Aerial Straps Level 1 Teacher and Performer Training
Asynchronous & Online, September-December, 2023 – Worldwide
Created and produced by Aaron Koz, of CircSci, the Level 1 Straps Teacher and Performer Training draws on over 10 years of aerial and movement instruction experience in the field. Key information will be shared via lectures, group discussion, and embodied practical application of the concepts addressed – lesson and curriculum development, skills, spotting techniques, safety, anatomy, injury prevention, creativity, progression, grip strength training, and dynamic and strength technique and teaching tips.
The training aids aerial teachers in building their teaching and periodization knowledge as well as straps style techniques (using straps and other apparatus!). During the training, participants will learn a range of static straps skills, transitions, relevant progressions/regressions, and spotting/self-spotting techniques. The training has been built in collaboration from Australian and US physical and myotherapists focusing on injury risk reduction.
The training is geared towards scalability and building lesson plans that allow for safe progression for your own training or for students in a group class (without solely being a straps conditioning class, building strength and pathways over time). Functional anatomy/physiology and appropriate strengthening/injury prevention will also be covered to build awareness of encouraged biomechanics specific to static and dynamic straps-style skills.
Students will, over the course of the 4 sections (3-4 months), have:
– Independent study (lectures, video tutorials, and homework – 10-15 hours
– Skill and progression practice – 10-15 hours
– Video reviews and peer assessment/analysis – 5-10 hours
– Live Zoom class – 10-12 hours
Zoom Class Times:
Sundays – time/season TBD – express your preferences in the application!
Each week, students will have assigned practical (skill-review) and theory-based homework (including video lectures, quizzes, class planning, biomechanics, and periodization assignments.
The pre-training portion of the course opens TBD for 2024. If you’re interested in attending, submit a registration form, and you will be the first to know when dates/times are announced!
Program Highlights
• Participants will receive the Aerial Straps Level 1 Skill Reference List for use after the training
• Skill reference (with videos) of static positions, dynamic techniques, skills and transitions
• 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 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 plans to use in the future
• Functional anatomy/physiology/kinesiology
• Shoulder/thoracic spine health/injury prevention
General Suggested (but not required) Prerequisites
Physical/practical prerequisites are encouraged for embodied understanding, but are not required for the practical section::
• Minimum of 1-2 years aerial/gymnastics/movement teaching experience (does not include aerial yoga) OR 2-3 years seriously training vertical aerial apparatus
• 2-5 pull-ups from dead hang and 3-5 dips from support position
• Ability to safely straight arm invert in the air multiple times
• Comfort in skin the cat
• 30 seconds – 1 min single arm hold (in a wrist lock) with hollow body and shoulder engagement
• Ability to hold 1 arm meathook and support position for 5-10 seconds or more
• False grip leg raises (toes to bar) – 3-5
• Experience training spinning and swinging skills like flares and beats/swings
• Experience training for reverse meathooks (or at minimum back balances on rope/fabric)
Applicants are recommended to submit an audition video (including as many of the skills you can safely do found in the video) in addition to the application form.
Pricing:
Your application will only be eligible for early bird price if the registration form is fully complete with videos and a $25 application fee submitted before the early bird deadline (with the deposit sent in upon application review).
Full Pricing and Payment Plans:
The total price paid upfront (to be sent in no later than the start date), 2 monthly payments (to be sent in 2 months before the end of the L1), or 3 monthly payments (be sent in 1 month before the end of the L1).
Once your application is reviewed, there may be questions about your application videos, or rigging. You will have one week from the request to resubmit any further materials in order to guarantee your early bird price. Once your application is successfully reviewed, you must submit a $300 non-refundable deposit before the early bird deadline to reserve your spot.
To reserve your spot in the teacher training after the early bird deadline of TBD, a minimum non-refundable deposit of $350 no later than 1 week after acceptance of your application.
Payment can be submitted via Interac (Canadian), CashApp ($kozaaron)/Paypal (aaron.kozloff@gmail.com, friends and family)/Revolut/Transferwise – all payment amounts must take into account any added fees/currency exchange fees. If you are based outside the U.S., do not use Paypal unless you want to risk added fees.
After the teacher training has started, the fee is non-refundable, but if life happens, you can postpone attendance to the next L1 training. If you wish to extend access to the learning platform, we can do this!
For more information, email koz.circ@gmail.com
“Anatomy focus, progressions clearly given–with care to address possible issues in students and how to correct. Lots of hands on time to practice spotting and various drills to feel skill in body correctly.”
“The manual provided was in depth and very informative. I gained knowledge not only for my students but also for my person goals relating to straps training. The content was on point! I thought I knew a lot and I still came away with more skills and knowledge of pathways in my repertoire.”
“wow, a lot of stuff-
# I learned the importance of giving students 10-15 minutes during class to review stuff by their own choice
# the importance of being specific as possible in warm-ups # learned how to approach and build needed strength for pushing stuff (the part 1 support drills were new to me)
# that breaks are important for learning process
# got reminded that it׳s more important to keep the student safe than them trying a skill they are not ready for”
“Excellent explanations of how to prep, spot, and teach skills to those with no experience. Lots of fun! Good pacing. Made us critically think about how to teach.”
“You don’t have to explain how your training is different to anyone who has seen your content. It’s different in every imaginable way from the other trainings I have taken. And I think I have taken exclusively good ones.”
“I’d recommend it because it has all the important information one needs to have to become a good & fun aerial straps teacher. I feel I know more about straps than I did as a student learning it intensively from different teachers. I have a lot of progressions and tools for it to be accessible to anyone! You understand so much about the body, how to train/teach, and progress and have fun!!
Different than the typical switches training most straps classes are about regardless of ones level. It’s a good foundation for someone wishing to become a straps artist or teacher! Lots of knowledge to help you go deeper into straps.”
