Mumbai yoga expert on aerial yoga and its myriad benefits

As aerial yoga emerges as a popular option for celebrities and city junta looking to up their fitness game, an expert decodes the form and why it might work for you too

Preaching the end of Zoom webinars and online workshops, we are all looking for outdoor and in-person activities for the weekend and fun ways to stay fit. One exercise format that has been gaining popularity and cropping up across the city is aerial yoga. Favoured by many celebrities including Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Rakul Preet Singh, the form is now being offered by an increasing number of fitness centres across town. Expert Amisha Shah, founder and proprietor of Namaste Yoga Classes in Khar tells us everything we need to know about the form before we enter the yoga studio.

Alia Bhatt; Rakul Preet Singh practise aerial yoga. Pic courtesy/@anshukayoga on Instagram

Breaking it down

Unlike regular yoga where different yoga poses are performed on a mat, aerial yoga uses a silk hammock that hangs from the ceiling to perform those same movements. You’ve probably heard of aerial yoga being referred to as anti-gravity yoga or suspension yoga. Why switch the mat for the hammock? Shah explains, “The purpose of the hammock is to provide support through your yoga flow, while also improving flexibility and range of motion. Aerial yoga is regarded as a cardio-intensive form of workout that helps you to focus on asanas, balance and breathing. It is a type of yoga where fun meets fitness.” 

Let’s talk benefits

One of the main benefits of aerial yoga is that it helps induce fat loss, increase muscular strength, and promote blood circulation. Shah highlights that hanging upside down circulates oxygenated blood to your face and neck. This can help relax the muscles and prevent wrinkles and fine lines, making aerial yoga the perfect, and natural, anti-aging remedy. She adds, “Being a combination of arts and athletics, aerial yoga offers several physical and psychological benefits such as improving flexibility and balance, reducing back pain and soreness in the muscles, promoting a healthier lymphatic system, as well as increasing endorphin levels.” Another known benefit of hanging upside down is that it helps to decompress joints which compress over time due to age and gravity. Shah tells us that the form is a great way to give your body a new experience while taking your physical and mental health to the next level. 

Amisha Shah demonstrates Hanumanasana on the hammock

Get started

For beginners, Shah lists things to keep in mind before entering a class. Since this variant is similar to yoga done on a mat, you can apply the same approach of eating a light snack at least 45 minutes before a class, and keeping yourself well hydrated before, during and after the workout. Avoid practising aerial yoga if you have blood pressure, vertigo, or frozen shoulder problems. Remove accessories that can get caught in the silks like jewellery, watches, hair clips, earrings and even moisturiser or lotions that might affect your grip. Lastly, she adds, “Be confident, and believe in your ability. Once you experience this exercise, with the assistance of a hammock and a professional, you will realise that you can do things you never imagined otherwise. For instance, practising meditation in Savasana in the hammock, you will feel like a small happy baby sleeping in your mother’s lap.” Shah’s studio in the city offers regular classes for women by women to provide a comfortable and motivational space for her students to stay fit and healthy.

Let’s yoga

. Namaste Yoga Classes
On Tuesdays and Thursdays
At Jeevan Bharat, Khar West. 
Time 9.30 am to 10.30 am
Call 9821544234
Log on to @namasteyogaclasses 
Cost Rs 650 per classes

. Namah-State with Avanti
On Monday Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; Tuesdays and Thursdays 
At Step Up Fitness, Subhash Road, Vile Parle East. 
Time 7 am to 8 am; 8 am to 9 am 
Log on to @avantisyoga 
Call 9833045639 

. Wellintra Fitness
At Locations across Mumbai.
Log on to wellintra.com/trainers/minal/
Call 9820607875

. Studio 23
At Tulsiani Chambers, Nariman Point.
Log on to studio23.in 
Call 7666269223

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