STAFF REVIEW: AERIAL YOGA WITH LONDON DANCE ACADEMY

Perhaps like me, you have heard of Aerial Yoga before, but it never really crossed your mind that you’d actually have the chance to try the experience out? Well, on the 8th Feb 2017, Leoni and I were lucky enough to be invited to London to get our zen on and take part in a private Aerial Yoga class. Here’s how we got on…

Our lesson took place at the London Dance Academy Studio in Old Street which was only a few minutes walk from the tube stop.  Dressed in our yoga gear (gym leggings and a top that covers your armpits – think about the chaffing!), we arrived at the venue and were raring to get stated…we’d been looking forward to trying this experience out for weeks! We left our shoes and bags in the changing room and then met our instructor, Toni and headed to the studio.

We started off nice and easy – first of all just sitting in the swing and getting used to the sensation of hovering above ground with our legs dangling free. It was then time to kick things up a notch and learn how to somersault out of the sling. It will never quite seem natural to be swinging your legs over your head to flip upside down…but it definitely is fun!

Next we tried out the ‘One-Legged King Pigeon Pose’ which really stretched out our hips and backs. As we learnt from Toni, using the aerial silk allows gravity to help your back leg relax and therefore let your spine curve naturally to allow for a deeper stretch. Following this, we tried out some Superman-inspired poses involving stretching out your arms and legs to ‘fly’ in the air. What a great core workout this class is!

This one hour private aerial yoga class was one of my favourite experiences I have been on, since starting work here at Experience Days, 7 months ago. It was a great workout and I found myself addicted, anxiously awaiting the next move to learn (plus it’s way more fun than going to the gym). The class has the perfect balance of testing your fitness whilst also focusing on challenging stillness in your mind and body. One tip however…definitely don’t have a cup of tea before you start, there is a LOT of moving around!

Thank you so much to Toni, and to London Dance Academy for having us!  If you’d like to have a go at Aerial Yoga yourself, you can either take a private class or join a group to try out this wonderful active experience.

Wath this space for the start of my professional acrobat career!