All About the Aerial Yoga Swing & Hammock: Here are Some Popular Positions to Try!
The aerial yoga swing is a practice that dates back 2,000 years, and it's considered a great way to achieve overall fitness and stretch. Unlike conventional yoga, which focuses on the mind and the body, the practice which includes the aerial yoga swing comes with additional benefits. This may be why it's increasingly becoming popular among fitness enthusiasts around the world. This type of yoga is great for back sufferers, helping aide in stress relief (like conventional yoga), weight loss as well as increasing flexibility in both the muscles and the joints. Despite it's appearance (which can often seem difficult), can be beginner-friendly.
Essentially, aerial yoga is a special type of yoga that is
done mid-air, whereby the weight of your body is supported by a sturdy aerial
yoga swing or hammock like supportive device. To get the most out of aerial yoga, the best yoga
swing, is one that's designed with both strength and comfort in mind.
Aerial yoga truly adds another dimension to the practice, especially for you seasoned yogis looking for a little more variety in your training.
There are countless
types of yoga swings on the market, so you’ll want to choose a yoga swing that’s
best suited for your needs, body type, etc.
Popular Aerial Yoga Poses to Try
Here is a video demonstrating some different positions for your aerial yoga swings and hammock routine
a . Anti-Gravity Warrior Pose
This position requires a great deal of balance and a higher
level of coordination to get the most out of it. Look straight ahead and keep
your arms steady, tighten and focus on your core to achieve balance. This is a Yoga pose for balance, stretch and strength. In particular this maneuver requires hip stability, and leg strength (particularly your hamstrings and quadriceps) do to the mid air suspension.
Leverage
the straps to shift your body weight depending on the areas of your body you
want to target. This is one of the simplest aerial yoga poses to explain, but maybe not the easiest to start with. The Aerial warrior pose helps to also open up the groin area, and helps develop that total mind-body connection that all yogis are looking for.
b. Anti-Gravity Pigeon Pose
Although a staple of yoga poses on the mat, it is definitely more difficult in mid-air suspension. There are other forms of the pigeon pose you can try that requires keeping one leg on the ground. This pose is considered more of an intermediate to advanced yoga maneuver.
With your back straight and your legs slightly lower than your hips, take your regualr pigeon pose and move it to the aerial swing. You can then go inverted to take it to the next level (discussed below).
Using the right aerial
yoga swing for anti-gravity pigeon pose will help you achieve a deep and
relaxing stretch.
c. Inverted Pigeon Pose
If you’re looking for something more interesting than the regular yoga poses, you’ll want to try the inverted pigeon pose. This pose involves performing inversions that defy gravity. This position helps to re-align your spine, works the hip region, stretches the hamstrings, but also increase strength in the core, feet, ankles, and arms, making this truly a overall body aerial yoga maneuver.
Like many yoga asanas, there are differing versions of the inverted pigeon pose. The inverted pigeon pose is definitely an advanced aerial swing and hammock maneuver. It will help increase stretch, strength, balance and flexibility of the body,
d. Lay Back In The Cross Position
This position involves lying slightly backward with your yoga swing holding you around your back, your feet on the ground. This position works best for beginners and is definitely an easy asana for beginners to the aerial yoga swing and hammock. Layback in the cross position ca help bring a sense of calm within, and help with posture.
e. Superman Pose
Another more advanced aerial yoga maneuver, the superman pose involves lying flat, belly down, stretching out your arms to the front, and lifting your upper body and lower body off the floor.
This is one of the more fun poses to do aerially. This maneuver may work better if your have a swing with handles to grab onto. You'll want to focus on keeping your core tight, arching and stretching your back, and extending those arms. Another pose that will help with strength, balance and stretch.
f. Downward Dog
Another staple of "mat yoga" is the downward dog. This is more a beginner level asana on the yoga swing and really allows a beginner yogi or someone new to aerial yoga swings and hammocks to get a feel for the practice and how it begins to differ from "mat" yoga.
The downward dog position involves putting your legs wide
apart and then bending your stomach forward without bending your legs. Once
your stomach touches the yoga swing and you’re starting to connect with the
ground, (you can) elevate your legs and let your body weight rest on the swing, or continue the stretch on the ground.
This works several parts of the body including your arms, back, shoulders, hamstrings, chest and like with any exercise you should be attempting to activate your core as well.
