Why you should never train alone: the case for a practice partner

Aerial looks like a solo art, and the pictures do not help: one body, one fabric, a lot of empty air. But almost every aerialist we know who has practised for years does so with someone, and the ones who got hurt were usually alone.

Safety first, obviously

A partner sees the twisted carabiner, the fabric that has slipped off the swivel, the colour leaving your face at height. They can lower you, call for help, and talk you through an exit when your brain has stopped offering one. The standard asks studios never to let a student invert unsupervised. Outside class, a partner is that supervision.

Spotting is a skill you learn together

Good spotting is not holding someone up; it is standing where a fall would land and knowing when to touch. Partners who train together learn each other’s weak side, favourite shortcuts and warning signs. Ask a teacher to show you both how to spot the moves you are working on.

Feedback you can use

Video shows you what happened. A partner tells you why. Pointed toes, a hip that drifts, a wrap that is one turn short: the things you cannot feel from inside the fabric are obvious from a metre away.

Motivation on the flat weeks

Plateaus are easier with company. A standing appointment with someone who will notice if you do not turn up is worth more than any amount of discipline.

Finding a partner

• Ask at the end of class. The person who stays to practise the same move is your candidate.
• Match on schedule and attitude before level. A careful beginner is a better partner than a careless expert.
• Use the studio’s open practice hours; most listed in the directory offer them.

What to agree on

Three rules, said out loud: nobody inverts until the other is watching; either of you can call a stop, no reasons needed; and you check the rigging together, every time. Everything else is friendship.