Skip to content
Aerial RishikeshA program of Swaastik Yog School

At a school that teaches only aerial

50-Hour Aerial Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India

Seven days in Tapovan to learn the hammock properly — how to rig it, how to hang in it, and how to put a class in it that a nervous beginner will come back to. No aerial experience needed, and no assumption that you already teach.

  • 7 days / 6 nights
  • YACEP certified
  • No experience needed
  • Tapovan, Rishikesh
  • From $195
Book nowWhatsApp us

4.8 on GoogleYoga Alliance YACEP certifiedFrom $195 all-inclusive

What the 50-hour training is

A seven-day residential certification in Tapovan, Rishikesh, covering everything you need to lead an aerial hammock class safely: rigging and load, inversions, hammock-supported asana, and the methodology to put it together into a class a nervous beginner will come back to.

Most people arrive having taken two or three hammock classes and loved them, with no idea what holds the thing up. That gap is the first thing we close — day one is rigging, hardware and the pre-class inspection you will run for the rest of your teaching life, before anyone leaves the ground.

Groups stay small. Over seven days you will teach in front of the room more than once and get direct feedback both times, which is the part that actually makes you employable.

Duration
7 Days
Level
Open to all levels
Certification
YACEP certified
Location
Tapovan, Rishikesh, India
Fees, all-inclusive
From $195
Next batch
12–18 Oct October 2026
Batches start
Every Monday
Group size
Small groups, 15–20
See dates and pricesWhatsApp us
Hands resting in anjali mudra against a length of aerial silk
A figure suspended in an aerial hammock, silhouetted against sunrise over the Ganges

Why aerial is worth training in

Experience the magic of aerial yoga — also known as flying yoga, hammock yoga or anti-gravity yoga — in the spiritual heart of Rishikesh. This 7-day intensive is built for yoga teachers, studio owners and committed practitioners who want to add a genuine specialty to what they already teach.

Aerial yoga combines traditional asana, Pilates and dance using a soft fabric hammock suspended from the ceiling. The hammock lets you explore inversions safely, decompress the spine, build real strength and feel what it is like to fly — and it gives you something to offer that most mat-yoga teachers cannot.

No prior aerial experience is required. You will be taken from the basics through to advanced technique, covering rigging and safety protocols, teaching methodology and how to set the practice up as a business. By the end of the seven days you will be ready to lead an aerial class of your own.

What aerial yoga actually is

Aerial yoga — also called hammock yoga or anti-gravity yoga — hangs a strong, low-stretch fabric from a rated ceiling point or a free-standing frame. The hammock is a prop, not an apparatus: you use it to get into yoga postures, inversions and flows that are difficult or impossible to hold on a mat alone.

The difference from mat practice is where the weight goes. The fabric spreads load across a wide surface instead of stacking it into wrists, shoulders and neck, which is why deep hip openers and backbends open up sooner, and why someone can be safely upside down in their first session without the upper-body strength a headstand demands.

Hammock yoga

Low, close to the ground, and mostly supported. Restorative holds and passive stretches, with the fabric doing the work. This is where every beginner starts and where therapeutic aerial lives.

Aerial yoga

The hammock at hip height and above, blending yoga asana with elements of Pilates and dance. Dynamic, inverted, and the style this training is built around.

Aerial arts and silks

A circus discipline: climbs, wraps and drops high above the floor. Related, but not what we teach — aerial yoga stays grounded in yoga and stays open to people who are not gymnasts.

What the hammock does for a body

The reasons students keep coming back, and the ones you will be explaining in your own classes.

Spinal decompression

Hanging lets gravity lengthen the spine instead of compressing it. The traction opens space between vertebrae, which is why people who sit at a desk all week describe their first inversion as relief rather than exercise.

Inversions made accessible

The fabric cradles the pelvis and takes the bodyweight, so a student gets the circulatory and nervous-system effects of being upside down without loading the neck or wrists at all.

Core strength and stability

An unstable surface recruits the deep stabilisers constantly. Every aerial posture is quietly a core exercise, which is why people leave stronger without ever being asked to do a sit-up.

