Russian Swing

Russian swing is an acrobatic discipline performed on a large, heavy swing with a platform instead of a seat, hung from a rigid frame. Two or more pushers stand on the platform and drive it higher with each pass, and at the top of the arc a flyer is launched into the air to perform somersaults and twists before landing on a mat, in a net, on a second swing or in a partner's arms.

It depends on precise timing between the pushers and the flyer, as the height and direction of each launch come from the moment of release. Russian swing acts are among the most powerful in the circus, sending flyers to great heights and distances, and are often combined with other apparatus such as a second swing or a catcher's cradle.