What is Anti-Gravity Yoga?
We all dream about floating in the air, don’t we? Anti-gravity yoga could become the next big talk in the city. It’s challenging, it’s fun, and it’s effective.
What is it?
Antigravity Yoga is a fitness regimen designed by Christopher Harrison to increase one’s overall health and physical agility while having fun and creating beauty. The technique was originally created for athletes and gymnasts and has since been modified and perfected for the everyday athlete. Incorporating components from dance, Pilates and calisthenics, Antigravity has created a complete workout that is certain to get you in shape while realigning you from the compression of gravity. Antigravity Yoga works to manipulate physics while staying light-hearted.
The key to Antigravity Yoga is the hammock, a swath of silky fabric that acts as your support system. Using the hammock, you learn to invert and hang suspended in the air. The hammock supports your hips for forwarding bends and backbends. It acts as your seat for any number of variations on the ab-tastic crunch. It can be looped around one foot as you stand on the other for versions of standing big toe pose and king dancer, applications that are reminiscent of an Iyengar-style ropes wall. Best of all, the hammock wraps you in your own little cocoon for a swaying savasana.
How It Works
At first glance, it looks like you are just wrapped in a hammock (which by the way can support up to 500–900kgs) doing a series of poses. When you look further you can see that it creates a union with your body and helps you understand your body better in relation to physics. It would remind you of an aerial act that you would see in the circus.
Health benefits
The benefits of this new Anti-Gravity yoga workout are identical to any aerial aerobic workout. The most important benefit is that of progressive resistance that you will receive from such a workout. Other benefits are:
- Decompress tight joints
- Decompression of spine thru gentle traction
- Core strengthening
- Realigning of the spine
- Relieving pressure while aligning the vertebrae
- Upper and lower body muscular strengthening
- Mental relaxation
- Perform advanced yoga inversions without neck or back compression
- Hold challenging yoga postures longer and in correct alignment
- Stretch further with less strain
- Stimulating the release of neurotransmitters from the brain.
- Add an entirely new dimension to your yoga practice
- Self-esteem enhancement through conquering basic fears.
- Release “happy hormones” e.g.: serotonin, endorphins.
- Burn calories while having fun
- Create better body awareness while increasing overall agility
Can everyone do it?
Due to the nature of the class, with its flips and inversions, Antigravity Yoga is not recommended for women who are pregnant. Also, if you have recently had glaucoma, a recent surgery, heart disease, very high or low blood pressure, easy onset vertigo, osteoporosis/bone weakness, and/or other serious medical concerns, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before giving the class a try.
But when it comes to your fitness level, there are no restrictions for Antigravity Yoga. Even if you’ve never taken a yoga class in your life, you’ll be amazed at how much you can do. “Different bodies, different fitness levels — everyone gets something different from it.”
I’m afraid of heights. Are the hammocks safe?
The difference between fear and excitement in the body is relaxation. During an inversion, you are only 3 inches off the ground. Remember, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself”.
So, therefore, go ahead and try something new………… You will leave class feeling lighter refreshed and renewed.
Originally published at vidalhealth.com