Better body awareness

Moving through three dimensions, often without seeing the floor, builds proprioception faster than mat practice does. Balance and coordination improve on the ground as a side effect.

Stress relief, and play

Swinging and being held activates the parasympathetic system. Aerial is also, plainly, fun — which lowers the barrier to practising regularly far more reliably than discipline does.

Deep, sustained flexibility

The hammock supports long passive holds through the hip flexors, hamstrings and thoracic spine at ranges a mat cannot reach — and that range transfers back to mat practice.

Safety and what your body needs to be able to do

Aerial is safe when it is practised and taught properly. Here is what that means for you now, and what you will be teaching your own students later.

Physical readiness

  • Generally good health, with no acute musculoskeletal injury
  • Able to take your bodyweight through your arms for short periods
  • No unstable joints, recent surgery or severe spinal condition — ask your doctor if you are unsure
  • Glaucoma, uncontrolled high blood pressure and pregnancy are the usual contraindications to full inversion; modifications exist for all three
  • A willingness to be upside down, which the week builds up to gradually rather than demanding on day one

Equipment safety principles

  • Fabric is inspected before every single class — fraying, discolouration, worn seams
  • Carabiners and swivels must be load-rated and tested; decorative hardware has no place on a rig
  • Ceiling attachments need structural sign-off, because dynamic load far exceeds static bodyweight
  • Ceiling height has to suit the style being taught; the minimum changes with the practice
  • Hammock points are spaced so that two students cannot make contact mid-practice

This matters: The moment you teach aerial, you are responsible for someone else every time you hang a hammock. This training covers contraindications, screening, spotter position, and what to do when a student loses their grip — so you finish it able to run a class safely rather than hopefully.

Who this training is for

No aerial experience is required. These are the people who do well here.

Yoga teachers

Registered teachers who want something on the schedule that the studio down the road does not have. A hammock class is the clearest differentiator available in a very crowded mat market.

Committed practitioners

People who have plateaued in flexibility or grown bored of the same sequence, and want a physical and creative problem that is genuinely new.

Fitness professionals

Personal trainers, Pilates teachers and dancers who want suspension work in their toolkit and a route into the aerial side of the wellness market.

Studio owners

Anyone planning to add aerial to a space, or open one around it. The business module covers equipment, installation, insurance and pricing in practical detail.

Complete beginners

Curious people with no teaching background at all. The training starts from the ground — literally — and assumes nothing.

Therapists and bodyworkers

Physiotherapists, chiropractors and movement therapists interested in suspension as a modality for decompression and mobility work.
A student lying back in an aerial hammock, fully supported and relaxed — aerial yoga suits every body

What you leave with

The specifics, in one place.

The syllabus

What is actually taught, module by module.

Rigging, hardware and safety

  • Mount points, carabiners, daisy chains and swivels
  • Load ratings, and why dynamic load is the number that matters
  • The pre-class inspection, run every session without exception
  • Assessing an unfamiliar room honestly
  • Hammock height, spacing and fall zones

Aerial fundamentals in your own body

  • Fabric placement, grip and the basic wraps
  • Supported forward folds and hip openers
  • The inverted straddle and the cocoon
  • Finding your own hammock height
  • Warming up specifically for suspended practice

Inversions without fear

  • Getting upside down safely and staying there comfortably
  • Coming out without a scramble
  • Working with the first-time panic almost everyone has
  • Progressions from floor-level to full inversion
  • Spotting an inversion for someone else

Anatomy of suspension

  • What traction actually does to the spine
  • Shoulder and hip mechanics under load in fabric
  • Where the hammock takes pressure off, and where it adds it
  • Contraindications, and what they mean in a real class
  • Screening a student before their first inversion

Sequencing a beginner class

  • Building a 60-minute class with a shape to it
  • Warming up on the ground before earning an inversion
  • Landing people back on the mat calm rather than dizzy
  • Pacing for a room where everyone is a first-timer
  • Adapting on the spot when a posture is not happening

Spotting, assists and teaching practice

  • Hands-on support in the fabric
  • Verbal cueing that works when a student cannot see you
  • Where to stand, and where never to stand
  • Supervised practice teaching with detailed feedback
  • Setting up a class for equipment and studio work

What a day looks like

Days start early and end early, the way they have in Rishikesh for a very long time. This is the shape of a typical training day — it shifts with the group.

