2023 Author: Jessica James | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 03:31
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As far back as I can remember, I always shied away from physical education. Collective kicks and push-ups still do not delight me, and the paid subscription to the gym has been reproachfully gathering dust on the table for several months. In general, the fitness boom has clearly passed me by. On the other hand, I love outdoor games, enjoy cycling and rowing a boat. Maybe it's not natural laziness, but the boredom that you experience from monotonous exercises in a stuffy room?
While I was going over in my mind all kinds of activities like dancing and Russian sambo, BeautyHack received a tempting offer to visit the recently opened sports and circus school "Trapezia Yota". Not every day you get the chance to feel like a "princess of the circus", so I happily agreed to a few workouts.
About trapezium
"Trapezium Yota" first appeared in Russia just a couple of months ago, so I will briefly tell you what it is. In fact, the trapezoid is only one, albeit central, element of the whole sports complex. The acrobatics school includes several directions: jumping on a trampoline, walking on a tightrope, air gymnastics on rings and ribbons, as well as rotating a hoop and juggling.
You can join a mini-group or sign up for an individual lesson. By the way, it is better to take a one-time workout for the first time. If you like it, I advise you to purchase a subscription - it is cheaper this way, and it also gives you the opportunity to participate in a real circus performance at the end of the course. Classes on the trapeze itself are included in the group training, but you can pay for flights separately and get an additional dose of adrenaline.
The equipment for training is minimal: soft leggings of any length and with the most natural composition are suitable for hiking the trapeze. Do not wear shorts or loose pants; they will be uncomfortable during vigorous exercise. Top - any cotton T-shirt, and I advise you to wear a sports bra under it. Personally, I chose long, comfortable leggings and a loose Puma T-shirt that does not hold down movement. Shoes are practically not needed, except for dashes between different training zones, because all gymnastic elements are performed barefoot. By the way, at first I was wearing socks, but they slipped along the rope and rings, so I had to take them off.
Training on shells
If you plan to get to Trapezium Yota on your own, then get ready for a long journey through the dug up Luzhniki Stadium. For me, half an hour with a heavy backpack in the scorching sun is comparable to a full workout.
Finally, I am there. I quickly change clothes and go to warm up with a trainer: I need to thoroughly warm up my joints and muscles before the upcoming load. The first point of our lesson is a trampoline, which I climb with delight. First, they teach me how to push off and land correctly, and then we move on to simple tricks, during which it is very important to look ahead, otherwise you start to fall on your side or lose coordination. You can also turn in a jump, controlling your hands - the sensations are simply amazing, you feel control over your body! The hardest thing for me was landing on the fifth point and jumping out of a sitting position to my feet - I had to sweat a lot over this element.
All good things come to an end quickly - and now I regretfully descend from the trampoline, and the coach leads me to an indoor arena with hanging rings, ribbons and a trapeze. The instructor briskly climbs onto the ring, assuring that everything is very simple. Not without help, I manage to throw my legs onto the crossbar. Unaccustomed, it is very painful: the hoop literally digs under the knees. But, fortunately, after a few repetitions, the unpleasant sensations subside. By the way, I didn’t remove the rings from my fingers before class and thoroughly wiped off the skin on my hands, so do not repeat my mistake!
I don’t know what played a key role - a cute girl-trainer or a powerful adrenaline rush - but by the end of the lesson I was already briskly climbing the ring and taking photogenic poses. The funny thing is that I have very weak arms, plus I am terribly afraid of heights, especially if you need to hang with your head down. Probably, this is the trick of the school: even an unprepared person begins to feel like an acrobat in one lesson.
After training on the rings, we repeat the already worked elements on the bands, and here I am completely delighted: they securely fix the foot, so you are not afraid of falling or getting tangled. I leave the arena happy and confused: can I really do that?
Surprisingly, the next item in our training - the rope - became my favorite. I am a terrible coward, even the sight of acrobats cleverly juggling under the very dome of the circus makes me shudder. So I was sure that as soon as I climbed onto the shell, I would immediately fall off it. Fortunately, the rope is stretched only half a meter above the sports mat. However, at school everything is very thought out: metal ropes are stretched at head level with a moving rope, which can be grabbed to maintain balance.
First, the trainer teaches me to walk on a tightrope with my legs at an angle, like a ballerina. I am making progress and we move on to walking backwards and jumping. When it starts to work out, you feel like a real gymnast! True, I never managed to keep my balance without the help of the rope, but everything is ahead. By the way, the coach is always there and ready to pick you up at any time, so you don't have to worry about possible injuries.
Flight
As it turned out, the whole training on various shells prepared me for the main thing - flying on a trapeze. I estimate the height, notice that the structure is no less than a five-story building, and try to retreat. Unsuccessfully, they already strapped me to the belay and sent me up the stairs. As I already said, I am terrified of heights, I am scared to even think about cliffs and roofs, so while I slowly climb, I feel hot and cold. And here I am at the goal.
On a small site, an instructor is already waiting for me, who, seeing my horror, cheers me up, simultaneously securing another insurance. The trainer pulls on the trapeze, and I grab it with one hand. For a long time I could not tear the second one off the metal structure, which I frantically grabbed onto. Finally, I succeed, and on command I push off from the site and fly. I convince myself that there is a soft net under me and that I have insurance, and the fear dulls, but does not go away. It is very difficult to hold on because my arms are tired after an intense workout, so I release the bar ahead of time. The instructor gently lowers me on the belay - and here I am on the trampoline. The next flight is like a fog: it gets a little dark in my eyes, nausea rolls up … And I refuse to climb the stairs for the third time. For some time I remain in prostration from the terror experienced.
However, every cloud has a silver lining: coming out of the shock state, I felt an unprecedented pride in myself. It turns out that I am flexible, my arms are not so weak, and I have good coordination. I don’t know if I’ll be able to climb that altitude again without fear, but the stress of the flight replaced the lesser fears. After a couple of days, I calmly moved along the stepladder, and a week later without a hitch I jumped from the springboard into the lake. So "Trapezium Yota" is a great opportunity to test your strength, get to know yourself from an unexpected side and overcome fears that you no longer hoped to cope with. It's also insanely fun, so be sure to include at least one workout and flight into your summer entertainment program!
Text: Maria Stefanova Photo: Asya Zabavskaya We are grateful to the Puma brand for the sportswear provided for training
