Gravity yoga what is it. The benefits and features of anti-gravity yoga What effect can you get from the exercises?
Yoga has entered modern life not only with the goal of improving health and improving the figure, but also as a fashionable trend. A few years ago, a new extraordinary style of yoga was formed - anti-gravity or anti-gravity.
Anti-gravity yoga was created by famous dancer and choreographer Christopher Harrison. At first, he only wanted to help the dancers unload the spinal axis. This makes for a great relaxation experience, especially for creatively inclined people who want something sublime. Antigravity yoga, what is it - it is an exercise in the air (aerial).
The most important distinguishing feature of aerial yoga from classical yoga is that there is no support under your feet, only a hammock that sways with every movement.
In a hammock, exercises of varying complexity are performed and the capabilities of the human body are used to the maximum.
Benefits of aerial yoga
By practicing anti-gravity yoga, people receive the following benefits:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system go away;
- strengthens the back muscles;
- you feel lightness and mobility of the joints;
- inverted poses have a rejuvenating effect;
- the spine gets rid of overload, tense muscles relax;
- Blood circulation increases, lymphatic drainage occurs, lymph nodes and blood vessels are stimulated. With normal functioning of the lymphatic system, skin condition and well-being improve.
Contraindications
Having many advantages, anti-gravity yoga is not recommended for everyone, since many exercises in this direction are performed inverted (head down).
- thrombophlebitis, thrombosis;
- hypertension, atherosclerosis;
- displacement of vertebral discs;
- weakened walls of the tissues of the cardiovascular system, visual organs, nose;
- traumatic brain injury;
- enlarged thyroid gland;
- oncology.
Uniqueness
Antigravity Yoga has about three thousand asanas. The trapeze hammock allows you to do well-known exercises and breathing techniques in a different way. With the help of air asanas, students smoothly move to inverted positions. They cannot be done on a mat. This technique allows ordinary people to do the most difficult poses that only yogis with many years of experience can do.
- A variety of aerial poses trains the cardiac and respiratory systems and develops plasticity. Strength exercises strengthen muscles.
- Many Hollywood celebrities call anti-gravity the secret of youth.
- Such activities strengthen the body and at the same time relieve fatigue.
- Beginners need to train only with a trainer.
How are classes conducted?
For classes, a room with hammocks is specially prepared for each person. The hammocks are durable and can support about 450 kg. weights, hang them from the ceiling.
Lesson duration is approximately 40 minutes. accompanied by calm music.
Antigravity yoga combines mixed styles that allow you to relax and forget accumulated problems. By training, a person learns to manage his own body, controlling it. Balance and flexibility develop. After just three workouts, a person becomes more mobile.
The workout begins with warming up the muscles. Then they begin to perform asanas in a hammock. At first, you will need to secure yourself with your legs to maintain balance. Without this it is impossible to get a good result. At the first stage, it is important to get used to the feeling of weightlessness and only then move on to the next stage.
After 20 minutes the activity becomes more difficult. Strength asanas are performed, as well as for flexibility and dynamics. This is an essential part of training to give strength and vigor.
After the class, people feel new sensations, discover new body abilities, and the body relaxes.
How an anti-gravity yoga class is conducted is shown in the video:
Who benefits from doing yoga in the air?
If you notice that you have an unhealthy complexion, feel frequent headaches, chronic fatigue, you need to improve the functioning of the lymphatic system. This is where anti-gravity yoga comes in handy.
For those who regularly train, the following processes occur in the body:
- weight loss;
- metabolic processes in the body are normalized;
- blood flow increases;
- Tissue elasticity increases, skin sagging and cellulite go away.
Aerial yoga is increasingly gaining popularity and demand among the population. This style has a future.
Nowadays, no one is surprised by the different types of yoga: sports centers offer classes using different methods to everyone. However, instructors are constantly trying to come up with something new to attract clients. One of the most unusual areas of ancient practice can be considered gravity yoga.
All asana complexes are performed above the ground. Yoga on canvas is beginning to gain popularity among people of all ages. What is special about this direction? You perform all the exercises in the air, help the body stretch all muscle groups, experience the feeling of flying in weightlessness, strengthen the body and relax the nerve endings.
