Anti Gravity Yoga Quickly Becoming New Craze!
Antigravity yoga is the latest form of yoga, which incorporates the main yoga postures, dance and Pilates while the person is suspended in a hammock. The hammock is made from silk, a webbing strap and two support chains. It’s strong enough to hold around 300 kilograms (47 stone) in weight. Some yogi’s find that the more difficult yoga postures are easier to do mid air in the hammock rather than on the ground. Antigravity yoga promotes emotional, mental and physical health. It is a holistic form of exercise, which benefits the individual in every way including reconnecting them with their spirituality. It originated in New York by champion gymnast and Broadway dancer Christopher Harrison. Christopher travelled to India to study yoga and when he returned to the States he decided to integrate his knowledge of acrobatics and yoga. He came up with the idea of doing yoga in the air while sitting in a hammock. This he called Antigravity yoga.
Celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Jerry Hall, Pamela Anderson and Pink have all discovered this new form of exercise. Pink performed antigravity yoga at the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010. This new yoga craze has really taken off in Ireland and there are many antigravity yoga classes running across the country. Christopher says “the main benefit is that it decompresses the spine. We sit all day and our hips and back get tight and when we run and walk we are also compressing. “This is the one thing you can do to decompress your spine. You can perform advanced yoga inversions without neck or back compression refreshing every system in your body” Christopher added.
Rachel (a yoga teacher) explains “poses such as handstands and downward dog help to regulate your thyroid gland and pituitary gland which aids your metabolism. This can help you to lose weight. Antigravity yoga is particularly useful for building strength in your core muscles which help to flatten your stomach.”
Aisling (33 year old Receptionist), who has recently tried the new craze had this to say:
“It is Friday evening and I’m hanging upside down like a circus performer. My body is lightly swinging back and forth and my feet are bound in two cords which are dangling from the ceiling. It is a strange sensation. I can feel the rush of blood to my head, making me feel slightly lightheaded and slightly euphoric all at the same time. As my body gently relaxes into the poses I can feel the tension from my stressful day fade away. I listen intently to the instructions been given. I focus so hard that I forget to do the most important aspect of yoga to breathe! When I have my breathing under control I continue with the postures. ‘Cobra,’ ‘crouching cat’, ‘warrior’. I wish I could say I flowed effortlessly into these moves but I struggled to keep up with the instructions. I realised my upper body is not very strong and this type of exercise will certainly strengthen it.
When it came to the end of the class I revelled in the knowledge that I have tried something that in the past I would have been incredibly fearful of doing. Who would have thought that I would ever feel comfortable or brave enough to dangle upside down in the air? I have been doing antigravity yoga for six months now and I really feel the benefits from it. I look refreshed and rejuvenated. I am more energetic and positive. I am fitter than I have been in years. I would highly recommend this type of yoga to anyone who wishes to improve their overall health and wellbeing.”