Benefits of Aerial Yoga
· 1. Aerial Yoga May Just Help You To Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Like conventional yoga, there can be many benefits that directly correlate to aerial yoga sessions as well, like yoga as a sleep aid.
Are you someone who suffers from insomnia/difficulty sleeping through the night, and it’s impacting the
quality of your everyday life? If so, aerial yoga may be able to help.
This type of yoga, like conventional yoga, takes tremendous focus on the mind and the body, making sure to get into certain positions, while also stabilizing your body on the swing.
The muscles & joints can really be stretched and worked with certain positions. This type of physical and mental training helps to empty your mind, removes tension from the body and can help to decrease symptoms of anxiety.
In fact a national survey, found that 55% of individuals who practiced yoga, found it to help them get better sleep and 85% stated that it helped reduce stress.
It
also promotes the release of hormones that relaxes your mind. Incorporating training of the mind and body like meditation and aerial
yoga in your daily routine may be just the what "the doctor ordered" and give one the ability to stay away from other sorts of un-natural remedies.
· 2. Combats The Signs Of Aging
Aerial yoga, like many other forms of exercise can help to keep away age-related problems. According to Health.com, it can help to "improve varicose veins and you may even see a reduction in fine lines." It targets different areas of the body, helping you to achieve a
good physical shape.
Like with any type of training that gets your heart rate up in good fat and cardio burn zones, you should see respiratory and
cardiovascular benefits, by practicing aerial yoga regularly.
This type of yoga has the ability to improve your flexibility, strengthen your muscles and joints, and burn more calories. The good thing about aerial yoga is that it can be practiced by just about anyone, regardless of age or fitness level.
· 3. Aerial Yoga Delivers A Better Full-Body Workout Effect
Looking for an effective workout that targets different areas
of your body? Aerial yoga is designed to engage almost all muscles of your
body. Therefore, it's an ideal exercise for anyone looking to achieve full-body
benefits while preventing disproportionate muscle growth.
Aerial yoga helps to
strengthen joints and ligaments, improve endurance and stamina, build lean
muscle, and can even temporarily relieve pain symptoms by using inverted poses. If you have weight problems or you’re suffering from conditions like
arthritis, you’ll want to include aerial yoga in your fitness regimen.
Whether your goal is to tone your core, shed those unwanted
pounds, or simply stay healthy, aerial yoga is the ideal exercise you'll need
to incorporate into your fitness routine.
· 4. Can Help You With Your Yoga "On The Mat, Game"
Let's face it, certain poses are super hard, and some are more geared to the novice yogi. Ever try a handstand, headstand or forearm stand and the additional poses that incorporate this type of maneuvering, hard right? There are ways to modify these maneuvers, to eventually conquer the more challenging positions, like using a wall for support.
H However, why not try building up strength in a more conformable way, one that allows you to keep certain postures for longer periods of time because it helps to support your body weight in more comfortable silk straps, until you can master a technique 100% unsupported.
Now, take this experience to your next routine yoga class (with your traditional yoga mat), and we think you'll see the added benefit aerial yoga swings can offer!
· 5. Aerial Yoga Improves Your Mood
Aerial yoga can help aid in reducing stress, manage anxiety symptoms, and
improving your mood. Like may moderate to vigorous workouts, this type of training can help to promote the release of hormones
such as serotonin which help to regulate one's mood.
As well, yoga in general can help to reduce immune system chemicals that are associated with stress and depression, like other forms of training can do. If' you're someone who suffers from, stress, anxiety or symptoms of depression, aerial yoga as well as other forms of mind-body training, may help!
Final Thoughts!
Generally, it’s best to choose a comfortable and secure
aerial yoga swing to get the most out of aerial yoga. There really are many
options in the market to choose from, from swings that may be more appropriate for your home, to ones that lend themselves to be used in more commercial settings.
As always, when you're unfamiliar with a workout routine, or props that you may use within your routine it is always advisable to take up a training session run by an expert with certain yoga props or tools.
Be sure to consider your unique aerial
yoga needs when choosing an ideal yoga swing.
Resources:
https://www.shape.com/fitness/trends/benefits-of-aerial-yoga
https://www.health.com/fitness/aerial-yoga-health-benefits
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/wellness-related-use-of-common-complementary-health-approaches-among-adults-united-states-2012