Fly into Antigravity Yoga

Ever since our trip to New York in February, I've wanted to try Antigravity Yoga (we decided to sleep in instead). I know...gravity free yoga...sounds completely crazy! If you haven't heard of it, it is yoga-like poses performed in the air supported by a silk-like hammock as your prop/tool.

The silk hammocks are attached to metal contraptions on the ceiling. I have to admit not super tranquil, but effective and I did feel secure enough to dangle from them.

In my opinion, antigravity yoga isn't exactly yoga in the context I am familiar with, it's not quite the mind, body, soul experience. It is a combination of yoga-like moves combined with pilates and stretching, I'd say more like acrobatic gymnastics.

Regardless of it not being 'yoga'...it sounded fun to me, and who doesn't like fun? I found an antigravity yoga class being offered in the DC area at Crunch. Not being a member, the cost was $15 a person, not so bad in the name of experimentation and a fun weekend excursion with the hubby.

If you are an avid 'yoga' goer, you may not like this class. Even the teacher herself said it's 'not really yoga'. Although, many of the poses do resemble traditional yoga classes poses with the same intention of building strength and flexibility.

A few unique advantages I noticed of the antigravity yoga class:

• The ability to do inversions with minimal effort. This is actually really great to help students learn to overcome the fear of going upside down. The silk-like hammock is there to support you, so as soon as your fear subsides, you can actually have fun in the inversions.
• Immediate release in the spine during the inversions. I felt, like in no other inversion a complete sense of release along my entire spine. I literally could feel spaciousness forming...and dare I say I think I may have grown an inch or two (which I could really use!).
• Ironically the teacher said that after an antigravity yoga class students tend to be about an inch taller for a few hours before gravity pulls everything back down.

Picture credit: http://www.antigravityyoga.com/index.aspx

• For some of the poses, there is a significant amount of core required, especially to do some of the more 'yoga trick' type poses. Hello uddiyana bandha! Doing this type of practice could be a good addition to building abdominal muscle strength to help one's yoga asana practice.

This is NOT me, but it is Vampire pose. In order to get into this pose, you actually start by sitting on the hammock, with the silk wrapped around your neck/arms and feet, and magically you engage your core, do a somersault in the air and flip over into this Vampire pose! Well...I needed a little core help (i.e. push from the teacher to get me into this pose)....But it was a lot of fun. :)
Picture Source: http://toniaries.posterous.com/me-in-vampire-pose-at-my-anti-gravity-yoga-cl

• Arm Strength!!!! Let's just say my arms were burning for days after the class!!!

I have to admit the Savasana was not quite as fulfilling as it would be after an intense vinyasa class, but it was actually a unique experience cozy-ing myself into the cacoon of the silk hammock (I really do love hammocks!)

This is me cacooning!

My recommendation. TRY IT! It's fun, exciting, different, great workout and decide for yourself!

Happy Yoga-ing!