What do I need the hammock for?

– What if I fall?

– Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?

Eric Hanson

Grandma Iyengar has introduced accessories into the yoga practice. Although there are many people who still believe that for yoga no other things than body is necessary. Well, a mat can be helpful.

Aerial yoga (also called hammock yoga, air yoga, aero yoga or antigravity yoga) is a type of yoga that is practiced in a silk hammock suspended from the ceiling to support your body weight, instead of stretched out across a mat laying on the floor. 

Your first look at the latest fitness trend on Instagram (under the hashtag #AerialYoga), will give you pics of gorgeous, gravity-defying yoga poses. But you don’t need to be an acrobat to learn and love aerial workouts. Just because aerial yoga focuses on movements in mid-air doesn’t mean there’s zero floor work, though. An aerial yoga session teaches how to use both the hammock and the floor. However, some more advanced classes require climbing up and staying in the air like an aerial arts performance.

Using hammock during the yoga practice has a few additional benefits:

• full body workout
• core muscles enhancement
• easier acces to inverted poses
• spine decompression
• low-impact exercise
• circulation enhancement and lymphatic movements
• stress relief
• mood booster
• improvement of focus and prioperception
• empowerment

To know more, click here -> benefits of aerial yoga.

How to start?

I highly recommend finding a studio offering this type of classes. I’m aware that it’s not so popular yet and it’s not always easy or even possible. Of course you can always buy a hammock and install it in your house, but please be careful. Make sure that during your first tries there’s always someone near you to help you.

What to expect during an aerial yoga class?

Although most aerial yoga photos you’ll find seem to showcase a yogi fully suspended in air, many aerial yoga poses only require you to take one body part such as your foot or leg off the ground.

You might think that flips and inversions are at the top of the list, however, before even discussing specific movements, the first thing you should expect to face your fears and learn to trust both yourself and the hammock.

Depending on the teacher, and class type, an aerial yoga class can be anywhere from a slow-flowing, meditative, restorative experience with a body-mind-spirit connection to a kind of suspension fitness, using the apparatus to gain flexibility, strength, mobility, and agility in preparation for gymnastics and aerial arts-influenced flips and tricks.

Some cases when aerial isn’t the best idea:

Strong contraindications:

• vertigo
• recent surgery, wounds, head injuries, stroke or concussion
• epilepsy
• glaucoma
• brain aneurysm

Relative contraindications:

• hip replecements
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• severe arthritis
• disc herniation
• balance issues
• severe neck or back pain
• heart disease
• hypertension
• menstruation
• taking any medications that can cause dizziness

Remember that your safety is the most important matter. There are no absolute contraindications for aerial yoga. Classes can be done also in a restorative style with a low hammock around knees’ level. This kind of classes can be actually beneficial for mentioned diseases. However it’s very important to talk with the yoga teacher and physician.