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Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021
Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance: Urban-Yoga-Gurus

 

Introduction to Aerial Yoga

Practicing yoga has long been considered one of the best ways to stay fit and release stress. While traditional yoga is great for the mind and body, Aerial yoga has a few additional benefits. Read on to learn more about what to expect at an Aerial yoga class and the benefits that Aerial yoga can provide.


Aerial yoga, also referred to as anti-gravity yoga, shares a lot of 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. (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)


The benefits of Aerial Yoga (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)


If you are wondering “What is Aerial Yoga good for?”, then it would be much faster to list the things it does not help with!

Being a physical activity, it benefits all the areas of fitness, focusing in particular on flexibility and strength. Before you even notice it, your whole body gets a full gentle stretch.

The next moment, your core is working like hell and all your muscles are engaged. As with all yoga practices, you connect to your breath, which makes it virtually impossible to go over your limits.


The hammock supports your weight during jumps and flips. So, despite being a potentially intense physical activity, there’s no harmful impact on your joints, bones, and tendons.

Want more sweat? You can make it as intense as you wish. Some classes purposely turn Aerial Yoga into a full-body workout to strengthen your muscles.

Feel like stretching your column? Just hang upside down or bend over your hips and let gravity do its work. Up for some balance? Get all your muscles involved with some advanced asanas challenging your focus.

Hovering a few feet off the ground, flying weightless defying the law of gravity, drawing graceful figures in the air. This is not life on Mars. It’s Aerial Yoga.

And you don’t need to be a seasoned astronaut to practice it nor to be in an anti-gravity room. All it takes is a yoga hammock, some solid rigging, and a few carabiners.

Oh, and of course, a certified Aerial Yoga teacher to guide you through this supple aerial fitness experience.


Hang upside down

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021
Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance
image source - google | Owner


Attracting newbies and devoted yogis alike, Aerial Yoga classes have sprung up in many countries all across the world. Besides the fitness aspect, which certainly brings many health benefits, the gravity-defying environment has countless positive effects on our mood, self-confidence, and trust.

Safely supported by an aerial yoga swing, people find a way to overcome their fears and boost their self-esteem. And they have great fun!

Aerial yoga is lots of fun!
Not to mention the ease of achieving most advanced asanas — such as headstands — and the ability to hold poses longer (and safer) thanks to the absence of weight.

The latter is the reason why this discipline is recommended for all body types, ages, and experience levels. With the right equipment and some training, you can even practice aerial yoga at home!

So, let’s start from the beginning and learn more about this “ethereal” activity.


What is Aerial Yoga? (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)


Aerial yoga is a hybrid mind-body practice that combines Hatha Yoga with gymnastics, dance, Pilates, and circus arts using an aerial hammock, also known as aerial silk.

During the class, the teacher guides the students through a sequence of asanas, meditation techniques, tricks, and calisthenic movements using both the mat and the yoga hammock.

The result is a flowing, graceful discipline that gently stretches the body, quietens the mind, and uplifts the spirit.

graceful figures are easy to reproduce
Each Aerial Yoga class is different and may range from a gentle, restorative session to an intense workout (including HIIT — High-intensity interval training — movements).

Some teachers may lean more towards the choreographic aspect of the practice, including charming figures reminiscent of ballet or aerial silk artists.

The spectrum of activities is so wide that it comprehends even deeply meditative activities such as Aerial Yoga Nidra. When specific poses are performed, Aerial Yoga can also be integrated into Detox programs.

The yoga hammock is the fundamental prop for this practice (check out our FAQ section below).

aerial yoga is also great for meditation

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021
Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance
Image Source - Google | Owner


By changing conventional motor dynamics and spatial perception, it allows the body to achieve movements and postures that would otherwise be unthinkable or reserved for advanced practitioners.

Thanks to the support of the aerial swing, practitioners can go deeper into Asana, in a safer way, thus reducing the likelihood of injuries. Also, the hammock allows for modifications of classic asanas, adding variety and creativity to the practice.

Assisted by aerial silk, students can easily hold poses longer and easier. Just think of a handstand, an asana that puts off many beginners.

Handstand made easy

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021
Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021
Image Source- Google | Owner


The hammock supports and guides you in the pose, unloading the body weight through the arms onto the silk. Acting as a safety harness, the aerial hammock allows yogis to effortlessly perform pro tricks such as back-flips and swings.

