The Fit & Fun of Aerial Yoga
Photo credit: Lovely Portraits in Macon, Georgia
I’ll never forget the first time I saw an aerial yoga demonstration: Christa Conn got me to come to a Grand Opening Mother’s Day event at the new Sparks Yoga. I was in a room full of women trying out this brand new space and enjoying goodies and giveaways and then…. the hammock descended.
Megan Carson, who I’ve known since elementary school but didn’t know very well, as the owner of the studio would then demonstrate how aerial yoga worked. I was immediately intimidated and fascinated. I am someone who is terrified of a trust fall- everytime we had to do one for a church or sorority retreat I would do my best to back out of it. But something in me wanted to conquer this.
The first few classes were all about getting familiar with the feeling of doing yoga in a hammock. Honestly, I’m someone who has on and off practiced yoga over the years. Usually dropping away from it simply because I felt like I looked ridiculous and couldn’t catch on as fast at the others. But, the happiest I’ve been in life usually coincided with regular church visits, life going well for my kiddos, and at least once a week visits to the yoga studio. I think it’s because not only is it a good workout for me, someone who doesn’t like crazy cardio class sessions, but also because it forces me out of my own mind for at least an hour.
Megan helped me eventually ease my way into getting upside down in the hammock, first with baby steps, for sure.
When I conquered the Star position, I knew I wanted to do more.
Also, when I researched the actual health benefits of aerial yoga I was pleasantly surprised to see there was more to it than I realized.
“These out-of-the-box workouts are no gimmick: A new study from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) found that women who did three 50-minute aerial yoga classes a week for six weeks lost an average of two and a half pounds, 2 percent body fat, and about one inch from their waist, all while amping their VO2 max (a measure of fitness) by a whopping 11 percent. In fact, aerial yoga qualifies as a moderate-intensity workout that, at times, can veer into vigorous territory.” (via Shape.com)
I’ve also found that aerial yoga has allowed me to ease into positions that might be more difficult on the floor, along with just the thrill of being able to do something that has scared me in the past. (No lie though- Megan still has to help me for the Flying Buddha.)
I’ve had so many friends say “I could never do that!” But the truth is- you can. I truly believe this is a fantastic way to even start in yoga, because it makes the floor exercise that much easier.
If you’re interested in yoga you should check out my friends at Sparks Yoga! You can sign up for classes on their website, and they offer a special deal for your first month. Need more info? Call them at 478-250-3028 or email megan@sparksyogamacon.com. I hope to see y’all at a class 🙂
Love to all y’all,
Molly
