Yoga is an exercise that teaches breathing control and mediation and is widely known for its health and relaxation benefits. Typically, all yoga positions that you practice take place on a mat, on the floor. But, this is not the case with anti-gravity yoga. Instead of a mat, you are given a hammock. Anti-gravity yoga is not that different from regular yoga because a variety of poses also help to relieve tension and increase flexibility. You also work on the same breathing control and meditation techniques that you would in regular yoga. The only major difference is that instead of practicing on the floor, you are practicing at least two feet off the ground.
In anti-gravity yoga, you incorporate a hammock that holds you in the air while practicing various poses. You don’t have to worry about these hammocks being incapable of holding your weight because the hammocks used could hold a few thousand pounds. Once you are in your hammock, the instructor will guide you through different poses that you can perform that you couldn’t in regular yoga. Some positions include the chandelier, the vampire, the spider monkey, and the cannonball. All these poses help with blood circulation and flexibility. Anti-gravity, just like any type of yoga, will help to improve mediation and relaxation skills.
I know it seems crazy that hanging upside down in a hammock can be relaxing, but it actually is. As someone who has taken a few classes, I have found that at the end of each class I leave more relaxed than I was upon arrival. Although my first class was difficult, (mostly because I did not completely trust that the hammock would not break), completing a whole class without falling off my hammock and coming out feeling less tense made me feel great. I continue to take classes and have been very happy with the results, feeling that the week’s stress has melted away. I would definitely recommend anti-gravity yoga to everyone I meet, not just because it’s an awesome experience but, it is also a rewarding one!