The Challenges and Rewards of Aerial Yoga: Pacific Edge Magazine

THE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF AERIAL YOGA

Photo By Marta Czajkowska

Text By Kevin Whitton

When Portland-based aerial yoga instructor Wendi Lynch made the move to Honolulu and found Kaka‘ako’s Still and Moving Center, she knew that the location’s mind-body mission was a perfect complement for her classes. Wendi developed a comprehensive aerial yoga program for the Still and Moving Center, reflecting the national trend toward the style.

Aerial yoga is one of the fastest growing forms of yoga practices. The center’s program has grown to include a variety of aerial yoga classes, including daily and monthly workshops for beginners and experienced students alike. Lynch attributes the enthusiastic response for this type of yoga to the quick results and benefits people experience while participating in the program. “People feel a difference in their bodies after just one class,” she explains. “With regular practice, students feel stronger, more flexible and have reduction in chronic pain. Aerial yoga relieves stress through playful movement, which is a unique and priceless experience that keeps them coming back.”

According to Lynch, a typical class will include a mixture of breathing-focused activities, similar to those practiced in a regular yoga class, but with the additional challenge of body inversions, alignment and suspension. She describes the practice as a well-rounded mind-body workout, as mastering the aerial yoga hammock requires a mixture of strength, flexibility and focus. This demanding workout is not without fun. “People experience a sense of childlike freedom flipping upside down and climbing around in the hammock,” says Lynch. “It is incredibly fun and good for the soul.” —ALYSSA FUKUMOTO

– See more at: http://thepacificedge.com/2013/08/12/the-challenges-and-rewards-of-aerial-yoga/