Most people hear the word Aerial Yoga and they try to run away. They feel that this form of yoga is only made for the fittest people or for people with great strength. The thought of defying gravity or performing a workout in the air sounds intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Aerial yoga doesn’t require you to be an acrobat, all you need is a few lessons and some patience, and soon you will be in the air performing gravity-defying poses on a hammock.
Aerial yoga is a relatively new concept which is why people are scared to do it. Although you may think that it requires a huge amount of strength, actually aerial yoga classifies under a moderate-intensity workout. It can be vigorous if you want it to be. All you need is a hammock draped from a ceiling strong enough to support your body. You will need to move along this hammock to do yoga poses, stunts, back-flips, etc. You can get a hammock and do the aerial workout at home, but it is advisable to first learn the same from someone who knows how to do it.
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How Aerial Yoga Helps In Detoxifying Body
Why Should You Be Interested In Aerial Yoga
Aerial yoga is just like normal yoga but offers ten times more effectiveness. All you have to do is sit on a silky yoga hammock and perform aerial versions of your normal yoga poses. The workout offers multiple physical and mental benefits, these can be-
- It offers more flexibility than normal yoga. You are able to do multiple positions that stretch your body deeper than any other workout.
- The challenging aspect of this workout makes you more focussed and aware of your surroundings. It can also improve your concentration.
- You perform gymnastic tricks that keep you on your toes and make the workout fun. You get to do so many different things that you will not get bored with this workout.
- It is great for your skin as it reduces fine lines and brings more color to your face.
- It helps you sleep better.
- It engages both your mind and body and therefore reduces stress and makes you feel relaxed.
- It offers a full-body workout with the help of anti-gravity exercises and your body weight.
How Aerial Yoga Helps With Weight Loss
One of the many reasons to perform aerial yoga is the weight loss benefit it offers.
- Aerial yoga helps in improving blood flow to all the muscles of the body. It engages multiple muscles in your body at the same time.
- It counts as cardio that is more intensive and burns more calories. It also helps in building strength.
- It’s a great ab workout that engages your core and spine.
- It helps in cleansing your entire system and enhances your body functions. The result is a relaxed mind and a healthy body.
Getting Started With Aerial Yoga
You need the following thing to get started with aerial yoga- an aerial yoga class near you or your own hammock and instructions video. Additionally, you will also need a freestanding frame or a bar to attach your hammock to and accessories to attach your hammock with the bar/frame.
There are some basic poses in Aerial Yoga that you will have to learn in order to improve your skills. These poses are called:
- Candy Cane where you wrap your body and legs around the center of the hammock and use your arm strength to hold on
- Butterfly where you cover both your feet using the fabric and stand upright while your arms form wings with the hammock
- The Floating Tree where you stand on the hammock on one foot and rest the other on your thigh
Once you are aware of all this, there are some other tips you need to keep in mind to ensure a better and efficient workout.
- Wear comfortable clothes that are fitted and stretchable. Loose clothes can make it difficult for you to do yoga.
- Avoid using hand lotion as it can hamper your grip on the hammock.
- Don’t have anything acidic before the workout.
- Eat a light meal before the workout and make sure you are hydrated.
- Make sure you are not wearing any accessory, belt, jewelry or rings as these can hurt you or get tangled with the hammock.
- Make sure you have trimmed your nails.
- Try to not practice at home alone for your first few classes. Aerial yoga can be tricky to understand at first and you need some professional to actually show you how to do it.
If you want all the benefits of a full-body workout without having to switch between upper body and lower body workouts, this is the best option. Experience a full-body workout where your entire body is forced to stretch and work-out. This will move and relax your muscles and make sure they are in the right place. Aerial yoga is said to be extremely helpful when strengthening and regenerating your joints.
Apart from all this, the overall experience is physical as well as mental. You experience a full-body workout, an increase in creativity and a release of stress. You are able to increase flexibility, reduce weight and enhance your blood pressure. Most importantly, you experience the joy that is unlike any other.
