Hanging in a towel with a special feeling of weightlessness and lightness while doing yoga exercises - that's aerial yoga in one sentence. This type of yoga, which originated in the USA, is also called anti-gravity yoga. Here you will learn the special features of yoga in a hammock and how you can even do aerial yoga at home.
Yoga in a sling: These are the special features
The biggest difference to other types of yoga is obvious: In aerial yoga, the exercises are practiced in a yoga towel hanging from the ceiling - a special hammock.
Many asanas are performed in an inverted posture. Everything is possible, from aerial acrobatics to letting yourself fall completely and relinquishing gravity to the cloth. Aerial yoga trains all muscle groups in your body and addresses the deep muscles in particular. Strength, coordination and balance are improved.
Because aerial yoga allows you to transfer your weight to the cloth, this variant of Yoga is particularly easy on the joints and relieves the spine and back.
You can use this type of Yoga for muscle building and just as well to relax and let go - in a physical and mental sense. This will happen automatically when you drop your body into the sling.
Who is aerial yoga suitable for?
In aerial yoga, fun is more important than spirituality. If you have found it difficult to find a yoga practice, this type of yoga might be the right one for you. If you are already familiar with other yoga styles such as Hatha Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga, Aerial Yoga is also a great addition or supplement.
By the way, aerial yoga looks more complicated than it is at first glance: There are many exercises that are very suitable for beginners.
Caution is advised, however, if you are prone to high blood pressure, dizziness or circulatory problems. Then you should first check with your doctor whether aerial yoga is suitable for you. The same applies if you have problems with your spine - although these can actually be improved by yoga in the sling.
Exercises: Is aerial yoga also suitable at home?
What do you need for Aerial Yoga? Can you do hammock yoga at home or do you have to go to a yoga studio? Depending on how much previous experience you have, a yoga class in the yoga studio under the guidance of a teacher can of course make sense.
If you want to practice aerial yoga at home, you need a suitable aerial yoga towel:
- Length: 4 - 6 meters, width at least 2.8 meters
- Material: nylon or polyamide - for elasticity and load-bearing capacity
- a ceiling mount: is usually included with instructions
- a ceiling height of at least 2.30 meters
By the way, a mix of floor yoga and yoga in the air makes a lot of sense. For example, if you (still) find some exercises, especially stretching, difficult on the floor, you can often do them better with yoga in a sling by reducing your body weight.
Aerial yoga requires a certain basic tension, especially in the muscle groups of the abdominal and core muscles. You need this basic tension to hold the asanas and to change positions. Don't worry if you're still lacking practice at this point - there are great exercises to get you started so you can slowly work your way up.
Aerial yoga exercises to do at home
The exercises in Aerial Yoga are basically based on the classic Asanas. Because they are performed in the cloth and you are partly floating in the air, the asanas are somewhat modified, partly they also take place in the inverted posture. Dynamic and static exercises as well as stretching exercises await you here.
These are the basic exercises in Aerial Yoga:
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Rips Hang: The shawl supports your upper body along the shoulders and armpits and you can let yourself go.
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Hip Hang: The sling supports you along your hips while you practice downward facing dog, for example - in the air or with your hands and feet on the ground.
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Back Straddle: With this exercise you can practice inverted postures up to handstand and headstand.
- Aerial Bhadrasana: This is basically the butterfly pose - just upside down.
Aerial yoga in a sling: variety is key
Aerial yoga is fun and has a whole range of positive effects: It is a joint-gentle training of the deep muscles, you can completely let go physically and mentally and improve your body awareness, balance and coordination. Whether as a start to yoga practice or as a supplement to other yoga styles on the floor - in both cases it contributes to physical and mental well-being.