Assisting and spotting is a critical part of Aerial Yoga. At the beginning of class, tell the students that you may need to assist them during class. Have them close their eyes and ask anyone who does not want to be assisted to raise their hand. That way, they won’t be embarrassed to raise their hand since everyone has their eyes closed. The bottom line is that Aerial Yoga can be dangerous if done incorrectly and you may need to put your hands on students to keep them safe. The most important thing when spotting is to keep the head safe. So, you want to stand in a way where you can hold the arm or shoulder so as to keep the head from hitting the floor. Always tell students to ask for a spotter when attempting a dangerous move.
A few moves that students need help with are: Spider Man (They try to bring their legs thru the middle and can fall on their head), Baby in a Cradle (Students often forget to cover their shoulders), Inverted Butterfly (They have trouble getting up because their hands are the wrong way. It should be thumbs down), Shoulder stand (Students must cover their shoulders)
Remind students to stay calm and breathe. They often panic and hold their breath when trying new moves.
When students are inverted, they often get disoriented and can’t think about where their body is in space. You may need to guide them to help them with the moves. Often words alone do not work. They may need you to help position their body.
