It’s a sling! It’s a hammock! It’s… the best time ever! Whatever you call it, the wonderful world of sling has so much to offer us. Sling is a very beginner-friendly apparatus because the sling is holding onto you! It’s super supportive and you don’t have to use all of your strength for climbing, etc. The range of moves and pathways on sling is incredibly vast: from very beginner-friendly poses to stacking drops that take us all the way up to the rafters, there’s something in a sling for everyone!
Is it aerial yoga? You may have seen aerial slings/hammocks in studios that offer classes like aerial yoga. The fabric is the same, but the types of wraps and pathways we do on sling will be more “circus-y” than what you may find in a typical aerial yoga class. For example, many aerial yoga poses involve some of your body on the ground AND some of your body in the sling (i.e. a plank with hands on the ground but feet in the sling). This is a great workout, but what we do in aerial sling classes will be different – your whole body will be off the ground! We will also talk more about aerial sling sequencing, wrap theory, poses, etc. This class is ALL about the fabric and what we can do in it.
Does it hurt? Any time you’re learning a new apparatus, there are some new sensations we will need to get accustomed to. The biggest observation people have about sling is that it can feel a little “squeezy” sometimes. You’re putting your body weight into a fabric wrap, so there will be some tension in the fabric that people may experience as a “squeezy” feeling. However, we have lots of ways to work with that! We will talk about what engagements you can do to counter the feeling of that tension. And we will also do conditioning for those feelings – the more we work on those skills, the less we will feel that tight sensation! Plus, above all else, everything we do in class is optional. If you get to a place and your body is just saying “no”, we honor that feeling and will do something different.
Where should I start? We recommend starting with either a 3-Week Beginner Series, or our Foundations classes.
Our beginner series is great for people that want a slower, more gentle entry into the aerial world. Everyone in this class will be at the same brand new level, and each student will learn the exact same skills. This happens at the same day and time each week for 3 weeks in a row. These classes cap at 8 people.
Foundations classes will often be mixed-level classes, catering to the students signed up. Some students will be brand new and some students may have spent a few months or more in Foundations classes. You can take these classes as often as you’d like (we have 4 Sling Foundations classes per week!) and there is no commitment. You will likely learn 2-4 new skills per class, plus work on strength building. These classes cap at 8 people.
We’re lucky at BMA to have our points on pulleys. This means that we can adjust the height for you as needed. Depending on the skill, we may have the sling rigged low enough to step into, or we may need a bit more height if we’re going upside down! We can always bring the sling up or down for you however you need it.
Ok! I love it! Should I buy my own? We usually recommend waiting a bit before buying your own equipment. You will want to learn a variety of wraps & poses before buying anything as you determine how much length you would want in your sling and how high you prefer to be rigged off the ground. Another very important thing to remember is that you will need a secure, rated point to rig from – you can always come to Open Gym at the studio once you’re an active student! If you do decide to buy your own equipment, this is where we’d recommend:
