Straddle Back Balance on Aerial Hoop is a classic shape that looks great on most students and it is a fabulous skill to showcase flexibility and extension. Despite how restful the skill looks, it actually requires a lot of active engagement to stay safe and locked into the hoop. This tutorial will cover a couple different common entrances and exits and some leg variations. Also, check out the related drills section for a super useful ground drill.
Teaching Straddle Back Balance can get complicated because there are so many small differences that can drastically change how the skill feels from student to student. Differences in student’s body proportions, straddle flexibility, leg shape, hip and glute shape, and hoop size are all important details to keep in mind. It is very likely that teaching cues may need to be modified for different students.
Become an Aerial Fit Online member to access the video for Straddle Back Balance. This in-depth video will explain how to properly train this skill. It also includes cross references to the most important Building Blocks, Common Mistakes, Related Drills, Ground Drills, Variations, Next Steps and Sequences.
Already a Member? Log in to continue.
Some of the most important aerial hoop skills, related movements, and prerequisites from our aerial video tutorial library that students should be very comfortable doing to succeed at Straddle Back Balance.
These are the most common mistakes we see with students when they are learning how to do the aerial hoop skill Straddle Back Balance and detailed directions on how to fix these problems to make the skill look and feel easy.
These similar aerial hoop skills and aerial drills are helpful to troubleshoot and help with problems. Students don't need to have mastered the Straddle Back Balance to work on these related skills and drills. These drills may help your students make important connections and answer the question "What am I doing wrong?".
These are some of our favorite ground drills for aerialists for Straddle Back Balance. They can be used as part of the ground warm up or as part of the aerial class teaching progression.
These are different variations of Straddle Back Balance. Students should be very comfortable with the current skill before working on these different or more advanced variations. They can be used for further exploration, managing students with different levels and adding variety to aerial hoop choreography.
These are the next steps we teach to our aerial hoop students after they’re comfortable with Straddle Back Balance. The next steps can be started right away and they lead toward specific future goals which are often the most advanced aerial hoop skills.
These are some of the more advanced hoop skills that build on the strength and control taught in Straddle Back Balance. They are not the next immediate steps, but rather long term planning goals.
These are aerial hoop sequences, transitions, and combinations that include the aerial skill Straddle Back Balance. They are fun, creative, and challenging sequences from our aerial video tutorial library.
