Experience the Thrill of Trapeze Yoga: An Innovative Aerial Workout
Trapeze yoga combines traditional yoga poses with the unique challenges of suspending your body from aerial silks or trapeze bars. Students perform poses like balances, backbends, and inversions while dangling from the specialized equipment. Trapeze yoga builds core strength, flexibility, and body awareness. Classes are offered at specialized studios with instructors who guide students in proper form and technique for safe practice. With a mix of fitness, focus, and fun, trapeze yoga brings an exciting new twist to your yoga regimen.
Introduction:
As yoga continues to evolve, innovative styles emerge that take practice to new heights – literally! Trapeze yoga is one such unique discipline, blending traditional asanas with the thrill of aerial acrobatics. Students perform poses while suspended from aerial silks, hoops, or trapeze bars that hang from the ceiling. This allows yoga moves to be taken off the ground and into 360 degrees of free space. Floating freely enhances proper alignment by releasing tension. It also challenges stability muscles and intensifies stretches. Trapeze yoga is an exhilarating way to build strength, flexibility, balance, and body confidence.
Equipment and Set Up:
- Specialized studios have permanent rigging installed on the ceiling from which trapezes, silks, or hoops hang. Home practice requires similar sturdy anchors.
- Standard height is 12-14 feet high but adjustable for accessibility. Trapezes hang 24-48 inches off ground.
- Mats, crash pads and pillows cushion the floor below for safety. Spotters monitor new students.
- Hammock-style yoga trapezes cradle the body. Others use a bar, handles, or hanging silks.
- Yoga swings provide extra back support and comfort for certain poses.
- Beginners should wear tight-fitting athletic clothing to avoid tangling plus gripping socks.
Benefits of Trapeze Yoga:
- Full body workout with no harsh impact or strain
- Improves core strength, endurance and stability
- Enhances balance, coordination and body awareness
- Allows deeper stretching and range of motion
- Inversions increase circulation and reduce back pain
- Fosters mental focus and serenity
- Unique experience improves mindfulness and presence
Poses and Techniques: Beginner moves focus on core activation, flexion, extension, and using legs for support:
- Inverted straddle, pike
- Basic backbend and forward fold
- Supported plank hold, leg lifts
- Inverting with bent or straight legs
- Seated and reclined poses like child’s pose
As skills progress, more challenging balances arise:
- Inverted splits, chops and other leg variations
- Poses like supported shoulder and forearm stands
- Backbends like bow or wheel pose
- Binding the body with silks/trapeze
- Transitions between moves while dangling
Proper instruction ensures safety. Classes build skill progressively over months of practice. Patience and presence are required.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Is trapeze yoga safe for beginners? A: Yes, with training in technique. Instructors provide modifications as needed. Expect a learning curve.
Q: What skills are needed for trapeze yoga? A: Some core and upper body strength. Open-mindedness to move outside your comfort zone.
Q: Where can I find trapeze yoga classes? A: Specialized aerial studios in metropolitan areas. Scope out instructors thoroughly in advance.
Q: Can you do trapeze yoga at home? A: Only with extensive hardware installed to support the weight. Not recommended for beginners.
Q: How often should you practice trapeze yoga? A: 1-2 times per week gives the body time to adjust to the new challenges and build strength.
Conclusion:
Trapeze yoga enables yogis to quite literally take their practice to new heights. This unique blend of aerial acrobatics and yoga builds strength, body awareness, and exhilaration. With proper training and technique, trapeze yoga offers an innovative way to move your body and focus your mind. As an exciting alternative to mat routines, it brings on-the-ground poses into eye-opening new dimensions.
