Doing a back flip off a trapeze is not as hard as it looks…

I went up to the Omega Institute for a weekend class with Dan Millman who wrote The Way of the Peaceful Warrior which was also turned into a movie Peaceful Warrior with Nick Nolte.  During the Friday evening orientation, the Omega staff said that the trapeze guy had finally gotten his rig up – it was a spring and summer plagued by a lot of rain.  Classes would be offered over the weekend for anyone who wanted to sign up.

I’m a bit scared of heights and for some unknown reason thought it might be a good idea for me to take this class, but I had to go to the evening session of Dan’s class.  So I spent the evening and Friday night praying that when I had the chance to go to the office to sign up for the Saturday evening course – the only session I felt I could fit in – the class would be full.

You guessed it.  No such luck!  They had all kinds of release papers to sign and even wanted to see a copy of my health insurance card.  Really reassuring, but I went ahead anyway.

They started us out on the ground, having us grab a trapeze bar from a step ladder set to the side.  Then we were supposed to get our legs over the bar.  I’m not a great exercise fan, but with the helpers pushing my bottom up, I was able to get my knees over the bar, let go with my hands, and hang from my knees.  (You must be wondering – as I was – who’s going to push my bottom up when I’m up swinging in the sky???)

Once everyone had had their ground try-out, we moved on to the read trapeze.  A very heavy canvas belt with swivel eyes on the sides was strapped tightly around my waist.  Once you are up on the platform, those eyes will be attached to ropes with a helper on the ground controlling things somewhat.  I do suspect that he controlled the rate at which we dropped into the net so that we fell on our backs or fronts, not the top of our heads!

The platform had to be at least a mile up in the sky. When it was my turn, I found myself praying that I would no throw up over all these nice people as I climbed.  The platform itself was probably wider than the ones used in actual circuses, but still not nearly wide enough!

It surely was not pretty, but at least I got it done.  And for a first effort, I have to say, I’m amazed that I did it!  You get a lovely stretched out feeling to your spine and I would love to have even a stationary bar to hang from my knees for that benefit alone.  So.  If you get a chance, go for it!