If you want to take your yoga practice to the next level, try incorporating yoga swing poses into your routine.
Swing yoga or aerial yoga have become quite a popualr form of yoga. It combines yoga postures, Pilates, and trapeze acrobatics, and allows you to do poses with the support of a fabric hammock.
It's highly beneficial for holding poses that involve inversions and backbends and can be used to support an asana or to complete a full sequence of restorative yoga practice. Yoga swings can be easily mounted on the ceiling using a hook, attached to a trapeze stand, or even hung outdoors from a tree.
Yoga swing poses are an interesting way to practice different asanas while being in the air. Regular practice of this type of yoga gives out a full body workout, helps ease back pain, decompresses the spine, strengthens the core, and also improves posture.
The best part is that beginners can also use this tool in their practice. To help you get started, here are some beginner-level poses that can be done using a yoga swing.
Chair Pose and Other Yoga Swing Poses for beginners
Here’s a look at the five best yoga swing poses every beginner can do to deepen a yoga stretch:
1) Chair pose
Start your practice with this easy yoga pose that’s sure to strengthen the core and challenge lower body strength. This pose is a great preparatory asana for more advanced poses.
To do it:
- Begin with your feet together on the floor and hands grabbing the swing.
- Position the swing on your upper back just beneath your armpits.
- Slowly lean back, and bend your knees to go down into a chair pose. Ensure that there is a 90-degree angle between your ankles and knees.
- Once you get into the pose, let go of the swing, and allow it to support your body.
- Hold the position and relax.
2) Butterfly pose
One of the simplest yoga swing poses for beginners, the butterfly pose offers a relaxing stretch and also allows you to go deeper into the pose.
Here's how it's done:
- Sit on the yoga swing, and hold the handles on each side.
- Position the soles of your feet together, and move your ankles into the swing just beneath your pelvis.
- With the back straight and abs engaged, bring your palms to the center, and press your soles together for balance.
- For a different angle of hip opening, hold the handles and start to lean forward.
3) Plank pose
The plank pose is a great yoga swing pose for beginners and can be easily executed and modified depending on your fitness goals. This pose strengthens the core, arms, spine, and shoulders, like the traditional plank.
To do it:
- Begin with your hands on the floor and both feet in the yoga swing.
- Make sure the swing is low enough so that the body is in a horizontal position.
- Maintain the posture, and stay in it for as long as you're comfortable.
4) Inverted bow pose
It's one of the best yoga swing poses to start your backbend practice. Doing this pose on a yoga swing makes it more relieving and convenient as compared to doing it on a mat.
It's done as follows:
- Sit on the swing, ensuring that your weight is equally distributed.
- Hold the handles using a tight grip, and bend your back while lowering your head down as far as you can go.
- Once you're comfortable and balanced, let go of the handle, and try to hold the outsides of your ankles.
- Keep your neck relaxed, and use your ankles to support and deepen the stretch.
- Hold the posture for ten long breaths, and release.
5) Corpse pose
End your yoga practice with this relaxing and final yoga swing pose. To do it, proceed as follows:
- Lie down with your back on the swing, and ensure that your back is at the center so that you're swinging evenly.
- Close your eyes, and position your hands on your chest.
- Stay in this position for a while, and let go of all your stress and anxiety.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it — the five best and easiest yoga swing poses for beginners. The aforementioned poses are easy and are sure to make your yoga practice much simpler and more convenient and interesting.
As a beginner, you might feel intimidated by aerial yoga initially, but don’t worry – these poses can be easily achieved with patience and regular practice. Just make sure to practice these yoga swing poses safely at an easy pace, and try to work under a trainer to master the basics.