I have been lucky over the past several years to meet and develop a ‘real world’ friendship with a number of great fellow bloggers. One of those is Lynn from Life After 50.
We actually live relatively close to one another and this week Lynn invited me to join her to try something new – to me, not her.
I know – you’re shocked. Me. Something new.
In a large old industrial building in Bowmanville – behind this wonderful heavy metal door – I met with Lynn to give aerial yoga a try.
If you aren’t familiar with it, aerial yoga involves using a large silk hammock to support, stretch, and invert the body through a series of yoga moves.
It sounds intimidating but I’m game to try most things at least once.
I’m not exactly the most graceful and coordinated person in the world and I had visions of tying myself up in knots, but seriously, this was fun and a great way to stretch as much – or as little – as felt comfortable.
Would I do it again? Absolutely!
Stretching is so important to our bodies – especially as we age – and this was a different way to gently stretch the entire body and workout the core at the same time.
I do acknowledge that it might not be for everyone. It is gentle and, as in all yoga, you work at your own ability, but inversion can cause queasiness.
Trust me on this one – my stomach still thinks it’s hanging by a thread.
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This post was brought to you by Thursday Doors, a weekly photo feature hosted by Norm Frampton at Norm 2.0.
My Life Lived Full 
Ooh! Love aerial yoga ♥️ gonna start soon too..
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I wish there was a studio closer to me. This is something I could see myself wanting to do on a regular basis.
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I’d like to try that! In one of my weekly yoga classes, we do an inversion every session. I can finally get up into the L-shaped pose. I imagine the silk hammock would be helpful.
Jude
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I am in awe of your L-pose!! I’m afraid I would go crashing down on my head if I attempted one 😏
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Whoa. Okay, I found the photos I asked for, and aerial yoga looks as intimidating as I imagined. I ‘yoga’ at classes and at home several times a week. I love yoga, and stretching, and meditating. But this takes it to an entire new level. I need to wait a while to try, since I’m still recovering from a concussion, and inversion postures are counterproductive still. Namaste.
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The brain takes a long time to recover from a concussion so I don’t blame you for wanting to be cautious with inversion. Good call!!
As intimidating as it looks, I was actually quite surprised at how ‘forgiving’ it is. It makes it easier to stretch if your balance isn’t very good.
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That metal door is cool
And you gave just enough pictures and words to get a feel for your experience – and love how you reminded readers about how individual a yoga practice is….
😉
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I know I”m guilty of it … going to a class and comparing my progress to someone else. It’s soooo self-defeating and a great way to lose interest quickly.
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You are so right – and it actually keeps people from doing yoga – I think I need to post about this topic soon
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I’ve seen this and it looks impressive. Scary, but impressive! We actually have an inversion table for spinal decompression that my husband uses when his back is bothering him. My sciatica has been really bad lately, so I tried it out. I don’t like the blood rushing to my head in inversions, but it did help! Aerial yoga looks more fun though! 😉
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ooo – I’ve heard of inversion tables and always wanted to try one. They are supposed to be so good for your spine. I think I would be tempted to be on it a lot 🙂
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Wow Joanne, I’m so impressed with the aerial yoga. I don’t think I’d ever heard of it; I’d be worried I’d end up on my head!
I love that you are able to meet up and pursue “in person” friendships with fellow bloggers. I long to meet some of me new online “friends”!
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Who knows? Perhaps you will! I definitely recommend if you get the chance. All the reasons why you like reading someone’s blog will be there in person 🙂
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I am impressed with the yoga! Blogging is a wonderful way to ‘meet’ people who have new viewpoints and experiences to share. Sometimes, they have traveled to a place we have never been and share their photographs. Sometimes, it is yoga, or mountain climbing, or whatever!
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I agree! It’s like finding a kindred spirit who brings a new spice to the meal 🙂
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Wow Joanne 🙂 that looks so cool!
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Oh – I think you would like this, Annie 🙂
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Joanne, I LOVE aerial yoga!!!