  1. 06:00

    Wake and herbal tea

    The campus is quiet and the river is loud

  2. 06:30

    Pranayama and grounding

    Breathwork before anything leaves the floor

  3. 07:30

    Aerial practice

    Asana and wraps in your own body

  4. 09:15

    Breakfast

    Sattvic vegetarian, cooked on site

  5. 10:30

    Theory

    Anatomy, rigging or sequencing

  6. 12:30

    Lunch and rest

    The hottest part of the day is yours

  7. 15:30

    Methodology and practicum

    Teaching, cueing and feedback

  8. 17:00

    Second aerial session

    Restorative work or inversions

  9. 19:00

    Dinner

    Together, on the veranda

  10. 20:00

    Satsang or self-study

    Or the ghats, if the evening is good

Timings shift a little with the season and with the group. Class and meal times are confirmed on arrival.

What the fee covers

Included in the fee

  • 6 nights' accommodation in your chosen room type
  • Three sattvic vegetarian meals a day, plus herbal tea
  • All 50 contact hours of teaching
  • Use of all hammocks, rigging and equipment for the week
  • Printed course manual and study materials
  • Filtered drinking water and campus Wi-Fi
  • Your YACEP-certified completion certificate

Not included

  • Flights and airport transfers
  • Indian visa and travel insurance
  • Laundry and personal expenses
  • Medical costs incurred during the course
  • A hammock of your own, if you want to take one home
  • Excursions and treatments booked separately

What we ask of you

  • No prerequisites — teachers, practitioners and complete beginners are all welcome
  • Good general health and the ability to take bodyweight through your arms briefly
  • A willingness to be upside down, built up gradually across the week
  • Attendance at all seven days; the certificate depends on it
  • Fitted yoga clothing that covers the backs of the knees and the underarms
  • No zips, buckles or jewellery that could snag the fabric
  • A bath towel, toiletries and any medication you take

Upcoming dates

Every Monday. Dates roll forward automatically, so what you see here is always the next available intake.

  • October 2026

    12–18 Oct

    Filling fast
    Dormitory
    $195
    Shared room
    $385
    Private room
    $550
    Enquire

  • October 2026

    19–25 Oct

    Limited seats
    Dormitory
    $195
    Shared room
    $385
    Private room
    $550
    Enquire

  • October 2026

    26 Oct – 1 Nov

    Open
    Dormitory
    $195
    Shared room
    $385
    Private room
    $550
    Enquire

  • November 2026

    2–8 Nov

    Open
    Dormitory
    $195
    Shared room
    $385
    Private room
    $550
    Enquire

Every price is per person and covers your room for the whole course, three sattvic meals a day, use of all hammocks and rigging, your course manual, and your certificate.

Putting aerial into a studio

Aerial is one of the most searched specialty disciplines in yoga, and the economics are unusual: because rigging points physically cap the class size, scarcity is built into the format. Small classes, premium pricing and a waiting list are the normal state of a working aerial programme rather than something you have to engineer.

The real investment is structural, not decorative. Ceiling load capacity, rigging hardware and fabric are where the money goes, and each of them has a right answer. The business module walks through assessing a space, sourcing from manufacturers who publish load ratings, getting an engineer to sign off, and writing a waiver and screening process that stands up.

It also films well, which matters more than it should. One well-lit aerial class produces more usable social content than a month of mat classes. Graduates leave with guidance on positioning the offering and on structuring multi-week foundation courses, which is what turns a novelty class into a community that returns.

A studio in Rishikesh with rows of aerial hammocks hanging from the ceiling rig

Sourcing equipment

Choosing fabric weight and hardware specification, and which suppliers publish real load ratings — so the first thing you buy is not the first thing you replace.

Insurance and liability

The cover categories that apply to aerial teaching, student waivers, and the health screening that protects the student and you at the same time.

Class design and pricing

Structuring beginner, foundation and intermediate courses, setting a price that reflects a capped class, and building a schedule that sustains itself.

