A mast is a stick that serves to hold something . It can be, in this sense, the stick with which a flag is waved . For example: “In the square there are ten masts but only three have flags”, "The teacher told me to hold the mast very strong so that the flag did not fall", "The revolutionaries climbed the mast and replaced the flag".
Mast is also the stick what hold the sails of a boat . In the case of larger ships, they can have several masts (and, therefore, several sails). The characteristics of the mast, such as its size or location, depend on the type of vessel: "The objective of the crew is to cross the ocean with a single-mast ship", "When the main mast broke, the boat drifted", "The sailors have been working for hours to repair the masts that were damaged by the storm".
In a instrument of string, the mast is the stick on which the strings are pressed to change the shades. Usually the mast presents frets (separations that allow to distinguish between the halftones): "The musician threw the guitar on the ground, breaking the mast", "The bass neck is bigger than the child", "You must press the ropes against the mast more firmly".
The vertical structure of great height that is part of certain machines and the foot of a plant when it becomes thick are other meanings linked to the concept of mast.
The chinese mast
A vertical rigid bar used in the field is known as the Chinese mast circus for the development of various artistic creation activities. Its height is usually greater than 3 meters and the average diameter is 55 millimeters. To facilitate the practice of balance and strength exercises, the mast is lined or impregnated with an adherent material.
Although the Chinese mast is not used hung but supported, the exercises made on it belong to the category of "aerial", since they include throws and height. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, one of the main components when practicing with the mast is the force.
At the muscular level, the upper body, the lumbar and abdominal region are worked on the Chinese mast. On the other hand, control, blocking and resistance are also exercised in static movements (slow), and explosiveness and accuracy in dynamic movements (rapid). To cope with the large number of torsions, you must have a large flexibility in the spine, shoulders and wrist.
The other main component of this discipline is the Balance, which is part of the technical aspect. As a starting point to perform a large part of the exercises, it is necessary to learn how to correctly position the center of gravity of the body in relation to the mast. On the other hand, the importance of the mental state should not be underestimated before each practice, since it works at a great height and speed and spatial changes are constantly made.
Who are fit to practice Chinese mast? First, any person who is accustomed to climbing trees or who enjoys hanging from any structure that is at a certain distance from the ground for the mere pleasure of playing with strength and balance. For this discipline it is necessary to have a tensile force in the arms capable of raising the body easily.
In addition to the natural qualities, such as the absence of fear of heights and the need to climb, concentration is very important, especially when the practice focuses on improving the technique and preparing shows that must be meticulously reproduced in front of an audience and with some frequency.