The invention of anti-gravity yoga belongs to Christopher Harrison, American dancer. The man has been practicing yoga and aerial gymnastics for many years, so some time ago he decided to combine these areas. Gravity yoga should not be confused with traditional Indian practice. These directions are united only by some asanas, otherwise they are very different from each other.
In gravity yoga, classes are held using a hammock, which is made of unique silk that can withstand 450 kilograms. During classes, a person holds onto the canvas, stands, lies and sits in it. It has recently been proven that practicing yoga in a hammock is more effective than practicing on a regular mat. In a hammock you can not only stand, sit and lie, but also fly and swing. Any exercise does not put stress on the spine, which is very important for people with poor health. In addition, gravity yoga is indicated for patients with back pain: the spine stretches smoothly and slowly, thanks to which the person forgets about his illness. The first classes may not be very comfortable due to the fact that the person has never tried to perform exercises in the air. However, after just a couple of weeks, the feeling of flying will evoke indescribable emotions. Those who have been doing gravity yoga for a long time will tell you that they feel like aerial acrobats. During training, you use absolutely all muscle groups. In addition, the stabilizers of the spinal column are strengthened, thereby protecting the spine from injury and maintaining it in the desired position.
No preparation is required for yoga on the canvas. However, there are some recommendations that a beginner will have to follow:
1. It is best to attend classes in the morning if you feel energetic. If your body feels energized in the late afternoon, look for evening classes.
2. Do not load your stomach before training. An hour or two before class, eat something healthy and light, such as salad, live yogurt, muesli or nuts. These products are quickly absorbed, relieve the feeling of hunger and heaviness, and do not cause discomfort during complex asanas.
3. Gravity yoga is done barefoot, wearing tight sportswear with long sleeves.
4. Any workout begins with meditation and breathing exercises. Thanks to this, the work of all muscles is activated, the person is tuned in to an intense workout.
5. After breathing exercises, the instructor conducts joint mobility exercises.
6. In the middle of the class, the trainer adds inverted poses and power asanas.
7. Each lesson ends with meditation and spiritual practices.
8. The duration of the workout can be from one to one and a half hours.
9. Experienced instructors advise planning your day so that after training you have the opportunity to relax. You can’t immediately rush to a business meeting or work: gravity yoga requires relaxation. It’s good if you have one hour left to take a walk or steam in the sauna, take a shower, drink tea.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com
Unlike standard training on the surface, anti-gravity yoga will force your body to adapt to new conditions. How to do this correctly and not harm your body, you need to know some facts about this direction.
Antigravity is a modern type of fitness yoga, classes in which are held in a silk hammock.
What is anti-gravity yoga and who invented it?
Anti-gravity yoga is only gaining momentum today. Classes are held in large fitness centers, where there are large rooms with mounts for hammocks.
Training takes place with the mandatory presence of a trained instructor. With the wrong approach to training, anti-gravity yoga can even cause harm - pain in the spine, migraines, even nosebleeds.
Antigravity yoga is not entertainment, but a serious load on different muscle groups. Although everything looks very calm and peaceful, it would be wrong to underestimate this type of sports activity. In one month of training you can get your body into almost ideal shape. They also say that anti-gravity yoga is addictive once and for all. Maybe that’s why the number of admirers is growing every day?!
If yoga originally originated in India, then anti-gravity yoga appeared in America. It was invented by the popular choreographer, eminent dancer and star of Broadway musicals - Christopher Harrison.
He assures that the idea of this type of yoga came to him completely by accident.
He had a hammock in his house where he liked to relax after a hard day at work. One day he got bored and started doing basic exercises and basic yoga asanas on a hammock. It turned out surprisingly great. Christopher managed to relax, relieve excess tension from his muscles, find peace of mind, the peace that he had been looking for for so long. The man did not stop there. He came up with new asanas for his yoga and patented the “invention.” Harrison's colleagues were the first to appreciate the new anti-gravity yoga. They advised the choreographer to tell the whole world about his “discovery”. This happened in the 90s of the last century. Now the whole world knows about such yoga!
What is a hammock?
This is the most popular question asked by those who are just starting to get acquainted with anti-gravity yoga. A hammock is a special device. It is made of dense matter. Attached to the ceiling with ropes. It is impossible to lie in such a hammock. It is designed for sitting positions.
