A few months ago I was reading Texas Highways and stumbled across an ad for Lone Star Trapeze Academy. I’m assuming the layout and positioning of the ad initially caught my eye, but it was the fact that it read “Fly through the air with the greatest of ease and learn this circus act!” that really enticed me to head to their website, not to mention they are located right here in Bryan. This was perfect, because I’m always on the search to try or do something new…especially if it’s a physical activity. So this past weekend my best friend and I gave it a whirl and it was a blast!
On a typical, hot-sunny-Texas, Saturday afternoon we arrived to Bomber Stadium, home of our local Collegiate League baseball team to be greeted by the smell of popcorn and the sound of wooden bats. No my post hasn’t changed directions and while we would have, we weren’t here to cheer on the Bombers either….but to trapeze! The academy happens to be located just outside the fence of right field and along the opposing team dugout. So if your timing is right, you very well could be the 7th inning stretch entertainment or simply a distraction to the opposing team…..in which we were both the day we learned to trapeze.
We filled out some waivers, did about a minute and thirty-seven seconds worth of stretches, put on some safety equipment and then it was time to learn the fundamentals. We began with a bar that was about 8 or 10 feet off the ground and watched the instructor demonstrate how to pull our body around the bar and hang. After that, one by one we did this maneuver once and then it was time to head to the real thing.
To get up to the platform you climb up an extension ladder and no worries, you’re attached to a safety harness! 😉 Once you make it to the top you stand on a platform that can’t be much bigger than a 2 x 4. The instructor hands you the bar in which you are to grab with your right hand and then on his command you grab the other side with your left hand. This is where it gets a little scary….once you grab the bar with your left hang you’re dang close to hanging off the edge of the platform and the only thing holding you back is the instructor. Once again on his command you jump and follow what he says throughout the entire process and next thing you know you’re some kind of trapeze artist!
The instructors reiterated multiple times that it is just a game of Simon Says, if you do what they tell you to do when they tell you do it, you’ll be successful! And that’s no lie, you just had to trust them and do exactly as they said. It was obvious those who didn’t pay attention didn’t quite master the various “tricks” we learned. They also tell you “the first time is for fear, the second time is for fun”. That’s no lie either, it was a bit nerve-racking the first time, but after that you can’t wait to climb back up and try it again.
I was impressed that after only two hours and at 5’ 11’’ I was able to fly through the air, do some backflips and master the catch. No doubt I’ll be back, especially since they informed me that you’ll learn new tricks each time you return!
Check it out below!
The Unconventional Millennial 