Getting Ripped in Air

The movie I am shooting in October calls for a pretty bad-ass attitude. She kicks butt, shoots guns and has a mouth like a sailor. So I’ve begun to prep for this character by getting stronger and more ripped.

So this Monday I went to a very unusual type of exercise. It is called Areal Silk Rope. Basically it is what the Cirque de Soleil people are doing. Hanging high above the ground in bright red silk ropes doing impossible movements and choreography.  

I make the short drive down town and meet the team of dancers and acrobats. Mostly super fit and beautiful Russian and Hungarian girls that can break you in half. That’s how strong they are. Class begins with a lot of sexy dancing and warming up on the ground. That is pretty easy. But before I know it I’m way up under the high ceilings wrapped in the red silk ropes doing the ‘candy cane’ and other moves I thought impossible. I am using muscles I never knew I had. My core, my arms and fingers are killing me as I’m fighting not to fall down from the ropes and still looking gracefully doing so. After 3 hours of rope in the air we wrap class with a good pounding: Push ups, sit ups and splits over and over and over again until we scream. Karina, the teacher is super tough and she does not let you get a away with anything. I think they call it ‘tough love’ 😉

I have done some yoga and cardio since Monday, but I gotta say my muscles are still killing me from the Areal stuff. Tomorrow I am going back for more. I will try to take some photos so you can get a feeling of the beautiful insanity I am experiencing. The picture below is obviously not from my class, but it gives you an idea of what I am talking about…