We just tried it for the first time in Ubud, Bali and I was hooked. So much so that I bought the hammock to bring home to Sri Lanka, thinking we were going home in ten days. But we ended up extending and I shlepped that heavy thing with all the metal hooks, for three months all over !! Cursing it for its weight but now that we are home I cannot wait to hang it up and get upside down again.
So glad you tried it and liked it. YAY!!!
Peta
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I remember your post and thinking how hard it looked … definitely not something for me. In fact I considered turning down Lynn’s invitation to join her.
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
After dragging that hammock around for 3 months (!) I’m willing to bet it’s going to be a priority to get it up and functional asap 🙂
There is something very freeing about ‘flying’.
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This looks like something I will… never try! I would not tempt the vertigo gods again… it was challenging enough to get that sorted out the last time my crystals got dislodged.
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Ooooh – I’ve heard that’s a really nasty experience 🤢
No, you don’t sound like a good candidate at all!
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The vertigo was nasty, the fix was fascinating and not at all painful. Just took some time. But I don’t want either again!
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Now I’m curious about the fix. Maybe you should write about it.
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Hi, Joanne – This was definitely a win-win session. IRL friendships with other bloggers can be absolutely amazing. Being able to engage in a fun new activity at the same time only adds to the enjoyment. For years (literally), I resisted hot yoga. When I finally tried it, I never looked back. I can no longer remember what all of hot yoga fears were about!
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Funny you should mention hot yoga. It’s something that doesn’t sound appealing to me at all. I don’t handle heat very well and I have visions of passing out in class. Epic awkward moment.
IF I should ever get the opportunity to go, perhaps I should reconsider.
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Eep! I think I’ll pass on that. Too much potential for damaging myself – I am REALLY clumsy.
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Welcome to the club 🙂
I compensate for my clumsiness by taking my time – although that still didn’t save me from taking a tumble a couple of days ago while out on a walk. Slipped on some black ice (in spite of wearing winter hiking boots) and landed in a deep puddle of water. It was an icy soaker 🥶
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Ooh, horrible! My membership of the club goes back many years. Not counting childhood tumbles, I probably started as a teenager in unsuitable shoes and have continued ever since without the good excuse.
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My husband once said (after an injury) that if we didn’t do anything and just sat in front of the TV all the time, we would never hurt ourselves …. but where’s the fun in that?
Now I take the occasional tumbles and miscellaneous injuries as part of the adventurous package. The alternative is not attractive 🙂
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Exactly!
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That looks….interesting..:) And challenging. And fun!
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It was all of those things!! 🙂
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What a fun thing for the two of you to do together! I’m not overly coordinated so I expect someone may have had to untangle me from hanging upside down. I agree we could all use more stretching and this looks like a fun way to do just that!
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I admit I needed assistance a couple of times. When you’re trying something new for the first time, getting tangled up is to be expected … at least, that’s my version 😉
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That looks like fun, Joanne! As long as I was given a guarantee that I wouldn’t fall on my head, I’m game!
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I was about to say I couldn’t imagine someone falling out of the hammock, but I then thought better of it. I’d prefer not to tempt the gods 😉
On a positive note, the fall wouldn’t be very far 😆
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I can see how great this would be for the body. Years ago I did a yoga class where we stood on our heads. I had so much energy I went home and washed the car. I have never had that much energy since so I think being upside down would have definite benefits.
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I have never been able to do a headstand so this hanging upside-down thing was quite a unique experience for me.
Strangely, I did not feel a rush of energy but in fact the opposite – very lethargic.
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Might be just the cure I need for my vertigo. Or push me over the edge. Only one way to find out I suppose…
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Apparently, inversion isn’t a great idea for people with vertigo. Apparently it messes with the equilibrium in the ears which of course is already a problem for people with vertigo.
If you’re really interested in it, maybe you should find out more. Perhaps there are modifications to the inversion that can still give you the benefits.
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Good for you gals! I can’t do anything hanging upside down except faint!
