*Classes may not be offered at every location. Check studio schedules for class details.
Attire: Long leggings that cover past knees for Aerial Hoop, and to ankles for Silks. Avoid loose or baggy bottoms. For tops, semi-fitted to fitted capped-sleeve t-shirt, or wear a tank top and bring a sleeved layer.
INTRO TO AERIALS
This introductory class will give you a chance to try out both Silks, Hammock and Hoop. This class is the prerequisite for all aerial courses. Once completed you may move on to L1 of Silks, Hammock and Hoop. You will learn basic positions and poses. No experience is required. Please wear long tights and a capped sleeve at the least to cover the armpits. Please no buttons or zippers as well as no jewelry.
AERIAL FIT
It's the apocalypse. You want to survive. You must be prepared. Food and water are at the ready, but is your body? No previous aerial experience required but it will definitely help your plight as we use both the hoops and silks to condition and get our bodies ready for...well...just about anything. Some of the exercises will involve being upside-down using just your arms or your legs. Please wear form fitting clothes and long leggings for this reason!
SUPERVISED AERIAL PRACTICE
This class is practice time for all students currently working their way through the aerial curriculum. It is self directed, so you must have enough things to practice that you can occupy yourself for the full class. Instructors will lead a warm up, cool down and will be on hand to help you throughout class. They will not be teaching any new material.
*PLEASE ARRIVE 10 MINUTES BEFORE CLASS TO LET THE TEACHER KNOW WHICH APPARATUS YOU WOULD LIKE RIGGED. YOU ARE ALSO WELCOME TO BRING YOUR OWN BUT THE TEACHER WILL NEED TO RIG FOR YOU. Latecomers with their own apparatuses will be required to use studio equipment. No buttons, zippers or jewellery can be worn on the Silks or Hammocks!!
AERIAL YOGA
Come for a yoga experience like you’ve never had before…yoga in the air! This class focuses on fusing the principals of stability (strength) and mobility (flexibility). This class allows for creative exploration by showing various levels of difficulty and support. Because you do not have the floor to impede you, you will be able to get deeper into your poses. Then relax in the hammock at the end of class as it sways you into deep relaxation. Must be comfortable inverting/going upside down. Please wear long pants or tights and capped sleeved shirt, or something that covers under the arms.
BUNGEE FIT
Expect a fun, loaded, high energy workout when stepping into a harness around your waist attached to a bungee cord. The first 10 - 15 minutes of this class will be spent setting everyone up and adjusting harnesses and height. The last 5 minutes will be exiting and unhooking so the total bungee time will be approximately 35 - 40 mins. This class will take cardio and resistance training to the next level while challenging your balance causing you to engaging your core the entire time. The bungee absorb the impact making it gentle on the joints. The Bungee helps support the body weight making it high intensity but low impact on the joints. So if you have minor pre-existing conditions, you can still do this type of exercise and the load on the joints is much lighter. Whether you are a beginner or cardio experts you are in for a treat! Come experience the feeling of flying, it will almost make you forget you are doing a workout. To feel the most comfortable in your harness please wear tighter workout pants and a shirt or tank top. Bring indoor running shoes.
Ideally, no heavy meals 2 hours before class, stay hydrated and don't forget your sweat towel!
Just like any other high-intensity training you want to consult your physician if you have low or high blood pressure, any heart conditions or are pregnant.
Weight restrictions and sizes:
Small: suitable for user weights 80 -120 pounds or 36 - 54 kg
Medium: suitable for user weights 115 - 140 pounds or 52 - 64 kg
Large: suitable for user weights 135 - 200 pounds or 61 - 91 kg
The maximum weight restriction is 300 pounds, using one extra Bungee cord. Please let the instructor know if you need an extra bungee.
AERIAL HOOP L1
*MUST HAVE TAKEN INTRO TO AERIALS.
Gain strength and flexibility as you learn the amazing art of Lyra. You must feel comfortable learning to invert to attend this course. In level 1, you will review and build on intro theories and add hanging inversions and static positions to your repertoire. Please wear tights or crops and bring a sleeved top.
Class colours: Blush, Cherry, Crimson, Current, Garnet, Merlot, Ruby, Scarlet. You don't have to do the series in any particular order, but you must complete all 8 colours. We highly recommend attending all of Level 1 a minimum of 3 times through to ensure you’re learning all the skills you need for higher level classes! Each class colour will focus on a specific technique, transition, and/or aspect of Aerial Hoop. After completing Level 1 you must attend a Supervised Skill Assessment class to find out whether you are ready to try Level 2.
AERIAL HOOP L2
Now that you have an understanding of the fundamentals of being in the air, it's a chance to introduce some more exciting skills into your repertoire! You will learn a variety of static and dynamic tricks, classic poses and combos that will keep your mind so busy that you won't even realise what a great workout you are getting! Why exercise on the ground, when you can play in the air!
We highly recommend attending all of Level 2 a minimum of 3 times through to ensure you’re learning all the skills you need for higher level classes! All students will be expected to attend a Supervised Skill Assessment class to ensure you know everything you need to safely move to Level 3.
