Bored of regular yoga? Have you ever thought about floating in the air in a silk hammock?
Amber Badger Yoga is bringing aerial yoga to her current mat-based classes in Southampton.
Amber first started her personal yoga practice seven years ago, helping her to nurse her first heartache and cope with lifelong mental health struggles.
The 31-year-old said: “I always knew I wanted to teach yoga, I was meant to go to India to gain my teaching qualifications but then Covid happened.
“Since teaching my first class I was like, 'why didn’t I do this sooner?'
“Seeing students' dopey smiles at the end of the class doesn’t grow old.”
After a previous aerial yoga teacher left her hammock to go back to the mat, Amber saw the opportunity to gain her teaching qualifications in aerial.
“I was already practising aerial for myself, and there’s not many classes in Southampton for it,” she said.
Not only can you flip upside down and create beautiful shapes that you couldn’t replicate on the floor, aerial yoga also boasts many benefits for the body and soul, Amber said.
“It’s really great for physical body, spine, hips. It stretches everything – the hammock is so strong; it gives you an elongated stretch.
“Mentally, you feel supported by the hammock – as women it’s so rare to let something hold you.
“It’s a different vibe, we talk, we laugh, it’s not super serious.
“But if you have anxiety or stress, aerial is great because you’re concentrating, it’s really mindful.”
The classes are £15 each.
One is held at St Denys Boat Club from 12.30pm to 1.30om on Wednesday.
Two more classes are held on Thursdays, 6pm to 7pm and 7.15pm to 8.15pm at YMCA Fairthorne Manor in Botley.
“The classes at St Denys are very intimate, I recommend for new or nervous students.
“The class in Botley is able to hold eight students so with the two classes back to back we can have 16 students in one night.”
Amber's aerial classes are open to anyone over 16, from beginners upwards.
“Any level of yoga is welcomed. Come and try something different and surrender into the practice.”
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