Inversions become accessible to everyone, and you will want more of them! The feeling of looking at the world from upside-down, sort of changes your perspective!

you can practice aerial yoga outdoors
Aerial yoga is also a great activity to socialize and meet like-minded people. And, it’s flexible! You can practice Aerial Yoga at home, outdoors, and in yoga studios.

Without even realizing it, you will start to develop self-confidence and trust. As a result, you will be able to do gymnastic tricks you didn’t think you were capable of

What’s more, whatever you learn in the yoga shala can be applied to the real world. As you get more flexible, balanced, and stronger, your mind will follow, finding the long-sought quietness.

A little history of Aerial Yoga

As with many products of human creativity, the origins of Aerial Yoga are hard to trace back to one single person.

As early as in the second half of the 1900s, late yoga master B. K. S. Iyengar started to use props in Yoga: one of them, used for inversions, was known as the “Yoga Sling”

master Iyengar using the yoga sling
In 1991, former gymnast Christopher Harrison founded AntiGravity Inc., a confederacy of gymnastic athletes & he developed the brand’s signature aerial hammock.

Christopher Harrison on his anti-gravity hammock
In the meantime, different people contributed to feeding the shared knowledge of Aerial Yoga. In 2001, American physical therapist Antonio Cardenas developed a device known as the “Yoga Swing” (today, redubbed “Omni Gym”).

Antonio ‘Tone’ Cardenas on his Omni swing
In 2003, Kerry Neal created the “Gravotonics Yoga Swing & Exercise System” in Bali and, in 2004, founder of “Yoga body” Lucas Rockwood developed the Yoga Trapeze in Thailand.

When Harrison discovered the benefits of yoga, he merged both passions, and, in 2007, AntiGravity Yoga was born (today known as AntiGravity Fitness) as the first structured Aerial Yoga school to offer classes to the public.

Since then, Aerial Yoga has spread around the globe, conquering the hearts of many practitioners.

The benefits of Aerial Yoga (Aerial Yoga full guide beginners-advance 2021)

If you are wondering “What is Aerial Yoga good for?”, then it would be much faster to list the things it does not help with!

Being a physical activity, it benefits all the areas of fitness, focusing in particular on flexibility and strength. Before you even notice it, your whole body gets a full gentle stretch.

The next moment, your core is working like hell and all your muscles are engaged. As with all yoga practices, you connect to your breath, which makes it virtually impossible to go over your limits.

aerial yoga is both relaxing and challenging

The hammock supports your weight during jumps and flips. So, despite being a potentially intense physical activity, there’s no harmful impact on your joints, bones, and tendons.

Want more sweat? You can make it as intense as you wish. Some classes purposely turn Aerial Yoga into a full-body workout to strengthen your muscles.

Feel like stretching your column? Just hang upside down or bend over your hips and let gravity do its work. Up for some balance? Get all your muscles involved with some advanced asanas challenging your focus.

advanced asanas are accessible

Perhaps, the most outstanding benefit of Aerial Yoga is spinal decompression. Delivering a therapeutic practice, Aerial Yoga helps your column to stretch to its maximum extent.

Studies at AntiGravity Fitness have demonstrated that after a class, you will be 0.5 to 3.5 cm taller than when you started!

Though the visual effect is only temporary, the long-term benefits of spinal stretching are considerable. The vertebrae are gently separated from each other, finding some space between the cartilaginous intervertebral discs.
As a spiritual activity, you get all the benefits of meditation such as focus, surrendering, a sense of wholeness, peace, and a quiet mind. Also, your mood will feel uplifted after class.

And if you are a bit of a “control freak”, Aerial Yoga will help you let go of your obsession, surrendering to gravity, trusting the equipment and your body.

In the long-term, also your self-confidence will improve, seeing great results with little effort. In other words, it is a perfect all-rounder, addressing all areas of your well-being.
A recent study from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has found that women who did three 50-minute Aerial Yoga classes a week for six weeks lost an average of two and a half pounds, 2 percent body fat, and about one inch from their waist.

“After the six-week program, participants displayed measurable reductions in some common risk factors for cardiovascular heart disease“, said ACE Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant.

