4 surprising benefits of aerial yoga

We all know that exercise is good for our mind, body and soul. Aerial yoga is no exception, and a fun unique alternative to more traditional workouts that offers some unexpected perks. Check out these 4 surprising benefits of aerial yoga as part of your fitness routine.

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Helps back issues
Really? you ask. All this twisting and stretching and awkward posing in yoga, how exactly does that help my back issues? With aerial yoga, you have the opportunity to hang freely with the support of a silk hammock, at times inverted, which allows for temporary decompression in your spine. Minimizing the effects of gravity pulling down on your vertebrate while executing your yoga moves can help lengthen your ligaments and offer some relief of hip pain and back tension. Great for people with scoliosis, a herniated disc or back spasms. But if you have serious spinal issues, glaucoma or any type of heart issue, be sure to check with your doctor before executing inversions or embarking on any new exercise routine.

Aids digestion
So a long known fact of yoga is that in addition to regulating stress and anxiety, it can also help alleviate your tummy troubles. That's right! If you are feeling bloated or backed up, yoga and aerial yoga poses can help relieve you of those symptoms and stimulate your digestive functioning. Twists in general are great for cleansing and detoxifying, and assisting in the "elimination" of toxins and waste. Also, compression of your transverse and descending colon, with poses like pressing one or both knees to your chest in the hammock, helps to stimulate blood flow and move toxins and build up through your digestive track.

Improves memory
Neuroplasticity is a buzz word when it come to memory function; its the brain's ability to change and adapt itself to new uses and experiences. Just like your muscles, your brain needs exercise and variety to maximize it's flexibility and strength. Activating as many parts of your brain as possible, similar to changing up your strength exercises to avoid neglecting smaller or more obscure muscle groups, is key to reinforcing neural connections and keeping your brain in shape. Aerial yoga is an unexpected physical activity, which naturally stimulates your brain to adapt and deal with these new, unusual moves. The addition of the silk hammock also introduces an entirely new sense of balance, strengthening your ability to focus. But don't fret if you get frustrated. Yoga is also about rewiring your reactions and perceptions, so remember what you are feeling is just as important as what your body is doing. It may take a few times to get the hang of it, but that's what makes it good!

Greater Flexibility
The support of the silk hammock in aerial yoga can allow for more freedom of movement, which can lead to the ability to shift your body into new and deeper positions safely. This support can also prevent the tensing of other muscles, allowing for more relaxation into your stretches to improve flexibility. Another fun bonus? A temporary glow in your skin from fresh, oxygenated blood circulating through your system, or just a byproduct of the awesome fun you had that didn't even feel like a workout.  Either way, we like it!