Aerial Semi
Aerial Semi
Optional
Illusion Twist
Aerial Semi is an Aerial that is overrotated, so you can land in a stance called ‘semi’. You basically land with your chest facing the direction of travel. It still lands on the same leg that you land a normal Aerial on. Your other leg comes around straight and from the top, ready to swing back into the next trick.
There are at least three ways to break this trick down:
- Aerial Webster
- Overrotated Aerial Hook
- Inverted Illusion Twist
This guide will cover the first two. But the third variation is not too hard too. Just learn Aerial and Illusion Twist first. Then enter your Illusion Twist from an Aerial setup. That’s pretty much it.
Aerial Webster Progression
If you are more of a flipper than a kicker, then this progression chain may be easier for you.
01 Aerial
Your Aerial should be strong and consistent. You are learning a variation of this trick so make sure your foundation is solid.
02 Aerial Webster
Now just tuck your legs in to turn your Aerial into an Aerial Webster(pretty much a webster that starts like an Aerial). You should land facing the direction of travel. This is a very important prerequisite for the Aerial Semi, as it lands and feels very similar. This trick will teach you how to land with your chest up, which is very different from a normal Aerial, where you land with your chest still down. So it adds the needed flipping rotation to the Aerial for the Semi variation.
03 One footed
Now try to land this Aerial Webster with one foot at a time. Make sure to maintain the flipping rotation, or else it’ll just look like an Aerial. Keep your hips flexed and force yourself to spot in front of you, so you’ll land facing the direction of travel.
04 Aerial Semi
Drill the previous progressions until they feel comfortable and consistent. Now all you need to do is to keep the swing leg extended all the way through. Think of a Webster that comes down with an Axe Kick. It’s important not too lean away from the ‘Kick’ or else it’ll be difficult to transition into the next trick. Land with your chest up and upright. Also keep note on the direction your toes are pointing to when you land. They should point into the direction of travel or else it’ll be hard to continue the combo in a straight line.
Aerial Hook Progression
If you are more comfortable with kicks, then this progression chain might be for you.
01 Tsunami
As with many tutorials on trixnut, you can also start a progression chain for this trick starting from a stepover hook kick.
02 Tsunami Crescent
Now replace the kick with an outside crescent kick that rotates 90 degrees more, so you’ll land facing the direction of travel.
03 no kick
This progression is optional, but very useful to drill the landing position. You should land with your toes facing the direction of travel.
04 Aerial Hook
Now we’ll go upside down starting with the Aerial Hook, which is the the same as a Tsunami just inverted.
05 Aerial Crescent
Now replace the Kick with an outside crescent that kicks a target right next to you instead of the front. So you’ll rotate just a bit more to land facing the direction of travel. Also you'll land with your chest higher.
06 no kick
Again: Taking out the kick and just focusing on the landing position can be a very good drill.
07 Aerial Semi
If you can land with your toes facing the direction of travel, there is no stopping you from just adding the axe kick to it. This will turn the Aerial Hook into an Aerial Semi. Make sure to spot in front of you and to bring your chest back up again.
Swinging it
The most popular trick to swing out of an Aerial Semi is a Raiz, and many trickers will teach that combo first, but I’ll suggest to learn Aerial Semi s/t Tornado Kick first, because it’s a lot easier and will progress nicely into the Raiz.
01 Aerial Semi
Drill lots of Aerial Semis by themselves. You should land it as upright as possible so it’ll be easier to combo it.
02 carrythrough
This transition is called carrythrough. You land on one foot, re-adjust and then you take off again from the same foot. So land your Aerial in Semi as much as you can, readjust your landing foot slightly and take off into the Tornado Kick. In a carrythrough the readjustment step usually involves a small hop. Here I'm just changing my foot position on the ground before I take off again. It feels more similar to a real swingthrough. Take your time between both tricks and then reduce the contact time more and more as you get better.
03 swingthrough
Now you need to skip the readjustment step and ideally land in the perfect position to swing through. You need to land facing the direction of travel and with your chest leaned slightly into the same direction. The carrythrough allows you to land underrotated and then to correct it with the readjustment step. If you want to swing it directly you need all the rotation that you can get. So focus on the landing position!
As you enter the Aerial Semi, get your arms in a position to carry the momentum from the Aerial into the next trick.
Tips
This is your Aerial Semi Checklist and make sure you can checkmark all of them:
1. Land with your toes facing the direction of travel
2. Your chest should be above your landing leg when you land
3. Your upper body does not lean away from the swinging leg
4. Spot forward as you come out of the trick
If those four requirements are met, you should be able to swing out of it comfortably. Just make sure you are also drilling the individual tricks that you are trying to enter from an Aerial Semi. If you can’t do a Tornado Kick from a frontswing, then you won’t do it from an Aerial Semi.