Classes
I am currently teaching weekly classes at The Athletic Playground in Emeryville, CA, and Pacific Pipe, a Touchstone Climbing Gyms in Oakland, CA. For information on upcoming workshops or privates, click here.
All classes at The Athletic Playground require registration ahead of time, visit The Athletic Playground.
Classes at Pacific Pipe are free for all members, or included within a $30 day pass for Non-Members.
If you have any questions/problems/inquiries feel free to shoot me an email at mike(at)vertigino.us and I will do my best to answer promptly! In addition, I am occasionally available for one on one or small group private lessons.
All classes at The Athletic Playground require registration ahead of time, visit The Athletic Playground.
Classes at Pacific Pipe are free for all members, or included within a $30 day pass for Non-Members.
If you have any questions/problems/inquiries feel free to shoot me an email at mike(at)vertigino.us and I will do my best to answer promptly! In addition, I am occasionally available for one on one or small group private lessons.
All-Levels Acrobatic Flow
Sundays, 3:50-4:45p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Soft Acrobatics Deep Dive Workshop Series (Intermediate)
Mondays, 6:45-8:15p at The Athletic Playground
4 week series, starting anew each month
Move your spine, put weight on your hands, go upside down! Looking for new ways to move your body? In this 4 week, 90 minutes class series we will explore basic acrobatic patterns that allow us to move our bodies through space. The movement patterns we'll be exploring come from a variety of disciplines (Capoeira, Gymnastics, Contemporary Dance, various Ground Acrobatics) and are intended to be accessible and open, meaning that with practice we'll be able to start building connected sequences, discovering how individual moves can flow into others. We will learn how to access these movement patterns in ways that allow a sustainable practice, building strength and mobility through engagement with the flow state.
For more details on Soft Acrobatics and these classes, please check out my Soft Acrobatics page.
Sundays, 3:50-4:45p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Soft Acrobatics Deep Dive Workshop Series (Intermediate)
Mondays, 6:45-8:15p at The Athletic Playground
4 week series, starting anew each month
Move your spine, put weight on your hands, go upside down! Looking for new ways to move your body? In this 4 week, 90 minutes class series we will explore basic acrobatic patterns that allow us to move our bodies through space. The movement patterns we'll be exploring come from a variety of disciplines (Capoeira, Gymnastics, Contemporary Dance, various Ground Acrobatics) and are intended to be accessible and open, meaning that with practice we'll be able to start building connected sequences, discovering how individual moves can flow into others. We will learn how to access these movement patterns in ways that allow a sustainable practice, building strength and mobility through engagement with the flow state.
For more details on Soft Acrobatics and these classes, please check out my Soft Acrobatics page.
Beginner Handstands
Mondays, 5:45-6:45p at The Athletic Playground
Intermediate Handstands
Wednesdays, 7:10-8:10p at The Athletic Playground
All-Levels Handstands
Sundays, 11a-12p at Pacific Pipe
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Beginner: Explore the basics of a handstand, and start feeling comfortable moving towards getting upside down! We'll cover the essentials of prepping the body and getting comfortable beginning your journey to handstands.
Intermediate: Level up your handstands in this intermediate level handstand class! Work towards holding a freestanding handstand, learning how to make shapes with your legs, and different ways in and out of a handstand. We'll work on developing postural stability on the wall and then move towards carrying that knowledge to the middle of the room. A basic understanding of how to kick up towards a handstand (but not necessarily being able to hold it) is a prerequisite for this class.
Prerequisites for the Intermediate class include feeling comfortable kicking up towards a handstand (with or without being able to hold it), and being able to comfortably support yourself in a chest to wall hold for at least 30 seconds.
Mondays, 5:45-6:45p at The Athletic Playground
Intermediate Handstands
Wednesdays, 7:10-8:10p at The Athletic Playground
All-Levels Handstands
Sundays, 11a-12p at Pacific Pipe
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Beginner: Explore the basics of a handstand, and start feeling comfortable moving towards getting upside down! We'll cover the essentials of prepping the body and getting comfortable beginning your journey to handstands.
