Why yogis thrive in aerial training
If you've been practising yoga for a while, you might be surprised how naturally aerial training comes to you. The transition from yoga to aerial acrobatics is one of the smoothest we see at our studio. Many of the skills you've spent years developing on the mat translate beautifully to the air - from body awareness and flexibility to controlled breathing and mental focus.
Whether you're a dedicated Ashtanga practitioner or a casual Vinyasa lover, aerial disciplines offer a fresh, exciting way to challenge your body while building on everything yoga has given you.
5 Skills that transfer from yoga
Body awareness
Yoga teaches you proprioception - the ability to sense where your body is in space. When your teacher says "rotate your hip forward" or "lengthen through the crown of your head," you understand what that means at a deep level. In aerial training, this awareness is invaluable. Wrapping yourself in silks, holding shapes on a hoop, or finding balance in a hammock all require precise body positioning. Yogis tend to pick this up faster because they already have a refined internal map of their body.
Flexibility
This one is obvious, but worth emphasising. The flexibility you've built through years of yoga gives you a real head start in aerial work. Splits, backbends, and deep shoulder opening all appear in aerial figures. While you'll still need to build aerial-specific flexibility (hanging stretches feel different from floor stretches), your baseline range of motion will let you access more advanced shapes sooner.
Breathing and pranayama
Controlled breathing is the backbone of both yoga and aerial acrobatics. In yoga, you use pranayama to stay calm in challenging poses. In the air, breathing becomes even more critical - especially during inversions and drops, where your natural instinct is to hold your breath. Yogis already know how to breathe through discomfort, and that skill alone is a huge advantage.
Core strength
Every yoga pose engages your core in some way, and that deep stabilising strength is exactly what you need in the air. Unlike gym-style core work that focuses on superficial muscles, yoga builds the kind of integrated core strength - transverse abdominis, obliques, pelvic floor - that helps you hold shapes, climb, and control your movements on aerial apparatus.
Mental discipline and focus
Yoga teaches drishti - focused gaze and concentrated attention. It also trains you to stay present when things get uncomfortable. Aerial training demands the same mental discipline. When you're learning a new drop or holding an uncomfortable wrap, the ability to stay calm, breathe, and focus is what separates success from frustration. Yogis bring this mental resilience from day one.
How aerial training enhances your yoga practice
The relationship between yoga and aerial training goes both ways. Many of our students report that their yoga practice improves after starting aerial classes. Here's why:
- Upper body and grip strength - Yoga builds plenty of pushing strength (chaturanga, arm balances), but aerial training adds pulling strength that yoga often lacks. This creates more balanced musculature and helps with poses like crow and handstand.
- Deeper inversions - Spending time upside down on silks or in a hammock builds confidence and comfort in inverted positions. Many students find that headstand and forearm stand feel easier after aerial training.
- Spinal decompression - Hanging and swinging on aerial apparatus creates traction in the spine that you simply can't get on a yoga mat. Students often feel taller and more open after aerial sessions.
- Increased body confidence - Learning to trust your body in the air builds a deep sense of physical confidence that carries over into your yoga practice and everyday life.
Which aerial disciplines yogis love most
Aerial hammock for inversions
Aerial hammock (vzduchový hojdací kruh) is often the first discipline yogis try, and for good reason. The hammock supports your body weight, letting you explore deep stretches and inversions with less effort. If you love restorative yoga or yin yoga, hammock classes will feel like a natural extension. Many hammock poses are essentially yoga poses adapted for the air - think aerial pigeon, hammock backbends, and suspended forward folds.
Aerial silks for strength
If your yoga practice leans more toward power or Ashtanga, aerial silks will appeal to your love of challenge. Silks demand significant upper body and grip strength alongside flexibility. The climbing, wrapping, and dynamic movements build functional strength that complements a strong yoga practice. Plus, the feeling of dropping from height and catching yourself in a silk wrap is an adrenaline rush that no yoga class can replicate.
Don't overlook aerial hoop
Aerial hoop (vzduchový kruh) is another great option for yogis who enjoy finding shapes and lines. The hoop is a solid metal ring that you balance on, hang from, and pose in. It rewards clean lines and pointed toes - something yogis naturally appreciate.
Common concerns from yogis
"Is aerial training too aggressive for my body?"
Not at all. Like yoga, aerial training can be adapted to any level. Beginner classes focus on foundational movements at low heights, and your instructor will always offer modifications. You won't be asked to do anything beyond your current ability. The progression is gradual, just like in yoga.
"Will I lose my flexibility?"
This is a common worry, and the opposite is actually true. Aerial training enhances flexibility by adding loaded stretching - stretches performed while bearing weight or hanging. Many aerial figures require the same range of motion as yoga poses, so you'll continue developing your flexibility, just in new directions. The key is to maintain your regular stretching routine alongside aerial training.
"I'm not strong enough for aerials"
This is the number one concern we hear from everyone, not just yogis. The truth is, you build strength as you train. Nobody walks into their first aerial class ready to climb to the ceiling. Your yoga background actually gives you more relevant strength than you realise - especially core and shoulder stability.
Complementary classes at Flying Stars
One of the best things about training at Flying Stars is that you can build a well-rounded schedule that supports both your yoga and aerial goals. Beyond our aerial disciplines - Aerial Silks, Aerial Hoop, Aerial Hammock, and Aerial Loops - we offer several complementary classes:
- Stretching - Dedicated flexibility sessions that help you progress in both yoga and aerial figures. Our stretching classes focus on active and passive flexibility, splits, and backbends.
- Pilates - Builds the deep core strength and body control that directly translate to better performance in the air. Pilates and yoga share many principles, so you'll feel right at home.
- Core Stability - Targeted core work that goes beyond basic crunches. These classes build the stabilising strength you need for aerial holds, climbs, and transitions.
Many of our students combine 1-2 aerial classes per week with a stretching or Pilates session for optimal progress. This balanced approach prevents overtraining while keeping your body flexible, strong, and ready for whatever you attempt in the air.
Ready to take your practice to new heights?
If you've been practising yoga and are looking for a new challenge, aerial training might be exactly what you need. You already have the foundation - the flexibility, the body awareness, the breathing, the focus. All that's left is to try it.
Book a beginner class at Flying Stars and discover how your yoga practice translates to the air. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can already do - and how much more there is to explore.
