Considering I am a person who has broken a limb by merely walking, my wish to try aerial yoga was both ill-advised and dangerous for all parties involved. However, on one cold Wednesday in December I decided to almost literally put myself out on a limb and try aerial yoga. Located in Mashpee, Heels Over Head Yoga Studio provided a perfect (and safe) environment for me to try.

Aerial yoga is yoga performed while using silk ribbons to support the body. Though it looks and sounds complicated and slightly threatening, people with little to no yoga experience  can still enjoy and excel in the class. I have participated in basic-level yoga classes previously, but I definitely do not consider myself a “yogi.” However, once I got over the initial intimidation of hanging upside down, I thoroughly enjoyed the class.

When I told people I was going to try aerial yoga, genuine fear and concern flashed in their eyes. Instead of listening to my haters, I went into the class with a positive attitude. Alongside my younger sister, Catie, and my friend, Halee, I promptly began spiraling out of control during the simplest of tasks. After I got acquainted with the practice by stretching and doing basic movements, the hardest task was trying not to laugh at my sister and Halee as they hung upside down and struggled to maintain straight faces themselves. The overall atmosphere was relaxed and supportive, so even when we did start laughing at our compromising positions, we were not completely ostracized by the rest of the small class.

Driving to Mashpee on a dark weeknight would not have been the optimal way to spend the night, as I was swamped with homework and other school-related stresses, but once I got to the class, I lost all worry about the outside world and felt truly present in the moment. The soothing music, muted colors and dim lighting helped to create a rejuvenating ambience and the exercises we did were just as much fun as they were intensive. I spent the entirety of the class feeling like some kind of low budget circus performer as I glided through the air and after the class we all agreed that we felt as though we were flying. The instruction we received was extremely helpful and encouraging, which made even the difficult exercises feel enjoyable.

I recommend this class to anyone seeking an inventive way to exercise and simply have

fun on Cape Cod. This experience was unparalleled to any other form of exercise. My sister is a dedicated hockey player, Halee is a contributing member on the cross country team and I am a weak link on the same team, however we all enjoyed and excelled at the class and recommend it to anyone. For anyone interested, classes are available most days and are offered at various levels. To sign up, one can create an account on the Heels Over Head Yoga Studio website; drop in classes are $15.