FLIP OUT

http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/news-opinion/nine-indy-workout-hotspots/

Difficulty: Easy  (upper arms, core)

The entrance to Cirque Indy, located amid warehouses just off Mass Ave, would be nearly impossible to find if the owner hadn’t painted the door with vertical red and white stripes. And when you do spot the place, it feels like you need a password to get in. But just swing the door open to uncover a cavernous space with five lengths of shimmery fabric, a hoop, and a trapeze hanging from the ceiling. The AERIAL SILKS INTRO/BEGINNER of just a few people starts out with stretching and some Pilates, and then moves on to what you’re really there for: the circus stuff. You’ll get your own silk (actually a super-strong nylon-cotton blend) and learn to weave it artfully around your arms, all the better for lifting yourself into various positions, like “legs straight out in front of you” or “legs bent like a dancer’s.” Then owner/instructor Mary Brumbaugh, who opened her studio in 2012, will knot your silk so you can stand on it, sit, or do cool poses. Moves like the Coffin—lying down, back straight as a plank, stretching the silk as wide as possible—involve wrapping parts of your body with the silk to help maintain balance. But don’t worry; you’re never more than a few feet off of the mat-covered floor, at least in the intro class. You will, however, notice slightly throbbing triceps for the next few days. $20 per class. 617 N. Fulton St., 317-509-0086

What To Wear: Something close-fitting, so it doesn’t get caught in the silks as you wind them around your body. 

Good to Know: Arrive in your workout gear—there’s just a single bathroom for changing.