Dear everyone,
Let’s talk about crotches.
My friend Anna recently asked me about ways to avoid upper thigh pinching in diaper wraps on chains (salto/dive roll/360), and I realized that what I was going to suggest to her applies to any maneuver where the apparatus comes between your legs. To describe most clearly I have drawn a picture, but do not worry: I have drawn it in a gentle, comforting pink. Additionally, all of the drawings is this post are gender-neutral, though we should take a moment to acknowledge the insight we get from our circus brothers when it comes to our delicates. What’s good for the gander is definitely good for the goose!
Starting off, consider the anatomy of the Downthere. The pubic symphysis is the cartilage connection between the two halves of the pelvis. It is covered by the triangly part of your thong or g string and sits above all of the down there of the Downthere. The gracillis is the long ropey muscle that runs along the inner thigh: it is often the muscle that people feel stretching the most when they are working center splits and pancakes (straddles). The Butt is the butt.
Now let’s look at the least painful placement for a single strand of fabric, trapeze bar, chain, or strap:
It should sit right in the hip joint between the insertion of the gracillis and the edge of the buttock and should come nowhere near the Tenders.
What happens though, when you’re performing a maneuver on a two-stranded apparatus that crosses in the crotch or you need to sit side-saddle on a trapeze or lyra? In this case, precision is key. Let’s take a look:
The cross happens in the small but slightly less tender region of the Tenders. The Bering Land Bridge of unmentionables. Place carefully in international soil and you’ll be fine.
Lastly, if Beringia is not an option (for example because the fabrics must cross after sitting up into the wrap as in the case of a double fallen angel/double waterfall/double scary dragon) and you have to shoot straight up the center, the aim is to avoid Canada at all costs and cross the fabrics as far into Russia as possible.
The key here is to CLENCH AS YOU’VE NEVER BEFORE CLENCHED before weighting the wrap. You do NOT want a fabric burned Russia.
Hope this helps. I love you all.
2 Responses
Hey,
I have my own aerial school for students over 35- and I host workshops in my space for the my students and aerial community in Toronto all levels .
If you are ever traveling this way I would love to chat about having you in for a full day workshop at my space. I am very interested in you scientific /Physics approach of things!!!
Please let me know what you think ?
Also I would like to follow your blog how do I do this I don’t see a link?
Diane McGrath Lokos
416-807-1900
I…. don’t know how to follow my own blog. I’ll try to write a link for it. And also get the table of contents at the top of the page…..