Aerial Switch
Aerial Switch
The Aerial Switch is an Aerial that switches leg in mid air to land on the jumping leg again. The switch feels a lot like a swipe kick.
01 Aerial
You need a solid Aerial for this trick. It can work with tricker style Aerials, that travel from side to side but the gymnast type Aerial, which is traveling forward, is better suited for this trick. Either way you need a strong and solid Aerial, which you can bust out at any time. It also helps a lot the more flexible you are.
02 Brandy
This is the most important prerequisite for this trick, as it is a Aerial Switch landed on both legs. As you enter the trick, spot the ground and then swipe both legs into that spot. Swing the first leg up high and give yourself some height, so your legs have time to come around.
Drill this trick as much as you can, so you can perform them with low impact on your landing. This will minimize the risk of injury.
03 Cart Switch
Basically an Aerial Switch with your hands on the ground. This progression will teach you how the switching motion feels and how to spot the landing. Work on this progression until you can do it fast and easy. You should feel less and less weight on your hands. Then move on to one handed and make that faster and faster.
04 Aerial Switch
Use your most comfortable setup, where you can gain as much height and power as you need. I just prefer to take a short step into it. Make sure you to bend down a little bit before you jump and then you push up all the way through your toes. I like to swing my right arm behind my back for some additional lift. Swing your first leg up behind you as hard as you can.
Here’s the trick: Spot the ground in front of you and jump off. Focus HARD on driving your jumping foot into the spot where you’re focused at. This will make your legs switch in midair and make it possible for you to land safely. Bend your knee slightly when you land to absorb some of the impact. If you were high enough, that you completed the swiping motion in mid air, then you won’t need to.
Tips
If you have trouble keeping your hands from touching the ground, work on Brandys for a while. They help a lot in this regard. It’s also not so bad, if your hand is coming down. Look at it as a progression, that is very close to the real trick. As you get faster and more efficient, try to replace the hand touching down with your foot coming down. Sounds hard? You just have to be fast. Your foot needs to come down before your hands.
Your chest rotates about 180 degrees in a gymnast type Aerial. The Aerial Switch is no exception. Try to open your chest into the direction of momentum very early, so you’ll have more time for the swipe. All your leg needs to do is come down and it doesn’t have to bypass the other leg first.