A demo of strength, balance and physique

[Guest Ido Portal]

This guy doesnt have the typical 'petite' look of the average equilibrist. Very strong and obviously huge.

Although I cannot be sure, I suspect his build is the result of some weights work and not only bw exercises. (it is something to do with the thickness of the pec muscles, and not the more 'strong-flat-wide' pectoralis that old school strong men and acrobats have)

[John-Paul Potter]

Holy Crap!

[Coach Sommer]

Equilibrist Training History

Regardless of whatever else he may now be doing for conditioning, I believe that this man was formerly very good at advanced ring strength elements. I base this on his lowering into a bent-arm back lever, pausing, and then pressing back out. In my experience, only a ring man will possess this kind of strength is such a leverage disadvantaged position.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Guest Ido Portal]

Coach,

Of course the influence of gymnastics rings strength work is obvious in this athlete.

From personal contact with circus performers, you would be amazed of the amount of conventional s&c work ex-gymnasts and now circus performers are performing, and not with good results.

These athletes, after reaching high levels of strength from years of BW and gymnastics oriented s&c work are abandoning their methods and are encoureged to work with less than optimal trainers and their methods.

When I was last time in Vegas (not long before visiting you) I was amazed and disapointed to find out ex-rings specialists and other circus performers capable of feats of strength such as full planches, crosses, maltese, and more are performing nowdays....

...

crunches on a swiss ball, work aerobic conditioning on the eliptical trainer, bench pressing and other wastes of precious time.

These athletes are maintaining their condition from their sport specific work in the circus, but it is the conventional-extra work that is given the credit for keeping them strong and healthy. The s&c staff, who has very little knowledge of the type of specific work needed with acrobats, is given complete freedome in their less than optimal choices.

End of rant.

Ido.

[Coach Sommer]

Ido,

That is very interesting regarding the current s&c conditoning of the resident cirque athletes in Vegas. It also goes to illustrate the importance of the relationship between a coach with an expertise in coaching and a high level athlete. Left on their own, even high level athletes will tend to drift into areas of practice and conditioning that are less than optimally effective.

As a side note, several years back I was approached by Cirque to interview to be their assistant S&C coach in Vegas. In the long run however, it turned out that they were more interested in a Physical Therapist than a true s&c expert.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[George Launchbury]

Left on their own, even high level athletes will tend to drift into areas of practice and conditioning that are less than optimally effective.

That's a very interesting point, and reminds me of a saying I heard somewhere a while ago: If you want your horse to run faster - ask a trainer for advice ...not his horse.

George.

[Guest Ido Portal]

Coach,

I am afraid of thinking about the possibilities of combining your coaching and the human material of the CDS... The sky is the limit.

Ido.

[JoeSimo]

Man the more I learn about Cirque the more I am glad I decided not to apply for a second time. I love their shows but dont think I would love the work environment. Unfortunate.

[StevenL]

I'd REALLY like to learn more about this guy.

[IvanPS]

I'm wondering in that part where he puts those stacks of blocks it seem like he's having a hard time lifting himself and balancing. Is he really having "trouble" or is he just fixing his hand placement or does he just do it to make the show more dramatic?

[Nrxszvo]

I watched the video a few days ago. Not having seen anyone else doing that before, I would imagine not many can do it! So it must be very challenging to correctly distribute your weight and balance on it

[Mark Weaver]

It seems like the pressing movement puts not only downward pressure on the bricks, but pressure out to the side as well. You probably wouldn't notice it on parallettes or the floor. He probably has to concentrate to make sure the force is mainly down, without too much outward force.

[palmcron]

I'm wondering in that part where he puts those stacks of blocks it seem like he's having a hard time lifting himself and balancing. Is he really having "trouble" or is he just fixing his hand placement or does he just do it to make the show more dramatic?

I've seen his act on TV in recordings from different occasions, and in all of them he took two tries pressing up on the blocks. I believe it is to make the show more dramatic.