Intermediate: Level up your handstands in this intermediate level handstand class! Work towards holding a freestanding handstand, learning how to make shapes with your legs, and different ways in and out of a handstand. We'll work on developing postural stability on the wall and then move towards carrying that knowledge to the middle of the room. A basic understanding of how to kick up towards a handstand (but not necessarily being able to hold it) is a prerequisite for this class.
Prerequisites for the Intermediate class include feeling comfortable kicking up towards a handstand (with or without being able to hold it), and being able to comfortably support yourself in a chest to wall hold for at least 30 seconds.
Parkour & Freerunning
Tuesdays, 9-10:15p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Roll, vault, climb, flip, and learn how to express yourself while moving in space! While traditionally "parkour" is thought of along the lines of "moving as efficiently as possible from Point A to Point B," or brings up images of obstacle courses and American Ninja Warrior, in this class we will explore the fun & freedom that comes with learning how to fully interact with your body in any given environment, and using parkour and acrobatics to express yourself in space! We will explore parkour basics but also introduce creative thinking problems where the goal is not to "solve" a problem, but rather to explore how to use your body to creatively engage with a space.
This 75 minute class is broken into two parts: the first 45 minutes include a guided warm-up and instruction on basic freerunning moves and transitions, and the last half hour are an opportunity to creatively train these movements on your own in a built environment. The best way to develop parkour skills comes from finding creative ways to apply what you've learned!
This class is accessible and open to all-levels but for those brand new to parkour or whole-body movement in space, we recommend first trying our Sunday Afternoon Parkour & Freerunning class.
Tuesdays, 9-10:15p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Roll, vault, climb, flip, and learn how to express yourself while moving in space! While traditionally "parkour" is thought of along the lines of "moving as efficiently as possible from Point A to Point B," or brings up images of obstacle courses and American Ninja Warrior, in this class we will explore the fun & freedom that comes with learning how to fully interact with your body in any given environment, and using parkour and acrobatics to express yourself in space! We will explore parkour basics but also introduce creative thinking problems where the goal is not to "solve" a problem, but rather to explore how to use your body to creatively engage with a space.
This 75 minute class is broken into two parts: the first 45 minutes include a guided warm-up and instruction on basic freerunning moves and transitions, and the last half hour are an opportunity to creatively train these movements on your own in a built environment. The best way to develop parkour skills comes from finding creative ways to apply what you've learned!
This class is accessible and open to all-levels but for those brand new to parkour or whole-body movement in space, we recommend first trying our Sunday Afternoon Parkour & Freerunning class.
Dynamic Backbending
Wednesdays, 6-7:15p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Each class will begin with an extensive warm-up focusing on hip extension and shoulders, followed by comprehensive mobility conditioning and active flexibility drills to help us access the elusive upper back. We will learn to work on our backbends safely as we develop end-range strength, aiming for a pain-free practice. After a thorough warm-up, this class will focus on the static bridge as a foundation, leading to different backbending poses and dynamic applications of arching movement (such as bridge rotations, drop-backs, limbers, as well as macacos, gumbis, arching cartwheels, and raiz variations) as students progress at their own pace. Class will end with recovery-based conditioning drills to ensure we can continue our back-bending practice for years to come.
Wednesdays, 6-7:15p at The Athletic Playground
Reoccuring drop-in classes
Each class will begin with an extensive warm-up focusing on hip extension and shoulders, followed by comprehensive mobility conditioning and active flexibility drills to help us access the elusive upper back. We will learn to work on our backbends safely as we develop end-range strength, aiming for a pain-free practice. After a thorough warm-up, this class will focus on the static bridge as a foundation, leading to different backbending poses and dynamic applications of arching movement (such as bridge rotations, drop-backs, limbers, as well as macacos, gumbis, arching cartwheels, and raiz variations) as students progress at their own pace. Class will end with recovery-based conditioning drills to ensure we can continue our back-bending practice for years to come.
Mike Kitchell, 2020-2024