We all know exercise is good for us. Healthy movement has long been understood to boost low mood and calm anxiety. But do you want to know five reasons why aerial pilates and aerial yoga is like sex? We take our fun seriously at the AFI so do read on!
- High on Happy Hormones
Exercise triggers the production of endorphins, which regulate your mood and are our body’s own happy makers. These endorphins act on the opiate receptors in our brains where they reduce pain and boost pleasure, resulting in a terrific feeling of well-being. Visitors to our classes report back how happy and floaty they feel afterwards lot and this is in part due to the inversions. Our aerial students are using the word ‘exhilarating’ a lot. People just feel more open after an aerial class. (More than one student asked if it was normal to go for the rest of the day beaming at everyone she met because she just felt so happy and light! Well, thanks to the release of those happy hormones brought on by the inversions, we could reply with a big “Yes!”) Every aerial class features inversion and going upside down makes you feel gooooood! - Get Euphoric
Dopamine and serotonin are both neurotransmitters produced during sex and orgasm. These chemicals are also produced during exercise when blood flow is increased, and blood-oxygen levels go up. When you work out and when you practice inversions during an aerial class, it naturally maximises the happy-hormone rich blood that flows in your system. This will stimulate the production of dopamine and serotonin, giving you a sense of excitement, like making love, exhilaration, and even euphoria. - Sleep is Sexy
Insomnia is commonly linked to depression, anxiety, and stress. The inversions found in every aerial class can fight off insomnia because muscle tension can be decreased by up to 35%*. This is one of the reasons why many say they sleep better after an aerial class. When you sleep better, your mood lifts, which helps relieve depression and reduce anxiety. - Relaxation is King Or Queen!
During aerial, your muscles get a good workout to get stronger which helps you feel leaner. And it’s much easier to relax after you have worked your muscles. In aerial you stretch out too, so you feel longer, like more space has been created within. That’s promotes the relaxation response too. Plus the pressure of the hammock releases trigger points like a deep tissue massage. This all aide your release. But after this, comes the all-important relaxation time. And let’s face it – It’s hard to feel sexy when you are not relaxed. Each aerial class closes with a cocoon-like floating relaxation where you have time to rebalance as you efficiently float in a bliss-like state. Even those who find it hard to relax seem to melt easily into relaxation and find they bliss better. “It’s just like being in a flotation tank or like laying in a cloud. Soooo lovely,” and similar comments are frequently made by our aerial students. - Get Smiley
Inversions are fun. They reconnect us to a childlike sense of playfulness and wonder. Plus, simply trying something new (in a safe and guided environment) will build confidence – And a more confident you is always a sexier you!
You certainly don’t have to be an acrobat to enjoy aerial. Our supportive instructions will bring out the best in you! After class, you will feel stronger, extra stretchy, accomplished, and sexy!
Now that you know why Aerial Yoga is like sex, you can now always tell your students about it’s benefits in teaching aerial yoga.
*Physiotherapist LJ Nosse did a study titled ‘Inverted Spinal Traction’ published in Arch Phys. Medical Rehab 59: 367-370, Aug 78. The study confirmed that inverting decreased muscle tension by over 35% within the first 10 seconds. This study concluded that inverting for short periods significantly increased spinal length and reduced emg activity of the superficial lumbar area musculature of normal males. These findings complemented the clinical observations of several authors.