What is Aerial Yoga? and its benefits
Introduction
Over time, yoga has evolved to where it stands today just as life has. The process of evolution moves around the concept of people being inspired by the past and creating solutions for what we see as problems. The pioneers in problem solving see each problem as a window of opportunity and make all the difference.
Trying to understand why some modern yogi in the 20th century came up with the idea of suspended-in-air yoga practice is probably sitting in the inspiration of seeing BKS Iyengar use props like the rope to go deeper into full expression of the asana and combining it with the aerial acrobatics that we see in a circus.
Aerial yoga is a very recent development in the world of yoga. It is popularly called by different names such as Anti Gravity Yoga, Fly Yoga, Aero Yoga, or Aerial Yoga.
It combines yoga, pilates, and dance movements to create flows in hammocks or hung silk robes. This practice was developed by Michelle Dortignac in 2006 and hence a very recent and modern practice style of yoga.
The practice itself uses postures from traditional yoga asana practice and merges it with acrobatics in a suspended form. The key prop used for this practice is the silk robe that holds the person in it performing aerial yoga hung by the ceiling of the room or yoga shala.
Equipment needed for Aerial Yoga
Aerial yoga needs basic equipment which is a special silk hammock, which acts like a prop to support you while being suspended by the ceiling. The whole Aerial yoga kit includes a few things like the support bands or chains, a webbing strap, a silk hammock and climbing carabiner.
The two support chains are hung by the ceiling intertwined into the silk hammock suspended about one metre from the ground. There are two ways that the hammock can be hung to the ceiling single anchor point or double anchor point, both offer different benefits.
The single anchor point offer more range of motion and the double anchor point offers more stability.
Benefits of Aerial Yoga
Aerial Yoga offers the same benefits as any other form of yoga besides adding strength to arms and legs as they are used in major way in this practice to grab, hold, and balance.
The spine is decompressed in this practice when you hang upside down. From asana practice perspective this style opens doors to doing inversions like headstands with ease, the hammock supporting the hips for forward and backbends.
We at Trimurti Yoga believe that all forms of yoga are welcome whether traditional or more recent modern variations like the aerial yoga practice, all of them have something to offer to us to taking us forward into the awareness of connecting the body and mind.
We also offer 50 Hour Aerial Yoga YTTC in Goa, India which is a Yoga Alliance USA registered program and falls under the category of YACEP (yoga alliance continued education program).
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