What is Aerial Yoga and What are the Benefits?

What is Aerial Yoga?

Aerial yoga, shares a lot similarities with traditional yoga. However, there’s a big difference. When participating in aerial yoga classes, the weight of your body will be supported by a hammock. This means you’ll be suspended in the air! It’s a great option for beginners and experienced yoga performers

What Are the Benefits of Aerial Yoga?

  1. Reduces Back Pain
    While everyone can benefit from aerial yoga classes, they’re especially great for people experiencing back pain. Because of the hammock’s support, far less pressure is placed upon your joints. Aerial yoga also doesn’t strain the spine, which is a huge advantage for back pain sufferers. You’ll be able to obtain a full body workout without any discomfort.
  2. Improves Breathing
    Controlled breathing is an important aspect of yoga. Aerial yoga allows you to breathe deeply with any restriction. While hanging in the air, you’ll be able to totally relax. Aerial yoga enables you to comfortably maintain every pose. Over time, you can even expect to improve your lung capacity.
  3. Enhances Flexibility
    In order to maintain a great range of motion, you must consistently work on your flexibility. Aerial yoga class will definitely help you to safely stretch your muscles and tendons. Being suspended in the air gives you more space to move. This means you’ll be able to perform yoga poses that you can’t do on the floor.
  4. Provides Stress Relief
    Don’t underestimate the stress relief that stems from participating in aerial yoga classes. If you happen to be going through a rough time or experiencing anxiety attacks, aerial yoga will help put your mind at ease. It gives you an opportunity to meditate and focus on positive thoughts (while hanging upside-down!). Beyond just stress relief, the pros of being inverted include increased balance, more energy, and better focus. When you’re inverted, blood flows to your brain and provides oxygen it needs for brain function.
  5. Burns Calories
    Aerial yoga offers more than just peace and relaxation. It also helps burn calories through the balance it takes to stay control in the silks. Being suspended in the air requires a stable core as you change positions in a way a mat yoga class can’t. In fact, a study performed by the American Council on Exercise shows aerial yoga rivals the effectiveness of aerobic exercise. During a 50-minute aerial yoga session, you have the potential melt away 320 calories. After six weeks, your risk of cardiovascular disease will be significantly lower.

How to Prepare for Your First Aerial Yoga Class

    • Wear the Right Clothing
      Don’t want to wear anything too loose because it might get tangled. Dress in comfortable, form-fitting clothing that covers your arms and legs; that way, your skin won’t get irritated from contact with the hammock. And avoid wearing jewelry because it can get caught on the silks, which is dangerous to you and damaging to the silks.
    • Arrive Early to Class
      There’s more to this tip than just making a good impression with your instructor by avoiding tardiness. Arriving before the class starts will give you a chance to introduce yourself to your instructor, tell him or her that it’s your first class, and ask any questions you might have. And, since you’ll be there before other participants arrive, you’ll have your choice of unclaimed hammocks.
    • Relax
      You might be a little nervous at first, but just remember that everyone in the class probably felt the same way when they went to their first class. You’ll get the most out of the class if you take your time moving from pose to pose and try to have as little tension in your body as possible. One of the great things about Aerial Yoga is that gravity is on your side, helping you get a deeper stretch. Use this to your advantage and remember that the instructor is there to guide you and can also offer modified poses if you find anything to be too much of a challenge. Keep these things in mind, and your first class will be out of the way before you know it. It gets easier from there, and you’ll be excited about your next class session.

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