Aerial Yoga for Increased Flexibility

By  Traci  Brosman

Summer time is a good time to look at taking your workouts indoors. Many times over the last month I have heard people talking about their Aerial Yoga classes and I wanted to see what the buzz was about. Aerial vinyasa is a practice that combines aerial dance and yoga using an aerial yoga hammock that holds and supports the body. Students of all experience levels are able to align their bodies in a variety of yoga postures and inversions without any spine compression.

Aerial yoga uses silky soft hammocks that are suspended from the ceiling. The hammock supports your hips for forward bends and backbends plus it acts as your seat during ab exercises. Many aerial yoga classes fuse many different disciplines in their classes including: yoga, dance, ballet, flexibility, balance and strength training and of course core work.  Using gravity to your advantage allows for deeper stretches and back extensions than what can be achieved on the ground. By practicing aerial yoga you gain greater flexibility, better posture, increased muscle tone, joint mobility, improved cardiovascular health and an overall sense of wellbeing. This form of exercise also gently decompresses the vertebrae of the spine and provides safe inversion therapy.

Practicing aerial yoga is not only good for improving your posture, giving you strong muscles and making you more flexible though. The poses used in aerial yoga help release oxygen and nutrients that help improve brain function and restore a youthful appearance. It is the perfect exercise for mind and body health. When trying anything new it is important to go with an open mind and a sense of humor. Be ready to have some fun while enjoying the benefits of a great workout.

TIP: When trying anything new it is important to go with an open mind and a sense of humor.