Install hammocks for exercise at home or in fitness centers. They are mounted on hooks mounted in the ceiling.
The hammock comes with fastenings and carabiners.
Hammocks vary:
- by material;
- by fastening;
- according to the load they can withstand.
Professional hammocks for anti-gravity yoga are expensive, sometimes it doesn’t make sense to buy your own; it’s easier and cheaper to practice in an equipped gym. They are designed for frequent use. Home hammocks are cheaper. If we talk about those bought on Aliexpress, it’s difficult to talk about quality, because... a lot depends on the seller's honesty.
Problems that may arise when purchasing a non-original hammock:
- Strong odor from fabric
- Unreliable fastenings
- Incomplete equipment
- Loss of fabric color after washing
- Weak wear resistance
A hammock for anti-gravity yoga was also invented by Christopher Harrison. You can purchase such equipment only in a specialized store. No other equipment is needed for anti-gravity yoga.
Types and programs of training
As such, there are no clear distinctions between types in anti-gravity yoga. We can only highlight:
- Basic course
- Stretch
- For children
- Recovery program
- Pilates
- Dance program
- Fitness
- For children and parents
A beginner should not immediately begin active training. It is necessary to develop the vestibular apparatus, pump it to the fullest extent. The first training sessions are usually carried out without a hammock. A person studies asanas under the guidance of a trainer on the floor on a mat. Only when the base is “full” will the athlete be allowed into the hammock. There are no fastenings in the hammock! Therefore, it is so important to follow safety precautions so as not to fall out and hurt yourself.
The professional level may be available to those who have already practiced yoga before. Such points should be discussed with the coach individually. But it is impossible to allow a person into a hammock without instructions and clear recommendations in order to avoid an emergency.
How the training goes (postures)
Most of the time, anti-gravity yoga training is done upside down. That is why it is so important to develop the vestibular apparatus well so that dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and bleeding do not occur.
Of course, a person does not spend the entire workout in a head-down position. This type of yoga contains a large number of asanas. They are performed vertically, horizontally, sitting, standing, on outstretched and bent arms and legs, with the head thrown back and forth. All positions are practiced slowly, often without a hammock. So that a person understands how to perform the exercise correctly.
You should start anti-gravity yoga classes only with an experienced trainer. It is difficult to master this technique on your own. Improper execution of exercises can lead to injury to the head, neck, spine, and other parts of the body. If sharp and severe pain occurs during exercise, the workout should be completed immediately. Antigravity yoga does not allow pain while performing asanas.
Pros and advantages
- fight against excess weight;
- studying your own body;
- victory over depression, stress;
- stimulation of blood metabolism;
- compensation for stiffness in the spinal regions;
- toning muscles;
- relief of pain and irritation during PMS;
- have a positive attitude;
- getting rid of bad thoughts;
- cleansing the aura and karma.
Disadvantages and contraindications
Anti-gravity yoga is not suitable for everyone. You cannot exercise if you:
- has displacements in the vertebral discs;
- has weak walls of blood vessels in the eyes and nose;
- recently suffered a head injury;
- suffers from thyroid disease;
- has thrombosis or suffers from hypertension.
Many asanas are performed upside down. For people with a weak vestibular system, such exercises are not recommended to avoid serious health problems.
If there are no contraindications, feel free to discover the world of anti-gravity yoga. This is an amazing world that will relieve you of stress, bad thoughts, and black envy. This is a world where everything is simple and clear, clear and factual. Classes are suitable for people of different sizes. It is important that anti-gravity yoga helps you lose weight quickly!
Be sure to read about it
Is it possible to relax hanging upside down in a hammock? Masha and Lena K. find out.
“Anti-gravity yoga” or “yoga in hammocks” is such a new direction that it has an author and he is even still alive. His name is Christopher Harrison, and in 2007 he developed a wellness program in which all the exercises are performed in a hammock: sitting, lying, hanging and twisting in weird positions. The basis is exercises from yoga, Pilates and choreography.