AERIAL HOOP L3
Hoop L3 is the next step in your aerial hoop journey. We will begin working with momentum and continue strength building in this class. We will continue conditioning meat hook, skin the cat and pull up strength. An understanding of these positions from L2 is expected. You will also refine the technique of your basic skills and practice linking skills together to form routines. You will likely need to spend longer in Level 3 than the previous levels as the strength based skills will take time to develop. Enjoy the journey and remember to have fun! There are classes in this level.
While you are in level 3 you are also able to attend Intermediate Hoop Lab. It is a non-progressive class where students will be lead through a group warmup and conditioning, and instructors will present new and varying skills each week. Students may give suggestions for skill choice.
*WARNING - this is an advanced class, if you are attempting this class and not quite ready for it, you may be asked to go back to curriculum classes for your own safety.
INTERMEDIATE HOOP LAB
Once you are in Level 3, you can drop in to Intermediate Hoop Lab. It is a non-progressive course where students will be lead through a group warmup and conditioning, and instructors will present new and varying skills each week. Students may give suggestions for skill choice. Intermediate Hoop Lab may include moves from the curriculum as well as new skills the teacher chooses. This class is designed so that the teacher can choose moves that will challenge an intermediate level but are safe to learn at the same time.
*WARNING - this is an advanced class, if you are attempting this class and not quite ready for it, you may be asked to go back to curriculum classes for your own safety. Before moving to Advanced Hoop Lab you will need to complete all 8 classes in Level 3 to the instructors satisfaction. You will also need to attend a Supervised Skill Assessment Class for Level 3 to find out whether you are ready for Advanced Hoop Lab.
ADVANCED HOOP LAB
Once you have completed Level 3, you can drop in to Advanced Hoop Lab. It is a non-progressive course where students will be lead through a group warmup and conditioning, and instructors will present new and varying skills each week. Students may give suggestions for skill choice. The strength and skill level required for this class can be learned throughout the Aerial Hoop Curriculum levels 1 through 3.
*WARNING - this is an advanced class, if you are attempting this class and not quite ready for it, you may be asked to go back to curriculum classes and/or Intermediate Hoop Lab for your own safety. You must have completed all the levels as well as the Supervised Skill Assessment classes for ALL of the levels before you can attend Advanced Hoop Lab.
AERIAL HAMMOCK L1
*MUST HAVE TAKEN INTRO TO AERIALS.
Students will gain a good vocabulary of basic aerial hammock tricks and transitions as well as work on the strength they need to progress. You can drop in to any class, you do not need to follow an order, but you must collect all 8 colours before moving to Level 2. We highly recommend attending all of Level 1 a minimum of 3 times through to ensure you’re learning all the skills you need for higher level classes!
You should try at least one Aerial Yoga class before coming to Aerial Hammock, to understand the fundamentals of using a hammock. Please wear long tights and bring a long sleeved shirt to cover your armpits. You must complete all the classes and attend a Supervised Skill Assessment before moving on to Level 2. Each class colour will focus on a specific technique, transition, and/or aspect of Hammock. No buttons, zippers or jewellery can be worn on the Hammocks!!
AERIAL HAMMOCK L2
After you have completed the foundations presented in L1, we continue to build on them in L2! After you have mastered Level 1 skills you are ready to learn more difficult poses as well as the fun (and complicated) wraps necessary to move onto Hammock Level 3! Be sure to collect all 8 shades of red and attend a Supervised Skill Assessment class to find out whether you are ready for Level 3. We highly recommend attending all of Level 2 a minimum of 3 times through to ensure you’re learning all the skills you need for higher level classes!
LEVEL UP - SUPERVISED SKILL ASSESSMENT
Supervised Skill Assessment on Hoop, Silks or Hammock
Supervised Skill Assessment will run like any other class in the aerial curriculum. The Instructor will lead warm up and conditioning and then will coach you through the skills you need to master for the next level. They may test your memory of the skills in your current level to make sure you know what they’re called. This is important for safety later. If a teacher gives you a direction and you’re 16 feet in the air you need to know what they’re asking you to do!
Newcomers are still welcome for Supervised Skill Assessment, it’s never too early to start working on the skills you need to advance, and we’re still here to help and guide you!
This class will happen on the same day and time, and with the same instructor as your usual class. It will happen every 9 weeks as part of the curriculum and is a requirement before you move up to the next level.
HELPFUL HINTS
- Silks and Hammock Level 1 will be a little less intimidating in Gastown or Mount Pleasant due to the lower ceiling height. -If you’re currently taking Silks class in either Gastown or Mount Pleasant we recommend taking a class of your current level in Richmond before you try the next level even if you’ve been given the okay by your teacher. This is because the ceiling height in Richmond feels much different and taking a class will give you a chance to get used to it without worrying about trying to learn new skills at the same time.
- Have a background in aerials from somewhere else? Send Alex an email to find out what class level will be a good fit for you. You can reach her at alex@tantrafitness.com
- Feel nauseous during class? Don’t worry, that’s pretty normal when you start aerials. Make sure you stay well hydrated the day or two before class and get a good sleep the night before. These are all things that we find help, especially with spinning. It gets better over time as your body gets used to being upside down!
- If your hands are really sore during hoop class try running them under some cold water. This can help dissipate some of the friction energy that makes them sore. You could also bring some pole or weight lifting gloves for a little while. It’s important not to rely on them as we want our hands to get used to the hoops, but maybe for the first little while you can put them on for the last part of class. Slowly you can go longer and longer without them until you don’t need them anymore!