What our students say

Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 127 students on Google. These are their own words, reproduced unedited.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “Today I did my first aerial class. Without any previous yoga experience I can say I felt very welcomed by the teacher. She was great, guiding us through the session matching all of the participants levels individually. What a great experience, thank you.”

    MauroX1910

    Google review · August 2026

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “I had an incredible experience at Swaastik Yog School during the June batch, where I completed both the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training and the Aerial Yoga Teacher Training. The entire journey was well-structured, inspiring, and transformative. The teachers were highly knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely dedicated to every student’s growth. The 200-hour TTC covered yoga philosophy, anatomy, alignment, pranayama, meditation, and teaching methodology in depth, while the Aerial Yoga course was fun, safe, and professionally taught, helping me build confidence with every practice. The peaceful atmosphere, delicious sattvic meals, and supportive community made me feel at home throughout the course. Every day brought new learning, personal growth, and meaningful connections with students from different parts of the world.🌺 I am deeply grateful to the entire Swaastik Yog School team for creating such a positive and authentic learning environment. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a genuine yoga education, whether you’re beginning your journey or advancing your practice. Thank you for making my June training such a memorable and life-changing experience!💗☺☺🙏🙏”

    Om Bisht

    Google review · July 2026

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “Saawstik is an amazing school for those looking to learn in a safe and non predatory environment. The master teacher is a woman and it’s female owned- maybe the only or one of the only places like this in Rishikesh. The classes are very good and I deeply enjoyed doing my Aerial TTC as well as my 200H course here. I found that after some time, the staff and faculty became like family and the food was made vegan and even non spicy for us upon request. It’s affordable and fair; meaning this is more yoga practice and less of a business to make money and just hand out certificates. It was a big contrast to several other schools we scouted before choosing. I’m grateful that I chose to come here.”

    Huraiquire OjaRiveri

    Google review · May 2026

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “I attended an aerial yoga workshop and a healing session. Both were amazing. I enjoyed, learned, and healed. The place was comfortable, and the trainer, Mayuri, was very supportive. Everything was so good — it was an amazing experience I can't forget. All thanks to Mayuri, who created a space where everyone could feel comfortable and perform their best. Worth it❤️”

    Mahak Saini

    Google review · April 2026

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “I recently completed my training at Swastik Yoga School in Rishikesh and had a really positive experience. As a beginner, I learned Hatha, Ashtanga, and even Aerial yoga in a very supportive environment. My teachers, Mayuri and Rahul, were knowledgeable, patient, and truly dedicated. I’ve already started seeing positive changes in my body, flexibility, and overall strength. The school is also great for a multicultural experience, with students coming from all around the world, which made learning even more enriching. Grateful for the journey and highly recommend it to anyone starting or deepening their yoga practice.”

    Gurupreet Singh

    Google review · April 2026

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    Aerial
    “wow.. i have made family, friends and home at Swastik! And learning yoga the correct way - from local Indians the right way (the Indian way). I would take this course over again! But instead - I’ll come for the 500hour YTT next year 🤲🏼😃 i have no words to describe how the 200h YTT has left me. Not only was it a physical and emotional transformative experience, it helped me to transcend my persona and I believe I have made lifelong friends thanks to the March 2026 batch. Mayuri has made Swaastik a place that pulls you in and makes you want to practice more, challenge yourself and see where the yoga journey will help you. Rahul-ji’s calm but knowledgable hatha yoga sessions will also make you sweat, huff and puff but be very very grateful for it all afterwards. Thank you so much and I definitely recommend taking your yoga course here!! Be it yoga teacher training, sound healing course or aerial yoga! I think if you come to Swaastik with an open mind and heart, ready to learn about yoga and push yourself a little bit of it - it will be the best experience for you! Breathwork & Sound Bath with Flor - I also experienced this during my time in Swaastik Yogschool. It was a truly tranformative experience! I felt sensations and emotions I have not otherwise felt before and thanks to the facilitator Flor - she opened up this new world for me. I am grateful for her calm and down to earth approach, which immensely helped me to feel comfortable and not worried, since I was a bit stressed cuz it was my first time trying something like this. I recommend this to anyone who’s around in Rishikesh and wants to try something new for their spirituality :)”

    Madara Neilande

    Google review · April 2026

Read all 127 reviews on Google

Aerial, on our campus

Real trainees in the hammock — filter by pose type and tap any photo for the full-screen view and a teaching note.

