PhD's, and has spent the pandemic looking into periodization into relation to hormonal changes because she's a bit mental (in the best way!). We cover the effects...

Aerial Exercise FOMO – When to Throw a Drill Out?

You’ve probably seen the MULTITUDE of new mobility, proprioceptive, prehab drills, and other exercises being posted on the internet since the start of the pandemic, and you might be thinking;

“Shit, I need to do all of those to make sure my body is properly warmed up, and I’m not missing anything in my conditioning or training!”

Aerial has TON of requirements on the body so it can be easy to feel like we need to do a ton of drills to address those requirements. But maybe we don’t!

Are common Aerial Strength Training models wrong? Considering Autoregulation in Circus

This article was inspired by research synthesized by the amazing folks (Greg Nuchols and Eric Helms) at MASS (where they review loads of research on lifting) with a focus on application to aerial and circus training. Traditional circus training is a world unto its...

Periodization in Circus Training (And a Readiness to Train assessment tool) – OR How to Make Gains and Not Waste Your Time

Feeling like you can’t keep up with all the skills you *need* to work on? Some weeks you succeed more at that one skill than you expected and then you regress (or feel like where did that skill go)? Not sure how to structure your training to make efficient gains?

Be negative (eccentrics) for safety!

Eccentrics (Negatives) for Safety/Injury Prevention One of the litmus tests that I use before sending someone on their merry way to begin dynamic movement in a certain pathway is whether or not they can do the eccentric/negative with control. For example, if you were...

Get in touch

Any questions just let me know! or email koz.circ@gmail.com