The study confirmed that participants reduced their risk factors by approximately 10% in only 6 weeks. (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)

We will try to sum up the Aerial Yoga benefits below:


Improves blood circulation
Promotes body awareness
Develops spatial intelligence
Relieves stress/anxiety
Facilitates digestion Stimulates lymphatic drainage
Relieves back pain
Boosts self-confidence and trust
It’s lots of fun!
Mat poses become easier to master
No impact on joints
Total body workout
Improves flexibility
Increases strength
Boosts your mood
Useful for detox programs
Improves posture

Top 5 Aerial Yoga Poses to Learn Today (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)

Aerial Stag Pose   
Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance-2021

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance
image source- google |
owner



 This is such a beautiful pose with lovely lines. Again – pointed toes make a world of difference, like in this photograph. The ‘stag’ refers to the shape of the legs being like a galloping stag, but upside-down! This version of the Aerial Stag pose has the straight leg hooked in the hammock.

Anti-Gravity Warrior Pose   

Aerial-Yoga-full-guide-beginners-advance
image source - google |
Owner

  The anti-gravity warrior poses in aerial yoga take a lot of balance and coordination. Look straight ahead, hold your arms steady, and tense your core muscles for best results. Use the straps to shift the pressure of your body weight and always use a spotter to help you balance at first.

Anti-Gravity Pigeon Pose

A staple pose in mat yoga, the pigeon pose is relatively easy to achieve using your aerial yoga swing for a deep and relaxing stretch. Remember to keep your back straight!

Inverted Pigeon Pose 

When you’re up for something more daring, try some inversions with a spotter or instructor present! This inverted pigeon pose gives you a deep stretch of your hips and helps re-align your spine. Perfect for those who spend too much time at their desk! For a bonus stretch, try the inverted pigeon pose with your hands in the prayer position behind your back. This gives your chest and shoulders a deep and satisfying stretch. You can hold this for about 30 seconds before releasing your hands.

Inverted Star Pose 

 This is the inverted version of the Star Pose, pictured above with the hands on the floor in a handstand-like position. Always. Point. Your. Toes. Lol.

General Aerial Yoga Safety Tips (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021)

Before you attempt your aerial routine at home, there are some precautions aerial yoga safety tips to take into consideration.

Rather than discussing anything in particular at length, we’ve decided to just list everything out below, so you can scan the things you should be aware of, and to see if there will be any potential problems with you partaking in aerial yoga or inversion therapy.

Most of these things are common sense,
however, we know it is easy to get carried away with excitement when getting into the swing, so it’s a good idea to have an outline of things so you’ll have peace of mind.

Here are some more general things for any aerial yoga sessions:

1 Always start at beginner level and start slow to warm into each session
2 Best to seek professional aerial yoga instruction if you’re a beginner
3 Do not perform aerial yoga on a full stomach
4 Not recommended for pregnant women without guidance
5 Do not attempt if you have had botox in the last 6 hours
6 Exercise caution if you have had major surgery in the past six months
7 Don’t wear clothing with exposed zips this could rip the hammock
8 Don’t wear overly loose clothing as it could get caught in the

hammock
9 Try to cover up as much as possible to limit skin irritation from rubbing against the fabric
10 Push yourself for sure, mentally absolutely – BUT never push to the point where it hurts
11 The hammock can hold your weight, even if you lean fully into it – check the load capacity
12 Better to buy certified equipment from a reputable yoga swing manufacturer
13 Make sure it is fitted correctly onto the ceiling beams!
14 We recommend hiring a professional to install your swing with heavy-duty mountings etc.
15 When hanging on beams, make sure it’s made of hardwood or steel
16 If hanging on trees, use only thick and sturdy branches
17 If you are dealing with any spinal pathologies like herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, sciatica, etc, or hypermobility, please consult a physiotherapist before trying any aerial or inversions.


Likewise, if you have conditions such as blood-pressure irregularities or vertigo, best to work with a knowledgeable health practitioner; and avoid if you regularly experience nausea or motion sickness.

Precautions

Do not perform Aerial Yoga if:-

Detached Retina/Glaucoma
Recent surgery or trauma to any internal organs
Broken or fractured bones in the hip/torso area
Recent head/brain injury or trauma
Heart or circulatory disorders
Severe spinal cord trauma
Fused vertebrae
Extreme obesity
Cancer of the bone
During Menstruation Not Recommended
Excessively High/Low Blood Pressure
Do Not Perform While Pregnant
Hernia
If any doubt check with your Doctor
for any Medical Conditions, you are unsure of

Conclusion

In this, we provide (Aerial-Yoga full guide beginners-advance-2021). But we also conclude that take Proper guidance from your trainer before performing Aerial Yoga.
Thank you


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