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oooo – then you are definitely not a good candidate for inversion 😉
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Please be careful.
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Thank you 🙂 … my risk-taking is always calculated for minimum possibility of injury!
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Good for you, if you think it’s necessary to keep feeling young:) Biking (cycling) was the only sport I cared for, but in Holland they use it as transportation, lol, not as a sport. I stretch and climb stairs daily when I do those 9x 7 feet paintings:)
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You certainly would!! I’m actually quite in awe of painters who can visualize on such a massive canvas.
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It does look like fun, and how lovely to have Lynn to share this with. Not sure if I could ‘get to grips’ but I’d have to give it a go. 🙂 🙂
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Lynn and I joked afterwards that our activities together always seem to involve spandex and bad hair 😉 One day we’ll have to do something where I don’t look like a fright!
This was an activity that I had never considered, so I’m thrilled Lynn suggested it. I’m willing to try most things at least once 🙂
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I’m a bit scaredy cat. So long as it doesn’t involve cold 😎. Sitting looking out to sea after a very pleasant walk 🔭🌞⛵💕
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My mantra is to feel the fear and do it anyway 😉
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Hi Jo, I’ve not heard of aerial yoga before and it does look a bit intimidating. I love yoga but I have to admit I would be nervous trying this style. Good for you though in stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new! Thanks for the inspiration and have a beautiful day. xx
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Sue, it does look intimidating, but once I got over my initial anxiety, it really wasn’t at all. Perhaps it was our great instructor because she provided easy to follow direction and alternative positions – like any good yoga instructor would. If you like yoga, I think you would enjoy the variation.
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OMG, there’s no way I could (would?) ever do that, but I really do admire you for trying it. I must spend at least 10 minutes of every gym visit on the stretching mat, and I curse each and every one of my bones and muscles the entire time. But thankfully I’m safely on the floor. You’re brave! – Marty
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Stretching is not one of my favourite things to do but I appreciate its importance. I applaud you for being one of those people who are willing get down on the floor – you are in the minority!
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I’d never heard of that, but it looks interesting. I do a yoga routine 2-3 times a week, a routine that’s supposed to strengthen bones. At the very least, it’s excellent exercise.
janet
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I applaud you for going 2-3 times a week! I miss the regular yoga class I use to attend … the instructor moved and her replacement just wasn’t the same. I find I don’t stretch nearly as much on my own as I would in a class setting.
hmmm – maybe you’ve inspired me to find a new studio nearby!!
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I’m actually doing my routine at home. It’s a routine designed to build bone strength and it’s so easy just to do it at home. This morning I’m off to the gym for me walk because with wind chill, it’s about -8 and the park doesn’t seem that appealing. 🙂
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This certainly was never on my radar before now. Meeting up with fellow bloggers is so much fun.
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It’s like meeting a long time friend – for the first time 🙂 What’s even better is maintaining that friendship in the real world doing stuff together.
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Wow, looks like you reached Nirvana with that door and the yoga find behind it; in days past we used to see those stories in the supermarket newspaper rags claiming Yogis defying gravity and doing levitation (photos of them floating off the ground but in reality they jumped while in the sitting position while someone shot a photo when they were off the ground for that split second) – but you guys were truly levitated! I tried yoga ONCE and while the instructor advised us to do only what you were capable of, macho me tried to do the stretch with butt and legs against the wall upside down (like standing on your head) and that was the move that ended all – it aggravated my pinched nerve in my neck and I got the worst case of vertigo and that ended yoga for me permanently. I wish I could do that elevated yoga though to take the weight off the joints while doing stretches but I guess I’ll have to look for a swimming pool.
You do live life on the edge, Joanne! ;-D
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OUCH!! A pinched nerve in the neck does not sound good at all!! I’ve been told that vertigo is really unpleasant so I can appreciate your reluctance to try anything that could trigger it again.
Definitely look for a pool offering AquaFit classes. Like anything, it’s what you’re willing to put into it, but I found it to be a challenging workout that was kind on the joints. When I broke my collarbone, AquaFit classes gave me a way to stay active while I was recovering.
