You stand on the ground gazing up at the flying trapeze rig. A towering assembly of tall metal poles, cables, and a large strip of netting. Aspiring acrobats swooping and flying through the warm dusk air. It is only your second lesson. Part of you still cannot believe you are doing this. 207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ09vPYFlk
The coach is shouting commands to other students as he motions you to come closer. He turns to give you hurried instructions for the next routine, "When I say 'Hep', you launch, same as before. Do not hesitate! When I say ‘first position’, you kick your legs through and hook your knees over the bar. When I say ‘second position’ you let your hands go and hang from your knees. When I say ‘Hep’ you reach you arms out above your head and release your knees. Do not look for the catcher. If you wait till you see him you are too late. When you do see him, do not grab his arms. Hold your position and he will will grab yours. Got it? Now go."
You begin climbing the small metal rungs of the narrow ladder. You grip each rung and plant each foot solid. Grip, step, grip, step. You teach the platform at the top. It is a narrow board covered in blue carpet held up by thin metal rods.
The assistant points to a little nylon sac of chalk clipped to one of the cross bars. You grab some chalk out and rub the white powder between your hands as you process the surreal scene in front of you. The long rectangular catch net stretched tight below. The poles and rigging cables above. The catcher sits on the far trapeze swinging and gaining momentum.
Am I really doing this? You think to yourself. “Ready position” the assistant says. I AM doing this. You reach back with your left hand and grab one of the support rods. You reach forward with your right toward the trapeze bar that is held in position by a short rope and long hook. "Lean out" the assistant instructs. You grip the carpeted edge of the platform with your toes. You can feel your heartbeat as you extend your right arm and shift your weight over the edge. The assistant grabs the hook and pulls the bar into your hand. The hard metal bar wrapped in cloth tape fits well in your hand, the skin and chalk grip the tape.
What were the instructions? Knees, hands, reach and release. The assistant grabs the back of your belt harness. "Left hand." she prompts. Your weight is too far forward. That hand is the only thing keeping you from falling over the edge. "I got you." the assistant assured you. Trust her. You have to fight your instincts and command the hand to let go of the support and grab the trapeze. Now her grip on your belt is the only thing keeping you in place.
The catcher is at full swing now. He lays back, rotates his body under the bar and locks his knees in.
The coaches shouts from the ground like a military drill instructor, "Ready!" No! is the response in your head. It was not a question it was a preparatory command. Bend knees. Grip bar. Do not hesitate. "Hep!" You jump high. A moment of weightlessness, then the drop.
You fall ten feet before the cables tighten and pull you into a swoop. The air rushes by your ears and G Force tugs at you as you swing through the bottom of the arc. The forces relax and the air rush subsides as you near the top of the arc. You are pleasantly surprised that your grip held. The rush of sensations cleared your mind of everything else.
"First position!" shouts the the voice from below. That is supposed to mean something. Ah yes. Knees! You tuck into a ball, flip upside down and hook your knees over the bar between your fists. You are swooping face first toward the bottom of the platform, but you run out of speed just before impact.
"Second position!" What was that? Hands. You release your hands. All your weight hanging from your knees as you swoop downward and backward. What is next? Reach arms, release knees, do not hesitate! Your vision is a blur of net and grass. Your hearing is a rush of wind. Your sensation is heaviness then weightlessness.
"Hep!" You reach into empty air, override your instincts, and kick your legs straight. The bar leaves you, and you are suspended by nothing but your last bit of momentum. Only then do you see the catcher swinging toward you. You hold your position and he claps his hands around your wrists. You grip his wrists and swing together to the far end of the rig. You hear the other students clapping and cheering below.
"To the net!" The coach shouts. You swing back toward the center and reach the top of the arc. "Hep!" The catcher releases his grip. You are laid out face up, parallel to the ground, arms out in a cross position as you were taught. The air rushes up from behind. The net will hold. Contact. The tight netting slows your fall, then reversed it rebounding you six feet into the air. The second contact settles you. 207Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDbgCIce5r
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