Aerial Yoga is a relatively new form of Yoga that has exploded in popularity in recent years. Developed by Michelle Dortignac, Aerial Yoga innovates by mixing it with other forms of exercise, such as pilates, while using a hammock to perform exciting aerial yoga poses.
However, Aerial Yoga can be intimidating to get into, especially when you see some of the incredibly challenging poses. That’s why, in this article, we will discuss some excellent beginner aerial yoga poses that will help you get started in this exciting practice.
25 Aerial Yoga Poses for Beginners
1: Aerial Cat/Cow Pose
Cat Pose is one of the most important poses in every kind of yoga, and Aerial Yoga is no exception. This pose is great for improving flexibility in your lower back. The steps for this pose are:
- Kneel in front of your hammock before wrapping your hands in the sling.
- When you inhale, drop your stomach down and look forward. Make sure to tuck in your tailbone.
- When you breathe out, pull your stomach up, round your back, and tuck in your tailbone by pointing your pelvis down.
- Repeat for between five and ten breaths.
Make sure to stay relaxed when doing this pose. Another tip is to focus on curving each vertebra in your back, as this is the best way to relieve tension.
2: Layback in Cross Position
This is likely the simplest aerial yoga pose, making it great for beginners looking to start their journey. Even so, this pose is a fantastic way to stretch your whole body. The pose has only a few steps:
- Wrap both your hands in the hammock. Keep it around waist height.
- Lie slightly backward into your hammock, with your feet on the floor.
This pose is a great way to open up your lungs and calm your mind, so make sure to enjoy this position.
3: Anti-gravity Warrior Pose
Warrior Pose is one of the more invigorating poses in yoga. This is even more true with the anti-gravity variant, which will test your balance and concentration. To do this pose, you need to:
- Wrap up your arms and feet in your hammock. Feel free to have a spotter to help you balance.
- Enter the Warrior Pose; push your left leg forward and point it in front of your hips.
- Pull your right leg back and point your right foot about 45 degrees to your right.
- Raise both arms and point them in opposite directions to help with balance.
When practicing this pose, keep your center of gravity between your hips. As well as this, distribute your body weight evenly between both legs. Both of these tips will help you stay balanced.
4: Aerial Cocoon Pose
When you complete this pose, you should get a feeling of safety and peace as the fabric covers you from the world. This is one of the best positions for meditating in Aerial Yoga. There are several steps to this pose:
- Fully open up your hammock.
- Gather half of the silk into your hands and sit into it, putting it under your knees.
- Once you have sat down, pull one leg over the hammock.
- Wrap the silk around your feet.
- Bend your knees and have the silk surround your body.
5: Chair in the Cross Position
If you want to give your legs a good workout and improve your focus at the same time, then the Chair in Cross Position is a great pose for you. While not complicated technically, this pose will make your legs burn, even with the help of the hammock. The steps for this pose are:
- Hold onto the fabric, pushing it beneath your shoulder blades.
- Bend your knees and plant your feet into the ground.
- Activate your core and thigh muscles.
- You want to end up looking like you are sitting down on a chair.
6: Child Pose One Leg Aerial
The Child pose is one of yoga’s most relaxing poses and, by simply allowing your leg to rest in a hammock, you can also get a great stretch from this pose. The steps for this pose:
- Start in a kneeling position in front of your hammock.
- Enter the Child Pose by folding your body at the hips and stretching your arms forward.
- Extend your left leg back into the hammock behind you while maintaining the Child Pose.
- Hold this position for five or ten breaths before bringing your left leg back into the Child Pose. Repeat on the opposite side.
One tip to make sure you don’t miss the hammock when extending your leg; Leave a gap between your legs and hips that you can look through to watch your leg enter the hammock.
7: Easy Pose
As you can tell from the name, the Easy Pose is one of the least challenging poses in Aerial Yoga. Easy Pose is a calming pose that is perfect for meditation sessions. To do this pose, you need to:
- Press your bottom into the hammock. Make sure to keep your center of gravity beneath your tailbone.
- Cross your legs, with your feet below your thighs.
- Breath in and out slowly for five breaths.