See the full gallery

Living on the campus

The residential campus sits in gardens and forest in Tapovan, a short walk from the Ganga. Where you sleep is the only thing that changes with the price.

A bamboo cottage room on the Tapovan campus, made up for a traineeA sattvic vegetarian thali served at the campus kitchen

Dormitory rooms

Bamboo-cottage dorms with single and bunk beds. The cheapest way in, and the most sociable — you will know everyone by the second morning.

Shared rooms

A bright twin room with two single beds and an en-suite bathroom, shared with one other trainee.

Private rooms

Your own room with a double bed, air conditioning and attached bathroom — for when the door needs to close.

Sattvic meals

Three vegetarian meals a day, cooked fresh on site, plus herbal teas and filtered drinking water throughout.

Who teaches you

Two teachers, both aerial specialists, both on the mat with you for the whole training.

Mayuri Shewale

Mayuri Shewale

E-RYT 500

Founder & Lead Teacher

Mayuri founded Swaastik Yog School in Tapovan, Rishikesh and leads the aerial programme. An E-RYT 500 teacher with 15 years on the mat, she teaches hammock fundamentals, rigging and safety, and the alignment work that makes suspended practice accessible to complete beginners.

Teaches

  • Aerial Yoga
  • Hammock Yoga
  • Hatha Yoga
  • Vinyasa Yoga
  • Yoga Teacher Training
  • Asana Alignment
Priya Sharma

Priya Sharma

RYT 500

Aerial Yoga Specialist

Priya is an RYT 500 teacher specialising in aerial and hammock work. She leads the inversion and restorative modules, and the spotting-and-assists practicum where trainees learn to support students safely in the silk.

Teaches

  • Aerial Yoga
  • Hammock Yoga
  • Inversions
  • Restorative Yoga
YACEP certified

The certificate you leave with

Finish the training and you receive an aerial yoga specialty certificate issued under YACEP — Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. If you are already a registered teacher, the contact hours count towards your continuing education requirement.

This is deliberately not described as an RYS credential. RYS registration applies to 200, 300 and 500-hour programmes; a 50- or 100-hour specialty training is certified under YACEP, and any school telling you otherwise is describing something that does not exist.

Yoga Alliance registered school and YACEP provider badges

Before you book

Ready to get off the ground?

Tell us roughly when you want to travel and we will tell you which batch still has room. No deposit is taken at enquiry.

Book nowAsk a question

Part of Swaastik Yog School

One school — with a home of its own for aerial

Aerial Rishikesh is the aerial programme of Swaastik Yog School. Same campus, same teachers, same team on WhatsApp. This site exists so aerial gets the full attention a 50- or 100-hour specialist training deserves, instead of being one line on a long course menu.

Same campus

Every training runs at the Swaastik Yog School campus on Badrinath Road in Tapovan, Rishikesh — the same hall, rooms and kitchen.

Same teachers

Mayuri Shewale and Priya Sharma lead the aerial trainings, and both teach on Swaastik Yog School courses too.

One team to talk to

One WhatsApp line answers for both. Ask about aerial, a 200-hour course, or doing both on the same trip.

Running since 2015

Swaastik Yog School is a Yoga Alliance registered school. Its aerial trainings are Yoga Alliance YACEP-certified continuing education.

