CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — FOX43's Ally Debicki has tried aerial silks but has yet to give aerial yoga a try.
At Anahata Yoga Studio and Boutique in Carlisle, they have both mat and aerial yoga classes available and all are welcome to stretch, relax and enjoy!
For aerial, imagine a regular yoga class but with poses in the air with the help of silk fabric.
Instead of two separate silks coming down from the ceiling, there will be just one that will work like a hammock.
“The hammock being a prop in a yoga practice lets you support part of your body weight and get into a stretch, into a pose, a lot deeper than you normally would on the ground,” said Lena Hershey, owner of Anahata Yoga Studio and Boutique.
The hammock also gives the ability to do harder moves like inversions, even as a beginner. Being upside down leads to spinal decompression and is one of the biggest reasons students keep coming back.
“A lot of people practice for a long time to just nail that handstand and it takes a lot of preparation, a lot of strength building, [and] a lot of conditioning to get into that inversion,” said Hershey. "Here we don’t need quite as much strength, because part of our body weight is supported by the aerial hammock."
Benefits include increased mobility, grip strength and upper body strength.
“And it's less stressful on the joints,” said Hershey. "A lot of people shy away from inversions on the mat because their elbows, their wrists [or] their shoulders are hurting. They are not able to get there because of an injury,” said Hershey.
Hershey also said that you notice similar benefits experienced in a mat yoga class—but more amplified.
Beginners, when you arrive, remove your shoes, and a mat and hammock will be sized and provided for class. From there, be ready to open the body and mind to the practice ahead!
“I think that a lot of times that there is just a lot of obstacles in front of people,” said Hershey. "Like 'I don’t know if I can do it, I don’t know if I am strong enough…' you are ready today, and this place, to me and the way I have really strived to create the atmosphere here, welcomes everyone.”
At Anahata Yoga Studio and Boutique, expect smaller classes to allow for a more one on one teaching experience. Drop in classes are available, but if you're looking for more, they also offer a five-class value pack and a 10-class value pack for more consistent yoga-goers.
The store also opens up as a retail boutique five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, with clothing, crystals and hand-poured small batch candles made in store by Hershey herself.
For a full list of yoga classes, click here.