Lifted and aligned
In Aerial Yoga, your feet literally leave the ground. The body is suspended in a stretchy fabric that both envelops and protects, whilst simultaneously challenging concentration and one’s willingness to let go.
It forces you to slow down and allows you to work on your body and mind, combining meditation and breathing techniques.
Through controlled and conscious movements, you can perform all the poses of traditional yoga in a more fun and daring way, as well as other, more complex ones with the help of the fabric.
“It allows you to stretch in a completely different way than on the floor, where you can push but not pull. With the support of the fabric, you can introduce traction movements, which are very important for the joints,” explains Margarida Leite e Pereira, instructor at the Vila Vita Spa by Sisley Paris.
There is another key distinction: in Aerial Yoga, you can do more intense inversions than on the ground, as this style avoids compression on the spine and neck. In addition to balance and coordination, it requires total concentration and forces you to step out of your comfort zone, testing your individual fitness and capacity for resilience and overcoming challenges.
“Here we learn to find inner peace and serenity through breathing in a high-tension situation. It helps you deal with feelings and manage emotions,” says the instructor, adding that classes can be either very energetic, with lots of strength and movement, or more relaxed, with slower stretching.
“There are intense, active classes and others that are more relaxed and passive. Anything is possible,” Margarida states.
Whichever class you choose, the final ritual is always the same. When the students feel that they have slowed down and reached a moment of relaxation and relief from tension, they perform the Savasana pose: lying on their backs, with their limbs completely relaxed and wrapped in fabric, they let go of any remaining control or worries.
“It’s a way of starting to bring our attention to our body sensations, to ourselves and to the class,” Margarida explains.
To feel the physical and mental benefits of Aerial Yoga, which include decompression of the spine, improved circulation and drainage, core strengthening, increased mobility and flexibility, and reduced stress, the instructor recommends three weekly sessions, which can be combined with Traditional, Power or Restorative Yoga.
Aerial Yoga classes usually last 60 or 75 minutes and are extremely versatile.
They can get your adrenaline pumping or promote tranquillity – or even provide both sensations in the same session.
The intensity, usually level 1, is adjusted according to the students, who can choose between group classes (from 12 years old, and up to five people), individual classes, which allow for increased level and intensity, or private sessions for families, in which children from seven years of age can join.
There is no maximum age limit and whilst there are no mandatory requirements, this activity is not recommended for individuals who are overweight – the maximum recommended weight is 95 kg – or for those with high blood pressure, due to the strain on the joints and the inverted positions involved.
This style of Yoga is best suited to those who are reasonably fit and have adequate mobility. In case of any limitations, it is best to opt for a private class, which can be personalised.
The studio has welcomed students from a variety of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal, many of whom return for further sessions. “There are very few guests who don’t return, and many bring their families,” Margarida concludes.
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