Antigravity Yoga Techniques

Antigravity yoga is the leading technique in aerial yoga. This method has been developed by former dancer and gymnast Christopher Harrison.

This yoga style gives you a workout that helps strengthen and stretch your joints without overstressing them or compressing the vertebra too much.

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Anti gravity yoga equipment involves a hammock, which is a strip of silky fabric that helps support the body in various positions. You will learn to invert and suspend yourself in midair using this hammock. The antigravity yoga hammock provides support to your hips for backbends and forward bends. You can use it as a seat for the different variations in the abtastic crunch series. You can loop it around one foot while standing on the other for versions of Natarajasana (King Dancer Pose) and Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Standing Big Toe Pose).

What is aerial yoga?

Aerial yoga involves counteracting the effects of gravity. By decreasing the compression that comes from the gravity pull while on the floor, the shoulders are straightened and the spine is elongated. The little bit of suspension midair eases tension on the muscles and bones, thereby increasing flexibility. This practice is quite a new addition to the different ways of performing yoga. Michelle Dortignac who created this technique began classes in January 2006 in New York City. She combined her background of circus art of tissu and dance with the traditional style of yoga.

Owing to aerial yoga’s novelty, most may think that this is a technique only for the advanced practitioners. However, Michelle Dortignac says that once the practitioners realize that they are just a little off the ground and that there is some cushioning under them, they feel more at ease with the equipment and confident in performing the exercises. Aerial yoga for beginners usually begins with exercises on the floor; the practitioners can then move on to using the hammock and getting off the floor.

Antigravity Yoga Wings

The antigravity yoga wings program has been recently developed and involves classes that combine circus arts with traditional yoga in a one hour session of flexibility and strength training. The one hour session begins with some simple movements that act not only as a warm-up for your body but also allow you to get used to performing the exercises on a hammock. You can explore the hammock by stretching and moving around.

To get more control over the hammocks swinging nature, you should push into it. During the class, you will be using your deep abs whether you are doing supported yoga postures or some light aerobic dance moves. Therefore, the belly gets an excellent workout. Various inversions are performed at the end of the class with the help of the hammock. The sessions also provide a good workout for the arms. Pushing into the hammock targets the triceps and lats.

You could also use the anti-gravity yoga inversion swing to increase the intensity of your practice. It can be used to achieve a variety of postures. It is made from soft nylon and has three leg and arms handles at the sides. Using the anti-gravity yoga inversion swing is excellent for tension and stress relief, spinal traction/decompression and inversion therapy.

What are the benefits of this type of yoga?

Some of the benefits of anti-gravity yoga include:

  • Mental relaxation
  • Improved digestion
  • Improved strength and flexibility
  • Improved dynamic energy
  • Increased core strength

Antigravity yoga helps decompress joints that are tight, and this helps you to perform more challenging yoga poses and hold them in correct alignment and for a longer duration of time. You will also be able to stretch more with a lesser strain.

Tips

There are some tips you can follow to get the most out of this form of yoga and avoid injury.

  • Make sure that you practice on an empty stomach because the inversions and spins as also the pressure on the abdomen by the hammock can make you nauseous.
  • Individuals suffering from medical conditions like high blood pressure and glaucoma should avoid practicing antigravity yoga.
  • Pregnant women should under no circumstances even consider this yoga.
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