In the western world, yoga is an extremely common practice for a number of reasons. Yoga is considered to be a set of physical and mental exercises or movements. These movements are said to help the body’s muscles and the brain relax.
Aerial yoga is a modern form of yoga which was developed in 2014. This form of yoga combines both traditional yoga and Pilates. This results in a form of yoga which is performed using a hammock. This hammock is allowed to be suspended in the air and then the movements of the aerial yoga are achieved by individuals.
It can be intimidating and confusing to begin aerial yoga especially if you have no experience with yoga before. To help beginners out with their first few aerial yoga classes, we have compiled a list of tips which will help you soldier through all of these classes.
Be prepared at all times
One of the most productive options you have is to be prepared at all times. It is important to have all of your material prepared beforehand. You should do this in order to make yourself ready to leave your house or comfort zone at any time.
For this, you should pick out a pair of comfortable yoga pants from the store if you don’t already have one. If you have one, make sure they still fit you. Also, it is a good practice to always check the strength of the fabric and the stitching before leaving for a yoga class, in order to avoid any kind of embarrassment later. When you’re buying new yoga pants, it is a healthy tip to always buy a size larger so that they fit perfectly even if you gain a few pounds.
Other than that, it is also important to have your hammock present with you at all times. This means you have to purchase a hammock in case you don’t have one already. These hammocks are easily available at any place where they sell camping supplies such as tents, boats and fishing gear. You should ideally check the hammock for holes or loose stitching. You don’t want to be falling off the hammock or the hammock developing any massive holes. It is also important to wash your hammock every now and then otherwise it will start to smell and you won’t be able to get any of your yoga done.
Dress accordingly
Perhaps you know it already, but in order to be able to perform yoga properly, you should opt for form-fitting clothes. You don’t want your shirt to get all tangled up or your blouse to get ripped because of a lack of elasticity. The best yoga clothes are the ones that exhibit a bit more stretch and offer comfort as well as durability. We would highly recommend you to buy cotton form-fitting clothes. Cotton clothes keep you cool and provide you the space to breathe and sweat all the while having a snug feeling. Cotton also does not slip against the hammock allowing you more ease of movement.
In order to prevent any and all irritation, it is best if you wear full-length pants and shirts that cover up your armpits at least. This allows for a healthy system of bacteria in your body but regulates it so that you don’t develop infections.
Eat beforehand
The condition of your stomach can be an important factor in your performance on the hammock. Empty stomachs and full bellies can both be problems and hamper your performance on the hammock. If you don’t eat at all before doing aerial yoga, then you will probably get dizzy. Your body needs a certain amount of energy in order to perform any kind of physical exercise. When you don’t eat enough food before doing the exercise, your body will probably give up on everything and you’re likely to faint as well.
However, if you go for aerial yoga on a full stomach, then you’re probably going to end up making it all bad for yourself. Doing aerial yoga on a full stomach can result in indigestion, constipation and other complications as well.
It is recommended that you should eat a balanced diet of carbs, protein and healthy fats about an hour before your yoga class. This will help get your body the energy it needs for physical exercise. This will also get your blood sugar levels going up at a healthy pace to a point where it won’t have any adverse effects on you.
It is another important point to note that you should never drink juices or any kind of acidic beverages. These acidic beverages can cause severe heartburn. This can be especially harmful when you have to use the hammock for aerial yoga.
Arrive early
If you’re relatively new to the aerial yoga classes, then it is best if you go to your class earlier and let your instructor know that you are new to aerial yoga classes. You will find that most yoga instructors will help you out and give you extra tips in class if you’re a newbie and need help in performing the yoga.
So, we highly recommend arriving around 15 minutes earlier to the aerial yoga class and introducing you to the instructor. If you feel like you have some general or even specific questions regarding the aerial yoga class, then it is recommended that you should ask the instructor there and then.
The major benefit which you’ll get from this is that most instructors pose in the hammock and then move to the students in the room to correct posture. So, if your instructor knows that you’re new to aerial yoga, your instructor will definitely help you out with it.
Another benefit you’ll get from this is that you can also get to know some of the other new people in the class.
Rest and relax
When you’re up on the hammock, it is important to relax and let your body loose. When many people get up on the hammock, they can never relax properly. This is because people keep trying to stay focused on not falling. The problem is that when you’re using your body to support your body while you hang, this can cause much more problems. Muscle cramps and nerve pain is a common symptom of squirming and supporting your body while you hang from the hammock. So, we highly recommend you to relax and let your body loose.
It is understandable to squirm around and adjust yourself to your comfort. However, if you keep doing it because you’re anxious that the hammock won’t be able to hold you, then you’ll damage yourself. Keep in mind that hammocks are designed to withstand up to 1000 pounds of weight. So your weight is not a problem for the hammock and it will support you without letting you fall.
If you still feel nervous, you can ask your instructor or a friend to help you. They will relax you through verbal instructions or just verbal communication.
Pace yourself
Remember that aerial yoga is sometimes very intense and requires a lot of physical ability to work properly. This can cause some serious injury sometimes as well. So, remember to take your time with it all.
When you’re in a yoga class, it can be intimidating to be surrounded by people who are great at aerial yoga. They are doing so well at it. However, you should remember that these people have been doing aerial yoga for a long time. They are well versed with the ways of doing this yoga.
It is important to be gentle with your body. Otherwise, you might develop several injuries on your body which may even have some long-term effect. Don’t rush it at all. Trying to move from one pose to another pose can be tiring and complicated. This usually requires weeks of training and experience to get together. Trying to move from one pose to another in the span of a few minutes can throw you off balance. It can cause you to spin. The spinning can cause some serious problems such as dizziness, nausea and even unconsciousness.
Motion sickness or injury
Aerial yoga is great for getting your body relaxed and your mind cleared. It can be detrimental to people who have recently suffered from a severe injury. Injuries can be harmful on their own. But, when you’re on a hammock dangling from the ceiling trying to pull off poses, it can be more dangerous. We would not recommend you to perform aerial yoga if you’ve recently been through a severe injury. This can further complicate the injury and maybe even cause more harm and damage.
Other than that, if you easily get motion sick, you will probably feel nauseous half the time you’re on the hammock. This can lead to vertigo and cause you permanent harmful damage.
Remember to always use the hammock when you are very comfortable with it. If you feel like you’re injuring or hurting yourself and you need to pull away, tell your instructor about it. They will probably help you out with it. Your safety and health should always be a priority for you otherwise; you will regret it later on.
Wrap up
Aerial yoga is the perfect way to let your body loose and relax. It is proven to be beneficial to the body and mental health as well. Just remember to follow all of our tips and be comfortable while performing any sort of aerial yoga. Otherwise, you can injure yourself or cause an adverse effect. Aerial yoga should be comfortable and relaxing, not constricting and painful. If you feel that any time, you’re not comfortable, you should tell your instructor immediately about it.
