12 Best Aerial Yoga Poses | How to Guide
Aerial Yoga Poses: If you have recently invested in your yoga swing and do not have access to classes, then you are probably wondering where to start! We’re here to help!
Aerial Yoga is quickly gaining worldwide popularity and offers physical and well-being benefits. We talked with top aerial yoga trainer to find out everything you need to know before going to your first Aerial Yoga class.
Aerial yoga poses names are frequently titled by unlike names; the names used here are regular names. If you attend a class, your instructor may refer to these with more traditional aerial yoga poses names for yoga, or even something completely different.
So, here is some inspiration for you today as we have listed 12 Aerial Yoga poses!
1. Aerial Plank Hold Yoga Pose
How to do:
Place the hands under the shoulders in the mid loop of the aerial hammock. As soon as you get up in the plank position, make the body hollow.
With one breath, bend the knees against the chest and when you breathe out, make the legs extend back to the plank. Do not drop the hips. For more advanced variation, keep the legs straight.
Benefit:
- Strong and tone core, legs, shoulders, wrists, spine, and hands
- Helps relieve lower back pain (you have to include glutes in this change because the swing lifts the legs compared to the traditional floor yoga board)
- Improves your posture and confidence
- Increasing balance and stability
2. Aerial Downward Dog Yoga Pose
How to do:
Place the hands on the floor, raise the hips in an inverted V-shape, and lengthen the back of the legs. The foundation is in the arms pushed into the ground.
With the swing, press the center loop under the hips and lift the legs off the ground. This is a great position to strengthen the wrists and shoulders and get the habit of getting the head under the hips.
Benefit:
- You get strong calves and hamstrings
- It helps strengthen your shoulders and neck.
- Mudra strengthens your core
- It helps tone your feet and hands.
Related: 18 Best Seated Yoga Poses | Sequence | How to Guide | Benefits | Tips
3. Aerial Yoga Bound One-Legged King Pose
How to do:
With the one-legged king pigeon pose, reach back with both hands to hold your left leg or ankle. If you have flexibility, hold your ankle with both hands.
Once you are in a bound pose, allow the left thigh to hold heavy and sink towards the floor, opening more deeply into the backbend.
Stop for 5 slow, deep breaths and return to the Reclining Angle Pose before releasing your left leg. Try posing on the other side.
Benefit:
- The pigeon pose extends the thighs, waist, and abdomen.
- It relieves tension in the chest and shoulders and also stimulates the abdominal organs, which helps to regulate digestion.
4. Aerial Warrior Yoga Pose
How to do:
Look straight ahead, keep your arms steady, and tense your core muscles for best results. Use straps to shift your body weight pressure and always use a spotter to help you build balance first.
Benefit:
- Stretches your chest, lungs, neck, shoulder, and abdomen
- Strengthens shoulders and arms, and back muscles
- Strengthens and stretches thighs, calves, and ankles
5. Aerial Inverted Pigeon Yoga Pose
How to do:
When you want to be a bit more adventurous, try some reversal with a spot or trainer! This inverted pigeon pose gives you a deep stretch of your hips and helps to re-align your spine.
Best for those who pass too much time at their desk!
Benefit:
- Stimulate internal organs
- Stretch deep glutes
- Relieve tired piriformis and reduce sciatic pain
- Help with urinary disorders
Related: 7 Best Yoga Starter Kits
6. Aerial Split Yoga Pose
How to do:
It does not matter if you cannot do a complete split, use a yoga swing or silks to guide you slowly. As far as you feel comfortable, use your hands to control your drop and stretch. If you are hot, you can push yourself a little further.
Aerial yoga swings, hammocks, and silks are great at enhancing your flexibility, so if you’re thinking towards doing split on the floor, this is excellent for you!
Benefit:
- Deep stretches the thighs
- Opens hip flexors
- Deepens body awareness
- Develops firmness
- Helps develop patience in practice
7. Aerial Inverted Bow Yoga Pose
How to do:
This is the ultimate back turn! One bow down to rule them all! Pull your ankles down to increase the stretch.
Benefit:
- This pose allows for building flexibility in the back and a great stretch in the shoulders.
8. Arial Yoga Stag Pose
How to do:
It is such a beautiful pose with beautiful lines. Again – gestures make a world of difference in this picture, like toes. The Being Stag describes the shape of the legs as a galloping stag, but the reverse!
In this version of the Ariel Stag pose, the cradle has a straight leg.
Benefit:
- Both external and internal rotation increases hip mobility.
- Improves digestion
- Stimulates the gallbladder, liver, and kidney meridians.
9. Aerial Pigeon Yoga Pose
How to do:
A staple pose in mat yoga, pigeon pose is relatively easy to use your aerial yoga swing for a deep and relaxed stretch. Remember to keep your back straight!
