Aerial Pilates at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus

Aerial Pilates adds a new dimension to building up core strength

The treatment

An hour-long aerial Pilates class with Debbie Robbins of Air Control Pilates at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus (350 West Granton Road). The next four week block book session runs on Tuesdays from 10 April until 1 May at either 5:30pm or 6:30pm, £50. Book at bookwhen.com/ pilateswithdebbierobbins.

Why go?

If you want all the benefits of Pilates – core strength, better alignment – but with wings.

Our spy says

I’ve done aerial yoga before, but never its Pilates equivalent.

I’m sure this will be the time I fall on my head, though at least the aerial slings – in pale blue and bright orange – are relatively close to the ground, so damage will hopefully be superficial.

It takes place in an appropriately rigged-up huge and bright room in Edinburgh College (which is a monolithic maze, so get someone to help you track it down).

To get us used to the equipment, the session starts off easy. Moves include the classic bridge pose, lying on the mat with feet in the sling. We lift our pelvis and – oo-ya – those glutes and hamstrings are twanging.

Once we’re actually in the hammocks, things get a bit more exciting. I am tempted to swing, but I don’t think that’s allowed.

We lie sideways, with the fabric holding us up from shoulder to shin, and lift one leg up, not flailing like a beached fish, but slowly and with control, as is the Pilates way.

Both our legs are brought forward so we’re in a folded V-shape, then swung back, using our core and glutes.

Debbie comes round, along with her co-teacher, Tunde, to offer corrections. The hardest move, for me, is probably when we’re lying on our backs in the slings, with feet out, and legs bent, and have to drop each limb to the floor. My stomach muscles are twitching.

Still, we don’t do too many repetitions, so each routine isn’t too taxing.

Also, in the sling, I really notice all the imbalances in my body – one leg seems longer, and the whole contraption seems to corkscrew when I’m lying in it. Debbie says that this effect can be useful, as you discover more about your body and can adapt the exercises accordingly.

The hour speeds by, and ends with a few minutes of relaxation, when you get to lie, almost totally enclosed in the sling, like a sweaty caterpillar in its cocoon. While fantasising about getting one of these for my house, I almost nod off.

The results

I’ve done a beginners aerial yoga class before, which included inversions and all kind of challenging stuff. This is much less scary (my intact head is testament to that), and the perfect introduction to an anti-gravity take on Pilates. n