Why I came up with a new type of Aerial Yoga experience…
Few years back I helped set up a varied timetable at a new studio in Knutsford, Cheshire. The place is called Carrot Banana Peach and takes its name after an eco-friendly brand of fitness and yoga clothes.
The studio is one of the very few in Cheshire equipped with silky hammocks to offer Aerial Yoga. I love that style of practice, though it is not exactly for the faint-hearted as the silks help experiment with inverted postures, and facilitate quite deep stretches. Indeed using the hammock, you can hang upside down without too much upper body strength, access split postures more easily, extend the spine and stretch the hips to quite a degree. Basically, it can be a challenging practice if you haven’t got an inversion practice or much natural flexibility.
Steph the Aerial teacher at the CBP studio is the perfect guide to help you out of your comfort zone. With my relentless love for relaxation, I must say I’m not always in the mood for a challenging practice but I’m always in the mood for chilling out in a hammock! So two summers ago, I came up with a concept class where no strength is needed or prior yoga experience even! I called it Aerial Relaxation: a slow flow of postures using the fabric for exclusively restorative postures.
I have been offering this practice every two weeks weekly since 2021 I am beyond excited to be able to welcome students who couldn’t access the classic Aerial Yoga style and need the therapy effect of slowing down and being nurtured by the hammock experience. The class includes two fifteen-minutes guided relaxation (on arrival and at the end of class) lying in the fabric. We add eye pillows, cushions and blankets for extra comfort. During the darker months the class is candle lit. There is no ‘big’ movements meaning that even students prone to motion sickness have been able to fully relax comfortably. In between relaxations, we use the silk to have the legs up, twist the spine lightly, or practice an off-the-ground seated meditation in our little cocoon style pod!
There are also some pleasant stretches to discover lying on the floor by using the hammock… Perfect antidote to the ‘working from home’ desk lifestyle. Breath awareness throughout make it a mindful experience that helps you connect to your centre and help balance your emotions.The class is available to book and is running every two weeks or more.
Try something new this year or come back to a nurturing style of Yoga to boost your mood, improve your energy levels and feel truly cared for for an hour! Something that will help regulate your precious nervous system and help you experience bliss The practice suits all ages and levels of fitness. https://carrotbananapeach.as.me/AerialRelaxationKnutsford