HEALTH

 

Aerial yoga is quickly becoming one of the hottest fitness trends this year, with pretty photos of colorful silks and bendy babes popping up all over Insta. But what exactly is it and how is it different from regular mat yoga? Basically, you do traditional and aerial adapted yoga poses on a soft fabric hammock that looks a little like a long scarf (don't be fooled though...that "scarf" can hold up to 2,000 pounds!). Whether you're a pro yogi or someone who has never even done a downward dog before, you can totally hit the silks for a class.

It has a lot of the same benefits of regular yoga including increasing flexibility and strength along with helping you relax. But in addition to that, aerial yoga is zero impact which means there is no stress on your joints (your knees especially) and it’s incredibly good for your back because hanging upside down allows your spine to stretch. It also brings you a better awareness of your body and, in fact, it helps you master mat yoga poses because the silk supports you in ways you wouldn’t be supported if you were holding yourself up. Not to mention it counts as cardio, too and is a *seriously* awesome ab workout.

TBH though, the coolest thing about this trend is how fun it is! How could you possibly be stressed after doing flips and tricks in the air like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat for an hour? You will come out of that studio feeling positively zen-like. However, even if you can’t go to these classes, you can do your yoga practice on a regular mat with practically the same benefits. Click here for what every girl needs to do yoga from home.

Have you ever tried aerial yoga? Let us know below...or share your favorite yoga pose!

Photo credit: Instagram.

by Maddie Smith | 2/22/2017