What my first aerial experience taught me

I’m not flexible enough. It’s too advanced. I won’t be able to do it. These were all the things that stopped me from trying aerial for the first time. I assumed that if I hadn’t taken many mat classes, that aerial would be impossible, even though it was something I wanted to try. After talking to people who have taken aerial classes, I soon realized that anyone could try aerial yoga. I didn’t want my experience level to stop me, so I decided to give it a shot and take my first class at Elevate Yoga Center. I was surprised at how much easier it was than I originally anticipated. Not only was I able to do everything in the class, but it was also a great workout. I got a better idea of what aerial is like and learned a few things about the process. Here’s my takeaway from my first aerial yoga class.

Trust the silks and your body.

The hardest, but most important, part of my first class was learning to trust the silks and my body. At first, being up in the air feels unnatural especially when you begin doing different poses and movements. I knew the silks were secure and strong enough to hold me, I just had to listen to my body to guide me through the movements. It took some time to get used to the feeling of being in the silks but once I felt safe, I found myself more comfortable with trying new poses.

Be adventurous

The best part of aerial is that the silks are your support system. Poses I’m not strong enough to do on the floor, I’m able to do them in aerial. During the class, the instructor showed us all the different poses we could try using the silks. When I watched her, I thought there would be no way I could do it but that didn’t stop me from trying. I wasn’t able to do everything my first try but eventually, I got most poses down. I found myself able to do more than I could with mat classes because of the extra support from the silks.

Ask for help

Before the class got started, I let the instructor know it was my first time and she helped adjust the silks to my specific height. Everyone has individual needs and throughout the class, we were offered alternative poses to decide our preferred position.

Be patient.

When doing anything for the first time I allow myself to enjoy the moment rather than mastering a new skill right away. There were many poses and movements I had to try multiple times before I was successful. Even though I didn’t attempt all the poses, I made it a long-term goal to work toward them in the future. In most of the classes I’ve taken, there are people of all skill levels yet that never discourages me to try unfamiliar poses because of the supportive environment each class offers.

I went into my first class with doubts and worries, but I left feeling proud of myself physically and mentally. I didn’t let my assumptions prevent me from trying aerial because it has become one of my favorite workouts. After taking other aerial classes, I found myself trying more poses and gaining the confidence to keep coming back to Elevate to embrace all that yoga has to offer.