So, what is aerial yoga?
In aerial yoga, you do the same poses you perform on a yoga mat. However, you use a kind of support, such as a silk hammock, suspended from the ceiling to support your body and improve your flexibility.
Simply put, aerial yoga is done using a hammock as a prop while your body is suspended in the air.
This form of yoga gained popularity in the 2000s and is an interesting mix of yoga poses, Pilates, and dance moves. Aerial yoga helps increase flexibility, strength, and balance.
Suspending fully is said to cause traction and open the body gently and naturally than when you do the same pose on the mat. Apart from physical benefits, aerial yoga can improve mental health as several studies have confirmed its role in minimizing depression and stress levels.
Can anyone do aerial yoga poses?
Though hanging upside down might seem intimidating, anyone can do aerial yoga. The hammock, which can bear up to 300 kg, is there to maintain your balance, help with alignment, increase stretches, and improve posture.
So, before you hang an aerial hammock, read further to learn some great aerial yoga for beginners and the precautions associated with them. As always, it is recommended to learn arial yoga from a qualified teacher to ensure safety.
Aerial Lunges
Aerial lunges can improve the strength and density of your legs. When you perform this asana with aerial yoga equipment, you might be able to improve your flexibility and stamina. While there are several variations of aerial lunges, here is a guide to a beginner-friendly version that is equally efficient, especially for your glutes and quads.
Here’s How To Do It
- Get into a normal lunge position by planting your forward bending leg on the ground. Carefully position your back leg on the hammock. Make sure the top of your foot touches the hammock.
- Both legs should parallel each other while your back should be straight. From here, you will bend your front leg while placing your back leg backward.
- Make sure to place your hands in front or overhead as you follow the sequence.
- Repeat on the other side.
Aerial Downward Facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana Aerial
Doing downward facing dog with a hammock just adds fun and thrill to the process.
After all, this pose offers a complete stretch to your body and improves stability and stamina.
This is a great asana for your arms, back, core, shoulders, and hamstrings!
Here’s How To Do It
- Spread your legs at a shoulder-width distance.
- Get the hammock up into your hips.
- Bend your body over the hammock. From there, start bending the knees slightly and balancing yourself by keeping your hands on the floor.
- Your hands should be extended in front of you.
Aerial Chair Pose or Utkatasana
The aerial chair pose is one of the easiest yoga poses for beginners to do on the hammock. This seated-like posture can improve the alignment of your back and your posture. Moreover, the aerial variation can increase your leg strength and core and improve balance and stretch.
Here’s How To Do It
- Get in front of the hammock while placing your back against it. It should go over the back while placed under your arms.
- Grab both ends of the hammock and get into a sitting position. Make sure to place your feet on the ground while your back should be resting on the hammock.
- Make sure your quads are parallel to the ground while keeping your legs in a perpendicular position to the ground.
- Hold this position unless you feel the “burn”.
Aerial Mountain Pose or Tadasana
This is an aerial version of the standing mountain pose, or Tadasana, done on the ground. Like its mat counterpart, this reclined version ensures many benefits, including improved posture, stronger legs and abdominal muscles, and better balance.
Here’s How To Do It
- Get into a standing position keeping your feet together while the hammock is behind you.
- Adjust the hammock so that it can go above your rib cage.
- Lean back on the hammock slowly. But, your feet should be planted.
- Extend your arms overhead.
- Let your chest and neck release as your entire body is stretched in this reclined diagonal posture.
Aerial Plank or Phalakasana
Plank is a simple yet effective yoga stance. Each time you get into this simple posture, you feel strength in your abdominal area, arms, and wrists. It also involves the core area of the body. What about giving it an aerial twist?
Performing the plank in a suspended way using the hammock is more effective than the conventional plank method. This is because it requires more control, balance, stability, awareness, and coordination to do a strong plank in suspension.
Here’s How To Do It
- Lay on the floor on your belly. Your feet should be below the hammock.
- Start by placing one foot at a time into the hammock while facing the ground.
- Elbows should be directly under your shoulders while keeping your elbows in line with the wrists.
- Now, raise your body off the floor to get into a plank position.
- Make sure to contract your abdominal, glute, and quad muscles.
- Push yourself into your upper back while your chin should be close to the neck.
- Stay in this position for 30–40 seconds.
Aerial Star Pose
For many beginners, the star pose seems to be one of the easiest yoga forms. This simple yoga pose is great for posture and energizing the body. Giving it an aerial twist will make it more appealing, creative, and efficient.
Here’s How To Do It
- First, unfold the hammock fabric and hold one end behind your back.
- Now, sit down in its center and bring your feet inside the hammock.
- Then, unfold the hammock fabric and hold on to one end of it.
- Now, sit down in its center with some extra slack of hammock to cover your feet.
- Lay back and join the sole of your feet to form a “diamond shape” with your legs.
- Extend your arms and try to reach up overhead, pushing down your knees until you form a star-like position. Stay in this pose for 30–40 seconds.
Here Is a Word of Caution
There is no doubt that aerial yoga poses are an interesting and fun take on the conventional form.
Sure, they are also a safe form of yoga for a beginner. However, it cannot be denied that you still need to be careful while performing yoga on the hammock. What if you fall out of a hammock? Thus, it is crucial to practice the precautions associated with aerial yoga. Here are some of them:
Consult Your Doctor
If you have any health conditions, like herniated discs, sciatic, vertigo, or are on medications, make sure to consult your physicians before performing aerial yoga.
Master the Basics
Whether you have done yoga before or not, make sure to start with at least one yoga class under a qualified aerial yoga instructor.
Use a High-Quality Yoga Hammock
First, make sure to buy a high-quality yoga hammock from a certified dealer. An ideal hammock is mostly silk in nature and can bear up to 300 kg of weight.
Avoid Eating Before Your Yoga Practice
Performing aerial yoga poses on a full stomach could cause cramps and nausea. Therefore, wait for a few hours to digest the food before performing aerial yoga or any workout.
Wear Active Clothing
Baggy or loose yoga clothing can get tangled in the hammock, causing trouble and discomfort. Instead, choose close-fitting yoga clothes.
Install Your Hammock Correctly
It is always best to get your hammock installed by a professional if you choose to hang it on beams.
Conclusion
Aerial yoga is sure to introduce you to some new and engaging ways of doing yoga. This amazing combination of yoga, Pilates, and acrobatics has outstanding benefits, such as improved posture, incredible flexibility, spinal decompression, and strength. However, it is important to ensure safety while practicing aerial yoga poses.
