Why you should try aerial yoga

It offers greater flexibility

Those silk hammocks hanging from the ceiling don't just look beautiful—they're actually super strong. A typical aerial yoga hammock can support as much as 2,000 pounds, so you can twirl through the air with total confidence.

Aside from being really fun, the real benefit of using the hammock is that it allows your body to move and stretch in ways it couldn't if you were stationary on the ground. That adds up to deeper stretches since the silks support the majority of your body weight for you.

But also strength training

While the yoga hammock helps support your body weight during inversions and other difficult to hold poses, it also forces to you engage your muscles in a different way in order to hold your balance and stabilize each move. As a result, aerial yoga classes offer a much more intense core workout than a typical yoga class.

It will unleash your inner child

Even if you never dreamed of running away to join the circus, swinging from the ceiling is bound to tap into other childhood memories. One of our editors likened her aerial yoga experience to swinging from tree branches and playing on monkey bars.

It's like doing three workouts in one

Every aerial yoga class is different, but many incorporate elements of other fitness styles, such as Pilates or barre. And some will also incorporate a cardio workout into the routine. Michelle's class at AIR, an aerial yoga studio in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, has participants doing push ups on the floor, before they swing themselves into a hybrid pull-up/jump using the aerial silks above them.

Tips for your first class:

• Dress comfortably. If you're wondering what to wear to aerial yoga, the answer is pretty simple: long, form-fitting workout pants or leggings and a form-fitting top that will stay put no matter how you move. Your feet will be bare, so no need to bring special shoes.
• Don't wear: jewelry, because it can get tangled in the hammock.
• Don't try it if: you have problems with dizziness or high or low blood pressure. Although aerial yoga is very safe, you'll be spending a lot of time hanging upside down, which might not gel well with certain medical conditions.
• Avoid: eating a heavy meal beforehand.
• Be prepared: to be really sore afterward.

Photos by Stephanie Bassos, Groupon.
This article was originally published in a different format and has since been updated by our editors.