Author: Natalie Basch

Aerial Yoga is beginning to gain popularity in the yoga world. After spending two years in Kuala Lumpur, I have seen more styles of flying yoga pop up in yoga and fitness studios alike. Airo Yoga, however, still remains unique and different due to the custom made Airo Yoga swing.

How does the swing differ? Traditional forms of aerial Yoga are usually practiced in large pieces of “silk” or yoga hammocks. The material of this silk varies from brand to brand, but the common denominator is that it is material dense and bulky. The advantage is that one can perform beautiful Cirque du Soleil moves with enough support and comfort, but the practicality of such equipment is cumbersome.

The Airo Swing, on the other hand, is a simple design, that gives the body enough support to align correctly, work on core muscle groups, invert and make room for some fancy poses too. It is not as material dense, and it is easy to set up and take down. This means that yoga studios do not have to have a cluttered shala with wrapped up yoga hammocks in the air. Each student can also have their own yoga swing, which they use for class and then take back home again. This makes practicing at home an option for those who enjoy the experimentation of self-practice. And it is also more hygienic.

The swing has its origins from Iyengar yoga. Iyengar, who is one of the great masters of modern Yoga, uses a similar contraption bolted against a wall to allow students to invert. The Airo Yoga swing is thus an evolution from the original master himself – with a few twists and tweaks. The advantage of this is that with this simple design, more emphasis can be placed on finding the correct alignment of our traditional yoga asanas.

I attended trainings and taught classes with various aerial equipment, from a silk hammock to a smaller yoga belt. Both had their advantages and disadvantages. I loved the practicality of the yoga belt; however, the additional material of a hammock made the practice more comfortable and artistic. I thus tried to mesh both of these elements together when developing the Airo swing.

The bar and lock mechanism is also an exclusive feature of the swing. If you look closely, it is also this bar and lock mechanism that you will see in the logo. Get it? This system allows students to quickly adjust the swings to various heights so that the class can be more dynamic. Some poses and exercises are better performed on a longer length, and others require a shorter length.

In summary, the key elements that differentiate the Airo Yoga swing from other equipment are:

• Practicality – no bulky, endless material
• Easy installation – no clutter in the yoga shala
• Lightweight and compact – take your swing with you where ever you go
• Supportive with extra comfort – for inversions, fitness and play
• The bar and lock mechanism – making the swing easily adjustable to various heights right then and there
• Sleek and elegant design – need I say more

All students who attend the trainings receive their own Airo Yoga swing. So why not add some swing into your existing yoga practice with Airo Yoga and the custom made Airo Yoga swing.