If you’ve been around the workout social media space lately, there’s a good chance you’ve seen videos of people flying through the air in silk hammocks during aerial yoga classes. Although it’s picturesque and whimsical-looking, aerial yoga will give you some serious strength and health benefits. They include:
- Get an intense core workout
- Increase flexibility
- Release joint and spinal compression
- Build upper and lower body strength
- Health benefits of being upside-down
In the rest of this article, we’ll go into more detail about each of the points mentioned above. By the end, you should have a good idea of whether aerial yoga is something you’d like to try. So, let’s get started!
5 Reasons To Try An Aerial Yoga Class
Get an intense core workout
Even though aerial yoga looks picture-perfect, it really offers an intense workout. When you’re hanging upside-down supported by just a strong piece of cloth, you’ll have all the incentive you need to deeply engage your core! Plus, being airborne removes the stability and support of the floor, encouraging you to rely solely on your muscles.
Increase flexibility
Like its gravity-bound counterpart, aerial yoga spends a lot of time focused on stretching and lengthening the muscles. The silks provide a great prop to get an even deeper stretch than you can achieve on the floor. Not only is stretching restorative and relaxing, it can also help you find better posture and alignment in other workouts and the rest of your life.
Release joint and spinal compression
One of the best parts of aerial yoga is the way it removes pressure from your spine and joints. Taking gravity out of the equation allows your bones to move and readjust in ways they cannot while on the floor. And, whenever you’re upside-down, gravity tugs on your skull, lengthening your spine and releasing compression.
Build upper and lower body strength
Aerial yoga is a fantastic way to build core strength, but it also helps increase strength and muscle mass in your entire body. Using all of your muscle groups to stabilize, lift, and control the weight of your body works them out in ways that aren’t even possible with floor based movement.
Health benefits of being upside-down
Finally, being upside-down is great for your health in a variety of ways. As previously mentioned, it helps relieve joint and spine pressure and stretches your muscles. Additionally, it helps bring more oxygen to your brain, which can increase energy, improve reaction time, and reduce inflammation in the brain.
We hope this article helped you learn a little more about the great reasons to try an aerial yoga class! It might look intimidating, but you’ll have so much fun flying through the air you won’t even notice the incredible workout you’re receiving.