Hang Tight

Aerial fitness classes burn 320 calories, firm every inch, and supply a unique kind of exercıse high. Want a lift? Of course you do.

- Caitlin Carlson and Sophia Ivy Jo

Your first look at the latest fitness trend might have been on Instagram (#AerialYoga), where pics of gorgeous, gravity-defying yoga poses have been proliferating. But you don’t need to be an acrobat—far from it—to learn and love aerial, or antigravity, workouts.

The classes really started gaining traction in the form of yoga a few years back (they’ve since branched out to include hybrids, including aerial barre) and began attracting newbies and devoted yogis alike. The gist: Hop into a silky sling-like hammock, which is draped from the ceiling and supports your full body weight. You’ll maneuver the fabric so that you hold poses (like headstands) or perform tricks (swings, backflips) inside it, or you’ll use it as you would a TRX suspension trainer, to support your feet for exercises like push-ups or your palms for triceps dips.