8: Aerial Lunges
Aerial lunges are a great way to stretch out and build up the muscles in your legs. The steps needed for this pose are:
- Hang your hammock at pelvis level. Make sure your hammock is in U shape.
- Place your right leg into the hammock, allowing the hammock to support your weight.
- Bend down and forward as you breathe in, keeping your other foot on the ground.
- Repeat at least five times on both sides.
This pose is one of the best for strengthening your leg muscles. To maintain your balance, make sure to keep your center of balance close to your standing leg.
9: Flying Mountain Pose
The Mountain Pose is essential in all forms of yoga. Aerial yoga’s version of this pose is easier than regular yoga. To perform this pose, you need to:
- Bring your hammock to your back, at around chest level, and press it in.
- Straighten out your body before leaning back.
- When you are in this leaning position, raise both your arms above your head and stretch.
- Stay in this position for at least five or ten breaths.
10: Plank with Feet in Hammock
The plank is one of the best ways to strengthen your core muscles. In this position, you will also learn how to center your balance and control your breathing. While not an easy pose physically, if you want to try this pose you need to:
- Start on all fours in front of your hammock.
- One by one, place both legs into the hammock. Rest your shins on the hammock.
- Activate your core muscles to maintain stability.
- Hold this position for at least five breaths.
11: Aerial Downward Dog
One of the most important Yoga poses. Downward dog is well-known for its many health benefits – this pose is incredible for your glutes and core muscles. As well as these many benefits, this pose is also relatively simple thanks to your hammock:
- Start in a kneeling position, with your hammock slung at your waist. Get onto all floors with the hammock beneath your waist.
- Rise as you begin to inhale slowly. Keep your hands pressed into the ground as you raise your pelvis.
- End in downward dog, with your hands pressed into the ground, your hips bent at the waist, and your legs straight.
- Breath five times before exhaling. Return to all fours.
12: Aerial Corpse Pose
The corpse pose is essential to the philosophy of yoga. It is one of the most important poses for relaxation and meditation. This pose is a perfect way to end a class and focus your mind. The steps to performing this pose are simple:
- Gather at least six handfuls of fabric in both of your hands.
- Expand the bundle of fabric and get inside it, covering your legs and feet.
- Cover your head and upper body. Allow yourselves to rest in this position for at least ten breaths.
13: Aerial Cobra Pose
The Aerial Cobra pose is an excellent pose for improving your arm and shoulder strength. It is also a great way to strengthen the muscles in your lower back. To do this pose, you need to:
- Start on all fours and wrap your hands in the fabric.
- Transfer into Cow Pose, keeping your feet and knees pressed into the floor.
- Keep a hold of the fabric as you press your thighs into the mat. Your back should be somewhat curved while stretching out your stomach.
14: Aerial Star Pose
This is a variant of the Inverted Ariel Star Pose and is a fantastic way to build up to more complex movements. This pose is also great for flexibility and your spine. The steps for this pose are:
- Gather three handfuls of fabric behind you before getting into the hammock.
- When you are in the hammock, enter the Butterfly Pose.
- Get three more handfuls from the back of the hammock.
- Push out and down with both your arms and legs. To complete the pose, bring both of your arms to the front of your hammock.
You can see an example of this pose here.
15: Aerial Handstand
Handstands are some of the most impressive displays of physicality you can imagine. However, with aerial yoga, this pose becomes easier than a normal handstand. This pose is an amazing way to strengthen your core and arms, and is surprisingly simple:
- Start with your hammock behind you at hip level.
- Push the hammock down towards your feet and begin to walk forward slowly. Your goal is to wrap the hammock around your ankles.
- When your ankles are wrapped up, let the fabric rise slowly and begin to press your hands into the ground.
- Straighten out your body and let your arms and the fabric hold up your body.
16: Supported Camel Pose
The Supported Camel Pose is one of the most gentle poses in Aerial Yoga. This pose is especially good for expanding your back gently. There are a few steps to this pose:
- Begin in a kneeling position.
- Rest your neck on the hammock. As you lean further back, keep your hips forward to keep your balance.