Benefit:
- Opens hip joint
- Improves posture, alignment, and overall modesty
- Lower back pain and stiffness
10. Aerial One-Legged Warrior II Yoga Pose
How to do:
Pull the base of the fabric down and lift the left leg and stand up to balance the left thigh in the thigh-high pose aerial. Hold the swing here and keep the back straight.
Benefit:
- Strengthens and lengthens legs and ankles
- Stretches shoulders, chest, and lungs, shoulders
- Ease your back pain
Related: 10 Best Yoga Wheels
11. Ariel Yoga Superman Pose
How to do:
It stretches your abdomen and lower back and is fun to swing in this pose!
Benefit:
- Strengthens and stretches the muscles of the lower back, chest, shoulders, arms, legs, abdomen
- Tones the abdomen and lower back
- Massages the spine and holds the back
12. Aerial One-Legged King Pigeon Yoga Pose
How to do:
With Reclining Angle Pose, raise your head to look at your feet. Bend the right knee to cross the shin on one side of the swing.
(If you need extra help, grab the sides of the swing as you do so.) Lower your head (and arms, if you move them) toward the floor.
Benefit:
- Stretches on the thighs, ligaments and legs, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Opens shoulders and chest
Tips for Aerial Yoga Poses for Beginners:
If you are a newbie to aerial yoga, you can expect a fun and transformative experience. But exercise can certainly be challenging and may require some time to test your body.
You do not have any prior yoga experience to take an aerial yoga class, but it can be beneficial to have a good mastery of floor yoga beforehand.
Before going to your first class, you have some tips to remember:
- Entrust the sling: This is a comprehensive body exercise, as the sling can hold up to a thousand pounds. No matter your size, shape, or ability, you can enjoy aerial yoga.
- Wear the right gear: For an Ariel Yoga class, you may want to wear tight yoga pants or leggings as opposed to loose pants or shorts.A sports bra is required, as well as a fitted workout shirt that ideally covers the underarms.If you have sensitive skin, the sling can sometimes tingle. Also wear a tank top and bring a long sleeve shirt with you to wear for some tricks.
- Do not eat a big meal in advance: You want to avoid eating a large meal for at least an hour before class, but also note that you do not want to go to class with low blood sugar, so a small snack.Like banana should be fine already.
- Leave Jewelry at Home: Jewelry can go into slings easily, so it is best to remain jewelry free during your practice.
- Just relax: More difficult moves can be intimidating and people can often sit in their heads. Breathe in through the pose and walk at your own pace.
- Speak Out: If you need help handling the sling, or you are uncomfortable in a posture, you should not be afraid to speak up and ask for help from the instructor.That’s where they are, and they want you to enjoy yourself during class.
- Modify when necessary: Even though a movement may seem difficult, many modifications make aerial yoga classes accessible to anyone.Go to class with an open mind and make sure you have an open communication line with your instructor.
Some Physical Benefits of Aerial Yoga Poses:
- Increase full-body flexibility and strength: This exercise is a full-body type, which strengthens all muscles.The swing allows you to go deeper into the stretch and pose, increasing the flexibility of the body.
- Reduce back and neck pressure: Gravity allows the spine to be reduced by sitting or standing all day, but in some aerial yoga moves the reverse can help lengthen and shorten the spine.
- Boost Circulation: Given the nature of pose and breathing through movements, aerial yoga is great for promoting digestion as well as circulation throughout the body.
- Improve core strength: To maintain stability at various levels, it is important to keep abdominal muscles throughout the exercise.
- Boost confidence and mood: In addition to the opportunity to learn something new, Ariel Yoga creates more advanced yoga for beginner yogis with the support of a sling that can enhance self-assurance in practice and provide a sense of achievement.
- Low impact exercise: Due to its low or zero impact nature, aerial yoga is an excellent option for those who want to move their body, but experience joint issues.Using gravity and suspension, aerial yoga allows you to place in the body without compressing the joints.There are also joint-relief-focused aerial yoga classes that particularly focus on joint pressure and pain.
Is it Secure to Perform Aerial Yoga Poses at your Home?
Many companies sell free-standing rigs that you can put in your backyard to do aerial yoga, but to avoid hanging one in your home unless done by a professional because the indoor setup will cover your roof.
Can cause harm and can also be very dangerous if done improperly. We do not recommend Home Aerial Yoga unless you are placing a ground base, which means at least one foot on the ground for movement.
If your heart is set on buying an aerial yoga swing and installation set, we suggest investing in a high-quality brand.
You can also check the local studio and see if you can get one for each session.
Either you try your first aerial yoga class tomorrow or a year ahead today, go with broad-mindedness and get the most out of it.