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Hopefully Wilhelmina's email doesn't turn anyone off. Most of the injuries I've seen (including my own) are due to repeated wear and tear. Yes I end up with bruises, ripped callouses, and general exhaustion -- but I'm working toward flying without safety lines -- I take class twice (sometimes thrice) a week, go to yoga twice a week, and run every single day. I expect pain because I'm training hard. As for anyone new to flying trapeze, will you be sore the next day? Most likely -- but that happens whenever you start a new activity/sport because you're using muscles you probably didn't know you had (can you say lats<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latissimus_dorsi_muscle>?). Will you end up with a serious injury after your first class -- most likely not. The activities are designed for a beginner and the staff won't push you beyond your limits, as long as you listen to what they tell you. So if you're interested, please sign up<http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/2013_social_activities#Flying_Trapeze>! It'll definitely get your adrenaline pumping. Rosalyn On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 3:58 PM, Wilhelmina Randtke <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > Speaking from experience, everything, everything in circus hurts. When I > was doing it, and I did whimpy things, I remember wearing a tank top once, > and others around me being horrified by the size and quantity of bruises on > my torso. I have seen more skinned necks and knee pits than I can count > from Chinese pole and trapeze. Blood stains on circus rigging are normal. > > Here are some less painful circus acts: > > Cloud swing has some cool looking tricks that do not hurt so much. This > is where a thick rope hangs from the cieling in a wide U shape, and you sit > on it like you would a swing set, and get it swinging like a swing set. > Then you can lie down on it, stand on it, wrap your feet around it and hang > upside down, etc. If anyone offers lessons in this, then this is the best > air act for you to try. > > Happily, falling into a net does not hurt. What hurts in air acts is > being stretched when you hang, and skinning or bruising body parts on > rigging. > > The least painful circus act, to my knowledge, is bicycle tricks like 5 > people on a bike at the same time. As long as you do things where you > climb on and off the moving bike in sync with someone else to balance the > weight, and do not climb onto the shoulders of the bike rider, or anyone > else, this is painless and feels safe. Some things that look hard, like > wrapping a leg around the bike rider, grabbing you knee with your elbow, > and straightening your other arm and leg so that you stick out and are worn > like a belt, are much easier than they look. Bicycle tricks are also more > about timing than strength, although you can do more if you have a strong > core and are flexible. Sadly, more impressive bike tricks also hurt more, > and you have to practice with a partner who will balance your weight as you > move around the bike. You also need someone to ride the bike around while > you do tricks, and the experience will be intensely painful for that > person. > > Contact juggling can be pain free. The kind where you roll a ball around on > your hands, and devil sticks are painless learn and do. Poi is possible, > even with no eyesight, but learning poi involves repeatedly hitting > yourself. It is probably more painful for men to learn than women (men > should wear a cup while learning). Ball juggling is more about timing, and > all the catches are close to you. Ball juggling is not painful, as long as > you juggle light weight things. > > Hand balancing can be painless, and generally you are low to the ground. > You have to be althetic to have any height to fall from. Sadly, the tricks > that look really good are harder tricks that require more strength and > flexibility. > > -Wilhelmina Randtke > > On Fri, Dec 14, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Karen Coyle <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > Rosalyn, > > > > Since others may be in similar circumstances, I thought I'd ask this on > > the list: > > > > The idea of flying is intriguing... > > > > > > however .... > > > > > > due to my age (63), my eyesight (abysmal), and my intense vertigo (my > mind > > thinks changing an overhead light bulb is a life-threatening act), is > there > > something fun that can be done low to the ground and clumsily? Like maybe > > jumping into the net from the second rung of the ladder? Because I'd love > > to try something like that. > > > > Thanks, > > kc > > > > -- > > Karen Coyle > > [log in to unmask] http://kcoyle.net > > ph: 1-510-540-7596 > > m: 1-510-435-8234 > > skype: kcoylenet > > >