Visit Swaastik Yog SchoolCombine aerial with a 200-hour course

Questions people ask before booking

How long are the aerial teacher trainings and what do they cost?
We run two aerial teacher trainings in Tapovan, Rishikesh. Every price is all-inclusive of accommodation, meals, course materials and certification, and is quoted per room type:
  • 50-Hour Aerial YTT — 7 days, starting every Monday. Dormitory $195, Shared room $385, Private room $550.
  • 100-Hour Aerial YTT — 12 days, starting the 17th of each month. Dormitory $390, Shared room $770, Private room $1,100.
Both are led by Mayuri Shewale (E-RYT 500, founder) with Priya Sharma (RYT 500, aerial specialist).
When do the batches start?
The 50-Hour Aerial YTT starts every Monday and runs Monday to Sunday, so there is almost always a batch within a week of when you want to arrive. The 100-Hour Aerial YTT starts on the 17th of each month and runs for 12 days. Upcoming dates are listed on each course page and roll forward automatically.
Is aerial yoga safe for beginners?
Yes. Both trainings start with safety fundamentals before anyone leaves the ground. The hammock takes your body weight, which is what makes inversions and deep stretches accessible to people who could not hold them unsupported. You do not need to be strong or flexible on day one — you need to be willing to be upside down.
What will I learn in the 50-Hour Aerial YTT?
The 7-day 50-Hour training covers what you need to teach aerial yoga safely and creatively:
  • Hammock fundamentals: setup, rigging, knot tying, height adjustment and safety checks
  • Aerial asanas: inversions, wraps, drops and aerial flows using the hammock
  • Aerial anatomy: how the body responds to suspension, decompression and inversion
  • Sequencing: how to structure a safe and engaging aerial class
  • Spotting and assists: hands-on techniques for supporting students in the hammock
  • Business skills: setting up an aerial studio, sourcing equipment, and marketing
Do I need a prior yoga teacher certification to enrol?
No prior teaching certification is required. The trainings are open to anyone with a genuine interest in aerial yoga — certified teachers adding a specialty, fitness professionals expanding their range, or dedicated practitioners who want to teach. A basic understanding of yoga postures and terminology will help, but both courses start from fundamentals and build progressively.
What certification do I receive?
You receive an Aerial Yoga Teacher Training certificate for the hours you complete — 50 or 100. These are continuing-education programmes certified under YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider), so if you are already a registered teacher the hours count toward your Yoga Alliance continuing-education requirement.

To be clear about what this is and is not: RYS designations apply to 200-, 300- and 500-hour foundational trainings. A 50- or 100-hour aerial specialty is a YACEP credential, not an RYS one. Anyone advertising a 50-hour course as "RYS certified" is describing it wrongly.

What is included in the fee?
The fee is all-inclusive for the length of the course: accommodation in your chosen room type (dormitory, shared room or private room), daily sattvic meals, use of all hammocks and rigging equipment, course materials, and your certificate. Flights, visa, travel insurance and personal expenses are not included.
What should I wear for aerial yoga?
For aerial practice we recommend:
  • Fitted clothing: leggings and a fitted top that covers the armpits — loose clothing gets tangled in the hammock
  • Sleeves: short or long sleeves to prevent friction burns on the arms
  • No jewellery: remove rings, bracelets, watches and necklaces that could snag the fabric
  • No zips or buttons: these damage the silk
Bare feet are standard. All hammocks and rigging equipment are provided.
Is there a weight limit for the aerial hammock?
Our professional-grade aerial silks and rigging are rated to hold up to 2,000 lbs (900 kg). They are secure for all body types. Every rig point is checked before each session as part of the safety protocol you will also be taught to run yourself.
Are there medical conditions that would stop me from doing aerial yoga?
Some conditions need caution or medical clearance before you practise aerial:
  • Pregnancy: aerial yoga is not recommended during pregnancy
  • Glaucoma or other eye conditions: inversions raise eye pressure
  • Recent surgery: particularly abdominal, spinal or joint surgery
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure: inversions affect blood pressure
  • Heart conditions: consult your cardiologist first
  • Inner-ear conditions: these can affect balance during aerial movement
If you have any health concerns, speak to your doctor and tell us during registration. Our teachers are trained to offer modifications wherever it is safe to do so.

Not sure which one?

The 50-hour is a specialty you can add to a practice you already have. The 100-hour is what you take if aerial is going to be the thing you build a schedule around.

Compare with the 100-Hour training

Ready to pick your dates?

Tell us roughly when you want to travel and we will tell you which batch still has room.

Tapovan, Rishikesh, India

Optional, but it is the fastest way for us to answer you.

We use your details to answer your enquiry and nothing else. No newsletter you did not ask for, no sharing with anyone.