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I love yoga stretches and have a little routine of 10 I do to stay limber, but I’ve never heard of this!
Hanging by that really long scarf seems a bit scary, but the ladies looked neat doing it. The image you made of them is great!
You’re amazing. I’m not sure I’d try it.
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It was not something that was on my list of things to try, but when the opportunity presented itself, I thought why not!
That silk hammock is quite large. At the end, we actually lay inside it fully stretched out. There’s a feeling of being cocooned … perhaps not great for those who are very claustrophobic. I had some reservations at first because I am, but I enjoyed the feeling.
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Looks like you ladies had lots of fun and that is a gorgeous door indeed. As for me hanging upside down, mmm…not so much. Especially since I can get dizzy from being right-side up 😀
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It would definitely not be good for those with any kind of vertigo … or heart problems.
You would have loved that door. I don’t know if you noticed it, but it was on a pulley-and-weight system. So cool.
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Looks like fun and such a good stretch! Bravo!
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Thank you! It was! 🙂
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That’s a wonderful door. I’m not sure about the yoga. Then again, I don’t do any form of yoga. Come to think of it, I don’t do many things these days that require signing a waiver 😉
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hahahaha!!! My son said that to us one day that we always seemed to gravitate to activities that required a waiver, helmet, and/or harness 😆
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That looks like a great way to stretch! I think I’ve seen a place like that around where I live but didn’t know quite what it was all about. Now that I do, I’ll check it out! Great pics!
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By all means, check it out!! It may look intimidating, but it really isn’t. I started off in a beginner’s class and felt very comfortable 🙂
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I want to try this and s-t-r-e-c-h– I do yoga and my body thanks me for it. That’s awesome how you’ve taken the inverted pic.
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Stretching is one of those things that I don’t particularly enjoy doing, but feels so good afterwards.
That, and the fact that I want to delay being a stiff, twisted old pretzel for as long as possible 😏
I’ve seen what inactivity does to the aging body and it’s not pretty. I plan to go kicking and screaming all the way 😉
The instructor was great … and more than willing to get my camera for me when I realized what a great photo I could take upside-down!
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Reblogged this on Life After 50 and commented:
One of the unexpected surprises when I started blogging, was the friendships that are formed all over the world. I am so grateful to have met my friend Joanne who lives relatively near by and who is always up for a new challenge!
We recently connected & when I suggested she join me in giving aerial yoga a try, she was all in! Although I have now been a few times, it was Joanne’s first time. I so admire that her sense of adventure never stops her from trying new things!
So great to spend time together Joanne! Who knows what fun we shall get into next!
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We have a studio that offers that locally but I’ve been too timid to try.
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This was not on my radar at all. In fact I doubt I would have ever considered going … but when Lynn suggested it, I thought ‘why not?’.
Yeah, I was intimidated at the very beginning, but that dissolved right away. A good instructor will put you at ease from the very start.
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Wallowing? Goidness Joanne, I do so love your adventurous spirit! 💕 I don’t know how well I could pull off the yoga but I’d definitely be like a kid on a playground and bound to pull off some sort of awkward Bridget Jones moments. Lol
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I think I’d worry that the elastic bands would break. And also that I’d lose all my change out of my pockets. Good job with the upside-down photo.
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Oooo. I can feel the stretch. Would love to be able to do that handstand. But I think my biggest obstacle might be getting myself the right way up afterwards. Good on you, Joanne, for giving this a go.
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That handstand looks amazing, doesn’t it! This was a woman in the intermediate class ahead of ours. I’m pretty sure that if I tried a handstand, it wouldn’t look anything like this 😏
Getting back up does require a certain amount of core strength, but you also use your hands on the silk to pull yourself up – or at least I did 🙂
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I’ve never heard of aerial yoga! It looks fun, but I think I might worry about dizziness too, or all my blood running to my head, or falling off! Ha ha. Good for you for giving it a try! I looked it up and we have a lot of aerial yoga in Portland OR too. Do I dare?
