Roseville fitness studio offers aerial yoga

Clients are usually slightly uncomfortable the first time, especially with the hanging upside down part.They hesitantly use the hammock and sometimes get twisted around and end up slithering out of the material onto the yoga mat beneath them, unsure of the proper way to unravel themselves."Most people say the second time is much more relaxing for them," said instructor Kendra Cendana.She leads an aerial yoga class at her studio on Washington Avenue in Roseville. She started her business, called Aerie Yoga, in early January and offers six sessions a week."Lean back in a leap of faith," Cendana told her clients during a class on Tuesday morning. "As we bend on our knees and fly forward. If you're shaking a little that's OK. That's just your muscles working and we like that."The classes are co-ed, but on this particular day only six women are present. The studio can hold up to 11 clients.Music plays softly as the women untwine their arms from the hammocks, which hang on TRX suspension cables from the ceiling. They have to be careful of where they wrap the sling on their bodies to avoid uncomfortable compression on the internal organs.Cendana — who also runs boot camp and cross training programs at her studio — had seen photos of aerial yoga and thought the fitness regimen would make a good addition to her business."We did some investigating and training," she said. "We thought, let's hang 11 (hammocks) and have some fun."She and fellow fitness instructor Angie Edwards became certified to teach aerial yoga through a program in Colorado. Cendana said her studio is the only place to offer this unconventional type of yoga in the greater Sacramento region."(Aerial yoga) is more playful and fun and not so serious," Edwards said. "That's one of the things I enjoy about it."The hammock allows participants to get lower and deeper into their stretches than traditional yoga. The material also aids people who might not otherwise be able to hold yoga poses.Cindy Harper, 64, of Roseville, takes the class twice a week."I have bad arthritis and this takes some of the pressure off my joints," Harper said. "It builds back up a lot of the muscles I've lost."Now, she attempts the "seated butterfly," "children's pose," "downward-facing dog" and other poses along with her peers in the class.Tina Shearer, of Roseville, says she enjoys aerial yoga for the stretching, relaxation and challenge involved."It reminds me of gymnastics and it moves a little faster than a traditional yoga class," Shearer said.While there are moments of giggling and chatting during class — which might surprise some traditional yoga practitioners — the instructors also allow for plenty of serenity time.Joanie Martin, of Lincoln, joined the class in January. She started teaching yoga in 1999 and plans to become an aerial yoga instructor in the near future.Claudia Wirth, of Roseville, tried aerial yoga for the first time on Tuesday. She struggled with some of the poses, but caught on before the class ended."It's like Cirque du Soleil," Wirth said. "It's something different and it's fun."Sena Christian can be reached at senac@goldcountrymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at SenaC_RsvPT.----------Aerie YogaClasses: Aerie 1 is offered at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, 9 a.m. Fridays and 8:30 a.m. SaturdaysLocation: 8413 Washington Blvd., Suite 170 in RosevilleCost: $25 drop-in class, $135 to $195 for six-week program, $65 private session and $200 an hour for private partiesInfo: Call (916) 716-9337 or visit www.aerieyoga.com