Have you ever wanted to float upside down with ease and enjoy a feeling of weightlessness? Then you might want to give aerial yoga a try. Aerial yoga combines the practice of yoga with the fun and freedom of aerial arts. The Inspire Studio in Williamsburg offers this type of yoga practice, as well as other therapeutic methods. We caught up with studio owner, Anna Bennet, as well as float yoga instructor, Lia Bollinger, to get the lowdown on this high-flying type of yoga practice.
What drew you to Float (Aerial) Yoga?
What drew me to aerial yoga was how fun it looked. Plus, I’m a big believer in the universe, and if we listen closely enough, it will guide us to where we need to be. So you could say the universe drew me to aerial yoga.
What surprised me so much after trying a class was how open and relieved I felt physically, and how centered I felt mentally. Being suspended frees and opens the body in a unique way. While it can appear difficult and acrobatic, it isn’t at all. It is restorative and gentle.
What are the benefits of practicing yoga in this way? How does it differ from a traditional yoga practice?
Having done the training, I quickly realized the aerial hammock (sometimes called silks) is just like any other yoga prop that will allow you to ease into and deepen a posture at your comfort level. It even allows for access to postures that might not readily be available in your normal daily life.
I have had some students tell me that they could never sit through a traditional yoga class because it felt too slow and their minds wandered, but that aerial yoga allowed them to find that stillness that is so important in our practice. In each wrap or hang you can still achieve all six fundamental movements of the spine. There’s just a fabulous amount of traction and release that happens, but without any compression.
Who is an ideal client?
Anyone who has a willing heart to try something new!
How often should I practice Float Yoga? What do I need to bring to a class?
Float yoga can benefit you in as little as one session. Like most forms of yoga, the more you practice the better you feel and the more you progress. Wear a shirt with sleeves, bring a sticky mat and, if you have them, yoga socks. Please be sure to leave your jewelry at home. Arrive early enough to set your hammock height, and if you are brand new, to fill out a new flyer form. Don’t worry, we will start on the ground and absolute beginners are welcome! Expect to have fun and laugh a lot.
Arial Yoga in our area:
AIROTIQUEMOVEMENT.COM, Virginia Beach
SKYPILATESFITNESS.COM, Suffolk
BALANCEWITHINTHERAPIES.COM, Richmond