Being upside down, in general, is incredibly beneficial for the mind and body. Aerial fitness has to do with anything in the air, and there are so many inversion skills on the aerial silks and pole.
Your mood is naturally boosted when you are inverted because blood circulation naturally increases. That means that oxygen molecules travel to all parts of your body, including your brains, as they are transported through your hemoglobin cells. As we all know, our cells depend on oxygen to live and our brains love the extra oxygen flow!
Not only is it great for our minds, but it also physically strengthens your upper body and core while increasing balance.
Decreased Stress
When you invert, the adrenal system is stimulated and in return, cortisol (the hormone responsible for stress) decreases, and endorphins (hormones that trigger a euphoric state) increase. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for stress – like running away from a bear or feeling overwhelmed in negative thoughts. Endorphines are the hormone that triggers a euphoric state like a runner’s high or listening to music.
From personal experience, I feel like when I’m upside down I can channel all my energy into finding my center of gravity and balance. It literally turns my world around, and I see more perspective.
Being outdoors in nature is naturally proven to decrease stress. So doing handstands IN nature is like killing two birds with one stone – a double decrease in stress!
Being Upside Down Strengthens
When you are in a handstand or upside down on the aerial silks or pole, you have to engage your arms, shoulders, and core. In a handstand, you have to hold your entire body weight on your hands.
When you invert on the aerial silks or pole, this engages your triceps and entire upper body, plus your core and hip flexors! This can be challenging but this is how you grow and build muscle!
The pain and soreness you feel are actually a good sign – that means your muscle fibers are experiencing wear and tear. When your body repairs those muscles, they grow! Confidence boost in your abilities? Totally!
Increases Balance
Holding a free-standing handstand requires lots of body awareness and muscle control. When holding the handstand, every second is spent with focus and dedication to finding that center of balance. If you are able to practice a freestanding handstand, this will increase overall balance and muscle awareness within your body that will translate to everyday activities.
On the aerial silks and pole, staying inverted requires the perfect balance and tension in the core, legs, and arms. Your arms constantly shake a little to stay in the same spot, but again, this is growth!
A fun thought: as babies, we learned to crawl first which meant that we had to balance on all fours. Then, we found that we could balance on two feet!
A Harvard article states that walking increases lower body strength and overall balance. It took many tries for us to learn to walk without tripping and our bodies totally adapted to this. It required a lot of practice, but they were able to adapt and we are also able to adapt to balancing on your hands. Remember, walking on our feet didn’t happen overnight, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself!
Improves Posture
Muscles that are activated when you are standing upright are the same muscles that are activated when you are in a handstand.
Since handstands use bodyweight, having this load will increase strength. Holding a proper handstand requires mobility in your shoulders, so you will have to increase your shoulder mobility. this increased strength in your upper body and mobility in your shoulders will help you stay open when standing upright.
Regulates Metabolism
Being upside-down stimulates the thyroid and pituitary gland, which are responsible for the hormones that regulate metabolism.
In extreme cases, an underactive thyroid can lead to hypothyroidism which will cause weight gain and depression. In the opposite case, hyperthyroidism will accelerate your body’s metabolism causing you to lose weight and have an irregular heartbeat.
Metabolism is the process in which your body converts food into energy – which is measured by ATP. Without getting too deep into it, your basal metabolic rate, BMR, is the number of calories your body requires to maintain bodily functions at rest such as breathing, nutrient processing, and blood circulation.
If you have a higher BMR, this means that you need to spend more calories to maintain life at rest. This could come from a variety of factors including your age, body size and composition, and sex.
With all that said, to a certain extent, a daily handstand or inversion practice can increase muscle composition and help you maintain or regulate metabolism – which in turn equates to your weight.
Boosts Self Esteem
Feeling strong and healthy are all positive signs of a balanced mind and body! Endorphins are released when we engage in physical activity, especially when you are upside down. Feeling physically balanced definitely boosts confidence, which in turn boosts self-esteem. One positive thought creates a ripple effect and sends a cascade of other positive thoughts.
In a study that looked at a group of men, they found a correlation between high self-esteem and endorphins. Even more of a reason to get upside down on any aerial apparatus or practice your handstands.
Final Takeaway
Overall, living an active lifestyle will stimulate your endorphins, which will make you generally feel euphoric and confident. For me personally, I love to mix my daily activity up from hiking to practicing aerial – and doing handstands in between!
As always, let me know if you have any questions!
-Katelyn Ewe
