How to Use an Aerial Silks Trapeze! Plus—Benefits, Pros and Cons!
Aerial Silks Trapeze:
A relaxing, anti-gravity exercise routine for home!
Stretching, hanging and posing on an aerial silks trapeze is one of my favorite things to do at home.
Aerial trapeze is a form of anti-gravity exercise, which has a host of benefits (which is posted below). It also feels amazing to stretch out after a long day, and once you get started, you will want to stretch on this daily. The trapeze is actually easier then it looks once you get the hang of it. After you have given it a shot it becomes addicting!
Simply hanging upside gives gravity a chance to elongate, relax and stretch out your back. Gravity pulls our back down daily in the opposite direction while we are sitting and standing upward, and hanging upside down releases it.
There are a ton of different positions on the trapeze I like to stretch to and benefit from.
Check out the chart below for more stretching poses. There are tons more positions to explore on Pinterest, try searching “yoga trapeze positions.” Also, there are videos I sometimes like to follow along to on Youtube.
History of Inversion Therapy and Zero-Gravity Positions
*Citations included. The corresponding sources are linked at the very bottom of this post.
According to this journal on Inversion Therapy & Zero Gravity, inversion therapy was actually used for health benefits back from Ancient times. In 3000 BC the humans used inversion poses and it shows on the first drawings discovered by archaeologists. “They use value of inverted poses of the body to re-balance the body, to increase blood circulations, stimulate the brain, relieve pressure on abdominal organs. In 400 BC The Father of Medicine, Hippocrates hoists up a patient on a ladder with ropes and pulley to harness the force of gravity in an effort to stretch patient and relieve their ailments.” (1.)
Inversion therapy on an aerial silk trapeze is a form of zero gravity concept (weightlessness) developed by NASA for astronauts. Gravity is the cause of many compressive negative effects on the body over time, such as sagging organs, compressed joints, and discs, varicose veins, baggy eyes, decreased height of half-inch every 20 years, and a long term effect of pulling the body downward. Scientific research showed that zero-gravity positions minimized the huge gravitational stresses astronauts experience during takeoff. Also, inversion postures (a form of zero-gravity positions) help relieve and neutralize the negative effects of gravity on the body by allowing proper heart, back, and leg alignment. (1., 2.)
Pros + Cons and Precautions of Inversion Therapy
It’s really important to understand the pros and cons before starting any form of wellness routine or exercise. Below, I have listed a few points I have found through my own research before continuing with the aerial silk trapeze. Of course, do your own research before beginning and ask your doctor. There might be something that is left out from the points below that pertains to you.
Pros:
Inversion therapy is used to cure back pain caused by degenerative or herniated discs, spinal stenosis or other spinal conditions. (1.)
Inversion therapy increases the space and reduces pressure between the vertebrae and nerve roots in the spine. (1.)
Inversion therapy helps sciatica, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, muscle spasm, and even lymphedema. (1.)
Inversion therapy can result in a realignment of the vertebrae, rehydration of the invertebral discs, relaxation of the muscles and reduction of recovery time. (1.)
Inversion therapy has been shown to stimulate venous return and the lymphatic system, increase oxygen flow to the brain, help maintain our original body shape, help maintain correct posture, contribute to overall general good health, and avoid prolapsed internal organs. (1.)
Increases joint mobility and flexibility. (1.)
Increases mobility of the spine. (1.)
The weightlessness position takes the forces of gravity away from the spine and produces relaxation of the spine and extremities muscles. (2.)
The direct benefits of the inversion therapy are improving of the lymphatic system and increase of venous return produce facilitation of the autonomic nervous system and its baroreceptors increasing oxygen flow to the brain centers and remove of the waste products into the venous system, inhibit the spasmed and tight muscles in scoliosis, spinal muscles spasm leading to improve of original body posture and decreasing of recovery time. (2.)
Removes wastes from the spine. (4.)
Decreases inflammation (4.)
Increases blood circulation through surrounding muscles. (4.)
Cons and Precautions:
It can be dangerous, and even deadly, to hang upside down for too long as blood pools to the head. Start hanging in a moderate position for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time. Then increase the time by 2 to 3 minutes.
Listen to your body and return to an upright position if you don’t feel well. (4.)
Invert for a short period of time (static 1 - 3 minutes, intermittent 5 - 10 minutes per session. (2.)
It takes time to adjust to inversion therapy. It’s best to start off in shorter increments (slowly building from one-minute sets to three) to get used to the process. This can help reduce side effects such as dizziness or muscle strain. Be careful not to overdo it. (4.)
Invert slowly then return slowly and progress slowly. (2.)
Invert only to a comfortable angle. Full inversion to 90 degrees isn’t required for all patients. (2.)
If you have inner ear problems, glaucoma, or a retinal detachment, an inversion table can make it worse, even to the point of causing bleeding from the eyes if there is too much pressure. You should also avoid inversion if you have a heart condition, fracture, osteoporosis, or hernia. (3.)
Even if it is helpful, the effects of inversion therapy won’t be long-term. (3.)
It can increase your blood pressure. (3.)
It can make some pre-existing conditions worse. You should also avoid using an inversion table if you have a heart condition, fracture, osteoporosis, or hernia. Inversion can be dangerous for those who are overweight or pregnant. (3.)
There’s no evidence to support that inversion is more beneficial than performing inversion in standing or sitting positions (4.)
I love my aerial trapeze and basically have it hanging all the time so that I can use it whenever in passing :) Below is linked the aerial trapeze that I have used the last 2 years, and am happy with. Of course, there are many different brands to choose from, too.
What you’ll need:
Scroll down for further reading in “SOURCES.”
Xx,
Laura
Disclaimers:
I am not a doctor, physical therapist, dermatologist, or nutritionist. My blog posts are not meant to give advice but purely to share my own experience and to entertain. I cite references taken from my own online research and post them to routines that I choose to move forward with. What I use may not work for you. We all have unique health conditions and concerns. Always do your own additional research.
I am an Amazon Associate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I am providing links to products I mentioned in this post for your convenience. I personally use these products. They work for me but might not work for you. So please do your own research.
I purchase all the products used in my posts and I am not sponsored by any company.
