Aerial Hammock Training vs. Aerial Yoga Flows: What's the Difference?
If you've ever searched for aerial classes online, you've probably noticed two terms pop up constantly: aerial hammock training and aerial yoga flows. They both involve suspended fabric. They both look incredible. But they are not the same thing — and knowing the difference can help you choose the right practice for your body and your goals.
The Fabric Is the Same. The Intention Is Different.
Both practices use a piece of fabric or sling suspended from above. That's where the similarity ends. The way you move in the fabric, why you move, and what you're building toward are completely different.
Think of it this way: a paintbrush and a pencil are both drawing tools. But what you create with each one looks nothing alike.
And what’s even more confusing. . . the Aerial Yoga terminology is thrown around a lot, when in fact the class or video on social media is Aerial Hammock.
What Is Aerial Yoga Flow?
Aerial yoga flow uses the hammock as a prop — a supportive tool that helps your body move deeper into yoga-based shapes. The fabric holds you, cradles you, and creates traction so your spine can decompress and your hips can open without strain.
In an aerial yoga flow class, you might move through sun salutation-style sequences, supported backbends, gentle inversions, and restorative poses — all with the hammock acting as your partner. The pace is slow and breath-led. The atmosphere feels more like a yoga studio than a circus gym.
Aerial yoga flow is ideal if you're drawn to:
Stress relief and nervous system regulation
Spinal decompression and joint mobility
A mindful, meditative movement practice
Accessible inversions without the intensity of acrobatics
What Is Aerial Hammock Training?
Aerial hammock training — also called aerial sling training (when it’s suspended from one point) — treats the fabric as an apparatus. You're not resting in it. You're working with it, climbing it, wrapping it, and using it to build real aerial strength and skill.
This is the foundation of what we teach at Aerial Foundations through the Activation Method. Before you ever attempt a move, you learn how to engage the right muscles, align your body, and move with intention. That preparation is what makes aerial training safe, sustainable, and genuinely transformative.
In an aerial hammock training session, you might work on:
Foot locks and hand grips
Climbs and controlled descents
Hip keys and inversions
Sequences that connect multiple skills together
The pace is more structured. Progress is measured. And the strength you build transfers to everything — not just aerial, but how you move through daily life.
Which One Is Right for You?
The honest answer: both can be right for you, depending on the day.
I use Aerial Yoga for deeper stretching, opening up my joints, and for deep nervous system relaxation. It feels wonderful in my body and I include it as part of Foundations.
Many Aerial Foundations members use aerial yoga flows on recovery days and hammock training sessions when they're ready to build skills. The two practices complement each other beautifully.
That said, here's a simple guide:
Choose aerial yoga flow if you want to decompress, restore, and move mindfully
Choose aerial hammock training if you want to build strength, learn skills, and progress through a structured program that can lead to bigger circus moves like drops and advanced climbs.
Do both if you want a complete aerial practice that supports your body in every season
A Note on Safety
Regardless of which path you choose, how you learn matters enormously. Aerial arts involve real physical demands, and jumping into advanced moves without proper preparation is how injuries happen.
The Activation Method exists precisely because of this. Every skill in my program is taught with muscle engagement and alignment first — so your body is ready before it's ever asked to perform.
Whether you're drawn to the flow or the training, starting with a solid foundation is always the right move.
Ready to Begin?
Aerial Foundations offers both aerial hammock training through the Activation Method and and includes Aerial Yoga flows — all online, all designed for real bodies at every level.