17: Aerial Bridge Pose
The Aerial Bridge pose is relaxing but it is still an excellent pose for improving your back, spine, and hips. To do this pose, you need to:
- Start by pressing your heels into the fabric.
- Lift your pelvis and your tailbone. Utilize your core muscles to keep balanced.
- Don’t put pressure on your neck; center your weight on your shoulders.
18: Butterfly Pose
The Butterfly Pose is, when performed correctly, an exhilarating pose that works the core and leg muscles needed to maintain your balance in the air. While it is challenging, you will be ready to attempt it after a few months of yoga practice.
- Expand your hammock and get four hands worth of material.
- Get into the hammock, one foot at a time. Next, get into a kneeling position.
- Get the back of the fabric at the top of the hammock and wrap it around once.
- Grab the top of the hammock and lean forward, expanding your legs out.
19: Downward-Facing Thunderbolt Pose
The Thunderbolt Pose is an outstanding meditative pose for new yoga practitioners. This pose is excellent for strengthening the back and chest, as well as developing your focus. The steps to this pose are:
- Begin in a kneeling position. Wrap the fabric around your hands.
- Keep your bottom on your thighs.
- Push your chest towards the mat to stretch your shoulders.
20: Pigeon Pose
The Pigeon pose is an amazing pose for increasing the flexibility of your lower body. One of the advantages of this pose in aerial yoga is that it requires less initial flexibility, meaning you can just enjoy practicing the pose. The steps needed are:
- Sit in your hammock. Gather fabric on your left side so you have enough space to move your left leg across your body.
- Straighten your legs. You want to push the fabric so that it always stays beneath your legs.
- Bring your left knee close to your body and push your upper body out through the gap that has formed.
- Bring your right knee to the back of your right thigh.
- Relax in this pose, breathing in and out at least five times.
Here is an example of this pose in motion.
21: Revolved Side Angle Pose Aerial
The Revolved Side Angle Pose is an excellent pose for transferring energy into the side of your body. This pose is also a good way to develop your stamina and stimulate your abdominal organs. There are a few steps in this pose:
- Start from a standing position.
- Put your right leg into your hammock and bend your knee. Keep your right foot relaxed. Do all of this while breathing in.
- As you exhale, rise to the ball of your left foot and push forward, giving your hamstrings and quads a good stretch.
22: Aerial Extended Puppy Pose
Extended Puppy Pose is a middle ground between Child’s Pose and Downward Dog. This pose is a fantastic way to stretch out your arms and, in particular, your wrists.
- Begin by standing up and wrapping your wrists in fabric multiple times.
- Lean forward, bringing your body parallel with the ground.
- As you lean down, let your shoulders stay above you.
23: Aerial Forward Bend Pose
The Dolphin Pose is one of the best poses in yoga for building up general strength. This pose will work your shoulders, back, and legs. The steps needed to perform the aerial version are:
- Start in a kneeling pose.
- Begin by folding forward onto the hammock.
- Slowly push up your hips with your forearms bearing most of your weight.
24: Aerial King Dancer Pose
This pose, also known as Supported Aerial Dancer, is one of the most elegant poses in Aerial Yoga. It is also surprisingly easy to learn and a great way to strengthen your legs and ankles. The steps needed for this movement are:
- Stand in front of your hammock.
- Put your right foot into the fabric.
- As you do so, transfer your weight to your standing leg.
- Pull up with both your hands and try to get your ankle to at least waist height.
25: Cradle Pose with Raised Foot
The Cradle Pose is one of the most relaxing poses you can practice. This pose will give you an excellent stretch and is a fantastic way to finish up your class. There are only a few movements:
- Start in a sitting position with your legs crossed in front of your hammock.
- Put your hammock beneath both your knees. Wrap the hammock around your right foot.
- Pick up your left leg and fold it into your body while keeping your body straight up.
- Your right leg should hover slightly above your mat.
Summary
As you can see, there are many incredible and interesting poses in Aerial Yoga. Many aerial yoga poses start with at least one foot on the ground but, eventually, you will be performing incredible aerial stunts that will improve your physical and mental health. We hope this article will help you prepare for your first Aerial Yoga class.
