Yoga has increased significantly in popularity over the last 50 years or so, and with good reason. In addition to improving flexibility and muscle tone, yoga is also used either alone or alongside other activities to reduce stress and improve energy. As more people jump on the yoga bandwagon, new approaches have emerged, combining the basic yoga poses with meditation, dance, and other physical activities and hobbies. Aerial yoga is an approach that uses a hammock or silks to add a new and modern layer to an ancient art.
Ready to try a yoga class in Vacaville?
What Is Aerial Yoga?
The most obvious difference between aerial yoga and regular yoga is that you are suspended in the air. This is done with the use of something called a Harrison hammock, named after its inventor, choreographer Christopher Harrison. Yoga was a natural extension of Harrison’s acrobatic dance troupe’s workouts, and it has since caught on to the mainstream. The silk hammocks are suspended about 3 feet from the ground, holding up to 2000 pounds of weight and force. Just like other forms of yoga, aerial yoga takes many approaches, but there are some common threads and universal benefits.
Benefits Of Aerial Yoga
Good For Beginners
Though flying through the air on a yoga swing sure looks complicated, the suspension actually makes several poses easier to achieve, especially supported inversions like handstands. Without gravity working against you, there are a lot more options without putting unnecessary strain on your body
Improved Flexibility
Another big advantage of practicing anti-gravity yoga is that the hammock simultaneously provides the support and freedom needed to aid in relaxation and help your body to reach new positions
Builds Upper Body Strength
The act of holding onto the hammock during poses engages your arms, shoulders, and abs more than doing the same poses on the ground. Those with chronic back pain or shoulder and neck tension may find they are able to achieve more advanced upper body workouts due to the hammock opening up tight areas.
More Motivation
Let’s face it, workout routines can get boring when you have been doing them for a while. Flipping upside down is not an opportunity most people get very often, so you may find yourself more excited for your yoga classes.
Deeper Yoga Experience
With the use of the swing as a prop, many experienced yogis find that aerial yoga deepens their practice on both a physical and spiritual level, as they are able to achieve new poses and reach a deeper level of relaxation and a more complete meditative state.
Is Aerial Yoga Dangerous?
Taking aerial yoga classes from a qualified instructor at a reputable fitness studio is generally a low-risk activity. The Harrison Hammock may seem intimidating, but it is actually a very way for many people with chronic back pain or other mobility limitations to take an active role in the yoga process. As with any fitness activity, you should talk to your doctor before beginning aerial yoga, especially if you have heart disease, glaucoma, or define spinal problems, as anti-gravity yoga can exacerbate these conditions.
Are You Ready To Fly?
Whether you are brand new to yoga or an experienced practitioner, aerial yoga classes in Vacaville will help you soar. Sign up today to give a try!