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In times like these, many yogis are finding ways to perform aerial yoga in their house rather than at the studio. That means researching the best yoga trapeze stands to find one that will work for your residence.
Buying a trapeze stand can be a significant investment, but it can also be a great luxury to have the ability to perform inversions and anti-gravity poses in your living room or backyard. And, because most stands are portable, you can take them to the beach or a local park to get your yoga on while surrounded by nature!
Read on for an explanation of what yoga trapeze stands are, reviews of the top freestanding frames on the market, and how to go about incorporating them into your life.
What Are Trapeze Stands?
A trapeze stand is a freestanding frame usually made from steel and/or aluminum, that can support a hammock swing so that yogis can perform anti-gravity yoga maneuvers. Some folks are able to set up an aerial yoga rig by using rafters or suspension hooks on their ceiling. But for those whose living environments don’t allow that kind of setup, a trapeze stand is the next best thing.
The best yoga trapeze stands are height-adjustable, so you can change the height to accommodate the person using it or the size of the space you’re practicing in. They are also sturdy. If you’re going to be swinging around and performing inversions on a swing hanging from the stand, it must be strong and able to support your weight.
Many stands use an A-frame design, with four legs that meet at a single horizontal bar at the top. You’ll also see a handful of products that attach to a door frame and allow you to perform yoga poses in a hallway.
Note that most trapeze stands do not come with the hammock itself, so you’ll have to buy that separately if you do not already have one. We have an extensive guide to the best aerial yoga hammock swings that are currently available.
The Best Yoga Trapeze Stands on the Market
KT Aerial Yoga Stand
The Khanh Trinh Aerial Trapeze Stand has the advantage of being quite portable. Some yoga stands require extensive assembly every time you want to put them up or take them down, which means they’re not very portable. This one, however, folds down for easy storage once you’ve completed the initial assembly. That means you can pack it up in the minivan and take it to the beach or the park if you want to get out of the house.
The KT stand is compact, which means that it will fit in a small apartment if necessary. But it’s big enough that people of all sizes can use it. The horizontal bar height can be placed anywhere from 72 inches (6 feet) to 92 inches (7.5 feet) off the ground. The stand is recommended for individuals up to 6 feet tall and 200 pounds (although it’s designed to hold up to 440 pounds.)
Khanh Trinh currently manufactures four different models of indoor-outdoor frame. This one seems to be the best for multi-purpose use and it’s satisfactory for most individuals and living environments. The frame structure has a total weight of 37 pounds when put together, which is less than many other portable units.
For informational purposes, this product is model KT1.1518. People who are six feet or taller are recommended to go with the larger KT frame, which also comes with a hammock.
Here’s a nice bonus: The horizontal bar is sturdy enough to be used as a pushup or pull-up bar. It’s definitely cool that you can utilize this trapeze stand for non-yoga workouts as well!
Uplift Active Portable Aerial Rig
The Portable Aerial Rig from Uplift Active is another option for folks searching for a home trapeze stand setup.
Note that Uplift Active cautions, “We do not recommend drops or doubles using this frame, and it is not intended to be used for swinging.” That means that you’ll need to be ok with having a more limited repertoire of postures and maneuvers with this particular rig.
This model is also a bit more expensive than the other brands. So why might you want the Uplift Active frame? First, it comes with a carrying case, which is a $60 value alone. That gives it the maximum portability factor.
Second, the height has much more of an adjustable range than other trapeze stands. This one can be set anywhere from 5 feet high to a whopping 11 feet high. Made from stainless steel and aluminum, this frame is designed to support up to 330 pounds.
Uplift Active also makes one of our favorite yoga hammocks. You’d need to buy the hammock separately since it’s not included with the frame. Uplift Active is a reputable brand with a proven track record of positive reviews.
Gorilla Gym Aerial Yoga Door Frame Swing
The Gorilla Gym Door Frame Swing is quite different from the others on this list, as it attaches directly to a door frame inside your house. Made from professional-grade steel, this frame claims it can support up to 300 pounds.
This sort of setup does limit the types of poses you can do, since you won’t have the full range of motion to swing around in a circle. You’ll also need to make sure you have a strong door frame and sturdy walls, so that the bar can be securely locked in place and won’t slip during your poses. No drilling or bolting is required; the clamps just cinch around the door frame and between the walls.
Now, let’s talk about the advantages. First off, it’s affordable. Other trapeze rigs may cost a few hundred dollars, but this one’s more budget-friendly. Folks who are new to aerial yoga may find starting with a more affordable product to be less risky than investing in something much more expensive.
This Gorilla Gym set comes with the hammock swing, unlike other brands of trapeze stand that require you to purchase the swing separately.
Many city folks who live in small apartments simply don’t have the space for a large outdoor yoga trapeze. If you’re living on the 10th floor of a high-rise, you certainly don’t have a tree in your yard to hang a trapeze hammock from. So a door frame setup may be the only way to fit aerial yoga into your life.
Finally, while you can’t perform every pose with this type of door frame swing, you can still perform most poses. You can still perform Planks, Pigeon Pose, Banana Man, Inverted Bow, and other poses which are either inversions or traditional poses.
Check the specifications carefully before purchasing. This product requires a minimum of 36 inches of space between walls, with a door frame width of 25 to 36 inches. The doorway trim must stick out at least a quarter-inch from the wall, and you must have at least 2.5 inches of open wall between the door frame and ceiling.
For more detail on these specs, see the bottom image on the Amazon listing for this item.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trapeze Stands
How do I know which trapeze stand to buy?
Take into account factors such as your budget and the amount of space you have in your place of residence. Some stands require more space than others and would be more appropriate for a larger house rather than a small apartment. (Remember, you’ll also need a place to store it when it’s not in use.) The best yoga stands for swings are sturdy and height-adjustable so they can fit into most spaces.
Also consider whether you want a stand that comes with a swing, or whether you want to purchase the swing separately. Sometimes you can save a little bit of money by buying them together.
How do you set up a trapeze stand?
For liability reasons, we cannot provide a complete list of setup instructions, especially since every rig is different. The Gravotonics site has a good general guide for setting up a trapeze stand, but again, consult the directions that come with the equipment you purchase.
Disclaimer: There is always an injury risk associated with any type of trapeze stand used for inversion activities. Be sure to read all documentation associated with your trapeze, and hire a professional installer if necessary. Yogauthority cannot be responsible for any injuries that may occur from improper setup or use of this equipment.
What kind of poses can you do using trapeze stands?
As mentioned earlier, you can perform a number of traditional yoga poses using a trapeze, plus a number of inversion exercises as well. Over time, you’ll learn which postures are most comfortable and enjoyable from trial and error, but here’s a good video showing a number of different poses you can pull off with an aerial setup. Check out our detailed article showing some of the coolest poses you can do with an aerial yoga setup.
What other yoga products can be useful for individual practice?
Other products that make sense for yogis to have on hand include a good yoga towel, a bolster, some cork yoga blocks, and supplies to clean your yoga equipment.
We’ve got a post describing how to create a basic home yoga routine, while another article focuses on which size yoga mat you should buy.
What are your personal choices for the best yoga trapeze stands on the market?