The thought of performing anti-gravity yoga poses mid-air intrigues almost everyone at first glance. Once you start thinking about it more, it becomes more intimidating and less intriguing. Many questions start popping in your mind; ‘What if I’m not good at it? What if I fall down on the ground? What if I embarrass myself in front of the entire class?’
We understand that there are certain challenges that come along with aerial yoga. Most people think that this form of yoga is more challenging than traditional yoga. In fact, learning aerial yoga is easier than traditional yoga. What you don’t understand is that when you are doing aerial yoga, it’s like gravity is helping you out. It becomes easier to stretch when you are a few feet above the ground because you are putting less strain on the body. Nobody talks about these things, hence many people shy away from doing aerial yoga because they don’t even know where to start. There are also others, who have gone for a few aerial yoga classes, and now want to try out new and challenging poses. For all these people, the ones you have a newly developed interest in aerial yoga as well as the ones looking to expand their knowledge, the best way to do so is by using Aerial Yoga books.
Aerial yoga books are a comprehensive guide for people who want to know more about the workout. These books burst the myths regarding aerial yoga and provide important knowledge at the same time. They are a great way to develop interest and get all the information directly from the experts. These books will help you understand how helpful aerial yoga really is, and then maybe you can gather the courage to actually practice aerial yoga. It can also be a great way to introduce new moves into your routine and make the ones you already know more challenging. Most of these books come with instruction photos and many also link videos where you can see the tutorials.
Best Aerial Yoga Books
A great aerial yoga book will include instructions on how to do poses along with photographs of the same. Some questions to consider before buying a book: its price, factors to consider, readability, photos, links to videos, etc. Some of the best aerial yoga books we recommend include:
1. Applied Anatomy of Aerial Arts: An Illustrated Guide to Strength, Flexibility, Training, and Injury Prevention
This is an illustrated guide to anatomy for aerialists. It contains information that will have you optimize your performance and learn how to practice poses safely. It is great for people interested in aerial skills, aerial yoga, or trapeze. The book is great because it is written by a physical therapist who understands the human body and how different movements can be done easily. It also tells you what can cause injuries and how to recognize and avoid the practices that cause them.
2. Aerial Yoga Conditioning Manual
Written by Kassandra Ferguson, this book is great if you want to know how to have a full-body workout with aerial yoga. This book is helpful for aerialists of all levels and shows how to do 60 different exercises with step by step instructions. It can also be used if you are learning how to use the swing for yoga.
3. Soaring with the Soul: An Aerial Yoga Guide
A book that is created for the instructors but can be used by anyone. This book will help you understand different yoga poses and how to align your body with what you are doing. The book is filled with photographs and vibrant colours that make it pleasant. It is a very comprehensive book that also talks about chakra center activation and channeling your inner energy.
4. The Aerial Yoga Manual Vol. 1
This is a step-by-step manual that is great for people trying to learn different poses. It has 300 detailed pictures that will show you how to do poses. The poses include pigeon pose, bow, frog, plank, etc. It is a great reference book to make sure you are doing poses the right way.
5. The Quick Guide to Aerial Yoga Poses
This is an illustrated guide with over 50 aerial yoga poses. All the poses shown in this book include description, muscle focus, and ways in which you can change the difficulty levels. The book has a notes section along with all the poses where you can write down your observations. This allows the readers to interact with the book.
6. Aerial Physique FIT: Gain the Strength of a Cirque Performer, the Legs of a Ballet Dancer and the Abs of a Pilates Pro
This book is a great complimentary guide for people who want to perfect their poses, know more about what they are doing. Each chapter of the book focuses on different body areas and how you can exercise them. It also shows you the concepts, stretching methods, and equipment you need for the required results.
7. Beginners Guide to Aerial Silks
This book contains easy to follow instructions for new aerialists. It provides clear directions that are supplemented with beautiful photos. It teaches you how to climb, wrap and do inversions.
These books are some of the best ones out there. They are not overly complex, but at the same time, they are comprehensive enough for you. Most of these books come with pictures that will help you understand the book better. Once you see some of these books, you will realize that aerial yoga is not that intimidating. Maybe these books will give you the courage to go out and take an aerial yoga class, or if you are a beginner try out some advanced poses.
An important thing to know is that there is nothing that can replace the training and practice provided by an instructor. While you may have read a book on aerial yoga, you might still do the pose wrong hence it is always advisable to try an actual class if you are a newbie to aerial yoga. It’s important to stay safe and have someone experienced with you who can tell you what you are doing wrong.