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You know what my opinion would be 🙂
What I really liked about the class I went to is that the instructor encouraged us to do only what felt good.
… and she’s designing a class specifically for people who can’t or don’t want to try inversion.
I think anything that encourages people to stretch is good. Making it fun is a bonus!
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I can probably get my daughter to go with me. 🙂 She’s a yoganut.
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Then you are halfway there 🙂
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I’d loooove to try this. I take a floor stretching class after my weight workouts some days, and it feels great, but these nice, long, gentle stretches would be even better. I still hang upside down at any playground with a good bar, so hopefully my brain would adjust to this, too!
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Hanging upside down is supposed to be very good for us … stretches the spine and increases blood flow to the brain. Good for you that you still take advantage of children’s playgrounds to do that! I’m pretty sure I’d never even get up on the monkey bars to try it 😏
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You are fearless, Joanne–I so love reading about your adventures. We have an aerial yoga studio downtown, but I have yet to try it. I’ll wait till you come to visit…. 😉
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It’s a date! 🙂
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You are absolutely fearless!
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This was so much fun & I love that you are always up for trying something new! So great to catch up with you yesterday, hopefully we can connect at aerial yoga or otherwise very soon! Impressed with those photography skills btw! Hugs, L💕
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I know we will be doing this again Thanks so much – can’t wait until the next time 🙂
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Go you . . . or, perhaps, Yoga You! 😀
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I like that – Yoga Me!
Yoga Me is smiling zen-like in appreciation 🙂
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That looks amazing, Joanne. I’d love to give it a try. Well done on taking a photo while hanging upside down.
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Love the door, but the thought of hanging upside down makes me ill. Good exercise though if you can do it and Lynn looks fabulous!
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Oh – the hanging upside was easy. It was the being right-side up afterwards that proved a bit more challenging 😉 Definitely not for those who suffer from vertigo.
… and yes, Lynn does look fabulous and is the NICEST person 💕
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I spent most of my childhood hanging upside down from the scaffolding of houses being built on the street where I lived. A whole jungle gym – though one boy did break his arm jumping onto a pile of sand, and I badly twisted an elbow – but we did have fun!
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This looks so enticing and great shot of hanging upside down – so many good things to try out there!
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Great door. But, I will leave that exercise up to you because I would picture myself in a face plant. 🙂
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I admit I had visions of it ending badly for me too … but it’s actually much kinder than that. No face plants 🙂
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Good for you Joanne 🙂 Hang Tight seems like an appropriate name for this Yoga studio also.
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The name of the studio was actually The Yoga Jungle, but that sign did make me smile … especially now that I’ve tried it 🙂
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Ooh! I’d want to try it, I really would, but I get the vertigo, so if you were queasy… Umm, sad for me. It’s wonderful to try new things, and behind a cool door, even better!
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Apparently you aren’t alone. That’s why the owner said she was about to open up classes that specifically don’t have any inversion. You can still get the benefits without the hangover feeling afterwards.
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That sounds great!
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This looks like fun! I’m glad you took a chance on this and tried it. I used to take a hatha yoga class with an instructor who incorporated Thai massage stretches into it. For me it wasn’t about being graceful, it was about feeling good after doing the stretch awkwardly. Same for you here?
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Exactly, Ally. I will never be the poster girl for elegance and grace in yoga, but it feels good and I can’t think of a better reason to do something.
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OOOOOOOH! I so want to try this ever since I saw Peta post about aerial yoga on her blog. Lucky you, Joanne! So, gonna buy the home version like Peta did? 😉
Deb
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I don’t think I would trust any of the wooden ceiling beams in my 1970s house compared to the steel supports of a 1900s industrial factory. It is however a tempting thought 😉
If you can find a studio Deb, I recommend giving it a try. The instructor we had was amazing and immediately put me at ease in using the silk hammock. I know you would love it!
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Thanks Joanne, I think I would love it too!
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