Rigging
At Aerialyoga360, our main concern is safety. If you are rigging from anything that isn’t a purpose built certified aerial rig, get a licensed rigger or experienced professional involved to rig your hammocks. Aerial hammock anchor-points should be able to hold a minimum of 1,000 lbs/500kg. This is for practicing aerial yoga with no full height drops. Even still, the force of your body swinging or even just jumping into the hammock can generate forces of 4-5 times the body weight and a minimum of 10x body weight safety weight factor should be built in. Aerial yoga hammock rigging can be incredibly dangerous if it is not done properly. What you need to hang your hammock on, will depend on what structure you are hanging it from, how sturdy it is, how much weight it can hold, how much force it can withstand from sudden drops, etc.
Consult a professional for your initial set up, then you can savasanna in complete peace of mind that you’re safe.
The following information is intended to help you know what information you need to give the structural engineer and/contractor that will be installing your rigging points. Aerialyoga360.com and our affiliates are not responsible for your rigging points and incorrect rigging or installation can lead to serious injury, paralysis or death, so please consult a professional and make sure that you are hanging from equipment and rigging that is certified, correctly installed and safe!
rigging FAQs
Will I learn about basic safety requirements for secure rigging and hanging my own hammock in the course?
Yes! We will cover how to rig and care for your equipment. We will look at the basic safety requirements for safe rigging, but when rigging in a new environment we stipulate that you consult a professional rigger, structural engineer, or other similar professional who understands the forces created by dynamic human movement.
How much room do I need?
Ideally you would have at least 2m in all directions from the center of your hammock.
I want to practice at home. What can I rig from?
We would recommend buying a purpose built aerial rig from a reputable seller. There are lots of cheap ones on the market, so make sure you choose one that has been certified and load tested so that you are always safe. We have recommendations on our Equipment page.
Can I attach my hammock to the ceiling?
The only definite answer to this question is that you MUST consult a professional. Aerial is dangerous, and falls can lead to serious injury. The anchor points that you would use are completely dependent on the type of ceiling you have (wood, concrete, joists, plaster etc).
What should I ask my professional for?
Explain to your professional that aerial yoga exerts forces of up to 4-5 times your body weight and a minimum of 10x body weight safety weight factor should be built in. You need an anchor point that allows for up to of 1,000 lbs/500kg.
How do I tie the knot in the hammock.
Watch the video shown here for one way to tie your aerial yoga hammock. Always make sure that there is enough tail so that it is fully compressed by the know and wont slip through.
How high should I put the loop?
Generally we work with the hammock just below hip height. We may recommend a different height for a specific type of class or movement but if that’s the case, it will be explained in the instruction video.
How do I adjust the height of my hammock?
Generally, If your hammock is too long or too short, you just need to re-tie one or both of the fabric knots to adjust the length. Adjusting one side is generally enough to get the height right. You can also hang your fabric on grivels from your rigging point to make it easy to adjust the height of your fabric without the need to adjust the knot.
Why cant I screw 1 or 2 Pointed eyebolts into the ceiling?
These are sometimes sold as aerial equipment by untrained sellers online but given the force we put on the hammock simply by swinging in it, these can slip straight out.
What is the best type of ceiling anchor point?
This depends on what your ceiling is made of, what is above it, the age of the building, etc. Consult a local structural engineer for advice.
What do all ceiling rigging options have in common?
You need something at the bottom for your carabiners to go through like a ring, loop or eyebolt. The weakest link in the chain should be rated for more than 14KN.
But surely given we’re rigging for aerial yoga not drops and acrobatics, we dont need to worry to much?
Accidents can happen from the smallest of heights. We want people to practice safely in the most secure environment possible. So take care of yourself and others and rig safely with certified equipment.
Consultation
Get in touch on [email protected] if you would like to discuss your requirements and we can advise accordingly.