Guides
Aerial yoga: a beginner's guide to the hammock
Aerial yoga is a style of yoga done with a soft fabric hammock hung from the ceiling. The hammock takes part of your weight, so you can hold familiar poses with support, swing gently and try supported inversions. Beginner classes keep most poses low to the ground and build up slowly.
Aerial yoga takes familiar yoga poses into a fabric hammock (also called a sling or silk) rigged from the ceiling. The fabric holds part of your body weight, which changes how a pose feels: a forward fold can hang rather than strain, and an upside-down shape can be held with the hips supported instead of the head and neck.
What happens in an aerial yoga class?
Most classes follow a familiar arc, just with a hammock in the room.
- Warm-up on the floor or standing. Gentle movement for the wrists, shoulders, spine and hips, often holding the fabric for balance.
- Supported standing poses. Lunges, a supported Downward-Facing Dog with the hammock around the hips, and standing balances using the fabric like a rail.
- Seated and swinging work. Sitting in the hammock, learning to get in and out safely, and simple swings.
- Inversions, if you choose. With the hammock across the front of the hips, you fold forward and hang. The teacher shows each step and spots beginners.
- Cocoon rest. The class usually ends lying inside the open hammock, like a hanging Savasana.
Classes are often small because each person needs a rig point, so book ahead and arrive early to have the hammock set to your height.
Where did aerial yoga come from?
Aerial yoga grew out of aerial circus arts and yoga in the early 2000s, with New York teachers among the first to run hammock classes. Branded versions such as AntiGravity Yoga helped spread it to studios around the world. There is no single method: some classes stay close to mat yoga, while others lean towards acrobatics.
Who is aerial yoga good for?
Many people find aerial yoga a playful way into inversions, because the hammock takes weight off the head and neck. People who feel stiff in forward folds often enjoy the extra support.
It is less suited to anyone who wants a quiet, still practice. If that sounds like you, look at the slower styles in our guide to the types of yoga first.
Is aerial yoga safe?
Aerial yoga is generally safe when taught well, but the inversions and fabric pressure mean it is not for everyone. Check with a doctor before trying it if any of these apply:
- High or low blood pressure, heart conditions, or a history of stroke. Hanging upside down changes blood flow to the head.
- Glaucoma, recent eye surgery, or a detached retina. Inversions raise pressure in the eyes.
- Vertigo, inner ear problems, or recent concussion.
- Recent surgery, or a back, neck, shoulder or hip injury.
- Pregnancy. Most studios ask pregnant students not to invert in the hammock. For pregnancy-safe options, see this guide to yoga in pregnancy and after birth.
During class:
- Eat lightly. A big meal and hanging upside down do not mix. Leave a couple of hours after eating.
- Come up slowly. Sit or stand for a few breaths after an inversion before moving on.
- Stop for pain. Sharp pain, dizziness, a headache that builds, pins and needles or numbness mean come out and rest. See a doctor or physio if it persists.
- Check the rig. Studios set weight limits for their equipment. Ask if you are unsure.
What should you wear to aerial yoga?
Wear fitted clothes that cover your armpits and the backs of your knees, such as leggings and a T-shirt or long-sleeved top. Bare skin can rub on the fabric. Take off rings, watches, earrings and anything with zips or sequins that can snag the hammock. Skip lotion before class so your grip stays firm. Our guide on what to wear to yoga covers outfits for other styles too.
Where can you try aerial yoga in the Philippines?
Aerial classes run in a handful of studios rather than everywhere. In Metro Manila, Carve Philippines in Binondo and Jal Yoga Alabang list aerial yoga on their timetables, and we keep a list of aerial yoga in Manila as more studios add classes. In Cebu, Love Yoga Streetscape offers aerial sessions. Browse yoga studios across the Philippines and filter by style to find one near you, then check the studio’s own schedule, since aerial slots are limited.
If you are new to yoga altogether, a few mat classes first will make the hammock feel more familiar. Our first yoga class guide explains what to expect.
Questions
Do you need upper body strength for aerial yoga?
Not for a beginner class. The hammock carries much of your weight, and early classes use it mostly as a support for standing, seated and reclined poses. Grip and shoulder strength build over time, and teachers add hanging and lifting work gradually.
Is aerial yoga scary if you are afraid of heights?
The hammock usually hangs around hip height, so your head stays close to the floor even when you hang upside down. Teachers let you stay upright and skip any inversion. Many nervous beginners start with the floor-based and seated parts of class.
Does the aerial hammock hurt?
The fabric can press into the hips, thighs, armpits or the backs of the knees, especially in the first few classes. Padding the fabric with a folded edge and wearing covered clothing helps. Sharp or lasting pain is a reason to come out of the pose and tell the teacher.
How often should beginners do aerial yoga?
Once or twice a week suits most beginners, alongside regular mat yoga if you enjoy it. The hammock asks a lot of grip, shoulders and core in new ways, so leave a rest day between classes at first.
Is there a weight limit for aerial yoga?
Each studio sets its own guideline, based on how its hammocks and ceiling rigging are rated and the movements taught. Most welcome a wide range of bodies, but it is worth asking the studio before you book so you know what to expect. A good teacher will also explain how to load the hammock safely.
Do you need yoga experience before trying aerial yoga?
No. Beginner and foundations classes are designed for people new to both yoga and the hammock. Knowing a few basic poses such as Downward Dog and Warrior helps you follow the cues, but the teacher will break each movement down.
What should you eat before an aerial yoga class?
Eat lightly and leave about two hours after a full meal, since swinging and inversions can upset a full stomach. If you need something closer to class, keep it small, such as a banana. Drink water through the day but avoid gulping a lot just before you start.