Patricia Westonspeaks to professional acrobat David Omer, who believes exercise is essential to our personal development
What do your training sessions involve?
It varies, at times I may be in the studio or the gym five to seven days a week for anywhere up to four hours a day if I'm working on a very large project or multiple projects. As an acrobat I'm physically active basically every day, rehearsing or doing supplementary strength and endurance training on my own.
Aerobic activity is good for my performance work so when I'm not on tour I try to get some additional cardiovascular work by running or riding a bike.
Do you eat a balanced diet?
At the moment I'm working a long rehearsal day for the Fringe after just being on holiday and so I'm eating a considerable amount in order to fuel myself sufficiently.
I've found really wonderful vegetables, cheeses, meats and poultry at the farmers' market in Temple Bar. I really enjoy the farmers' markets at home in Germany, and it's a delight to find such a lovely one here.
Have you a good relationship with food?
Yes, I have sorted out a very good relationship with food and studied nutrition. I have come to believe it is best to eat food as close to its original state as possible. I think there is more nutritional value in a piece of fruit than in juice, in whole milk than skim or in brown rice than in corn chips.
Does exercise play a very important part in your life?
As an acrobat and stage performer, exercise is implicit in what I do. If I were unable to be involved in my current career choice on a daily basis, I would continue to invest myself in a physical life because I believe that a vital sense of one's body is an essential component of developing oneself completely. We ought to exercise all of our possibilities as moving, thinking, feeling beings.
David performs in the Dublin Fringe Festival's highlight variety show, La Clique, running September 8th-23rd at the Spiegeltent, George's Dock.
For further information log on to www.fringefest.com
Patricia Weston recommends:
As an acrobat David has to be very flexible and have a great range of movement. You too can increase your flexibility and range of movement with these spine stretches:
Make sure your body is warm and perform stretches in a comfortable, warm room on a mat on the floor.
Sit with your legs outstretched in front, your back and shoulders straight and your arms outstretched to shoulder level. Breathe in as you round out your shoulders and upper back and reach your hands towards your toes, your chin should be touching your neck. Straighten up again and repeat slowly six times.
Stand with your legs apart and your knees bent. Place the palms of your hands on your knees and, as you breathe in, begin to sit down but not quite to knee level, keeping your back flat as you lower your torso and bend your elbows, keep your head forward then breathe out.
Inhale as you round out your back and lift your torso up again. Do six to eight of these slowly.
Stand with your feet together and as you inhale raise your arms above your head, lifting your head up, making yourself as tall as possible to lengthen the spine. Then breathe out and bend forward from the pelvis.
Keep your knees and spine as straight as you can. Bend over as far as possible and hold your ankles. Tuck your head in then return to the starting position by inhaling and stretch your arms above your head and lower them down by your sides. Repeat six times.
Patricia Weston is an NCEHS fitness instructor, personal trainer and Pilates teacher.