Should you trust some Harrison? Most likely, yes. Christopher has been involved in acrobatics since childhood and at the age of 17 he took 4th place at the World Games (competitions in sports not included in the Olympic Games program). Then I became interested in dancing, also seriously, and performed on Broadway. In 1990 he founded his own troupe of aerial acrobats, Antigravity. With her, he staged numbers for Broadway, traveled around the world with the show and even performed at the 80th Academy Awards. Initially, hammock training was intended for the troupe's acrobats, and then turned into a full-fledged program for everyone.
The technique was invented and patented by Harrison. Therefore, its distribution is impossible without purchasing a franchise: all trainers must undergo training, and fitness centers must purchase equipment.
What do the classes promise?
Muscle development- the hammock swings, the body swings with it and seeks balance, and thanks to this the muscles work more actively.
Improves blood circulation and anti-stress. The main trick of the training is upside down inversions, they are also called decompression. During such revolutions, blood rushes to the head, and this has a positive effect on brain function: sleep, concentration, memory and general emotional state improve.
Spinal traction- due to the support of the hammock in inverted poses, there is no pressure on the spine, so it stretches by about half a centimeter, and for the lucky ones - up to 3 centimeters.
Development of flexibility and stretching— elements of classical yoga, Pilates and dance contribute to this. They promise that some asanas are easier to perform in a hammock than on the floor. Therefore, antigravity yoga is even simpler than regular yoga.
I won't fall?
The main thing Christopher emphasizes is safety. He assures that it is impossible to fall out of the hammock, and it is also impossible to damage anything under the supervision of a trainer.
In Moscow there are hammocks in the studio Plastilin, where we went to coach Alexandra Grigorieva. Sasha is one of the leading teachers of the school; in addition to anti-gravity, he also teaches split stretching.
Masha:
“I am one of those happy children who had a sports wall at home with rings, a rope and so on. Need I say that I often hung on it? Therefore, the hammock aroused exclusively childish delight in me. Although the word “yoga” in the title was a little alarming: here you need to be calm, relaxed, thoughtful - that’s all. Not really for me, although it would also be necessary. What if it works out here? The setting is appropriate: high ceilings, huge windows and lots of light, with calm music in the background.
The first surprise is that classes are held barefoot - your feet should not slip. You should wear a jacket with sleeves on top, because the fabric can burn your skin when sliding (Lena is great, and I am as always).
First, the program includes a light warm-up: twist your head, arms, bend your back, lightly stretch your legs. And then they begin - hammocks! 
The first sensations are unusual and unusual - the hammock, as expected, swings, but first you need to at least sit in it. And yes, it will continue to swing for the rest of the time!
The first time you lean back and let go of the canvas is especially scary. Relax your back, maybe. My neck is doubtful, it’s generally been tight lately. The hammock is attached somewhere under the ceiling. Won't it fall off? But as soon as I get used to it, the feeling of fear goes away and it becomes interesting.
In a suspended state, your back straightens and stretches - and you can directly feel it. With the head thrown back, the body becomes slightly alien, as if the control joystick is stuck. Although, it would seem, it would be easier to raise your leg?
It is important that after every 20 seconds of hanging upside down, we must sit and come to our senses. Hallelujah! I would not have survived without such smoke breaks: already in the middle of the lesson, my head began to spin, and my stomach reminded me that I needed to have lunch.
I was surprised to learn that the fabric of the hammock is so wide that I can fit there at full height and still have about a meter left! That is, you can wrap yourself entirely in this thing! For example, like this. Asana "sleeping Batman")
In the middle of the lesson, we climb into the hammock entirely - this is a form of meditation. I like hanging in a cocoon; it hugs me tightly and lulls me to sleep.
Having gotten the hang of it a little, I twisted myself into a couple of more difficult poses:
It’s a bit of a pity that I found myself in the position of “I want it and it hurts.” I would love to spin some other way, but my body said its firm “not now.”
Hanging upside down is like trying sushi for the first time: at first it’s not very good, but then you’ll eat it again. And yes, my neck and back are finally free! In general, swinging in a hammock at least once a week is now on my sports bucket list.”
Lena K.
“I honestly tried to start doing yoga: I remembered the names of asanas, opened the chakras, smelled incense, repeated “Mmmm-mmm-mmm” after the trainer. I convinced myself that it wasn't boring. But no, it didn’t work.
"Antigravity" is a different story. You won’t fall asleep in this yoga:
Although if you close your eyes in a swinging hammock... who knows, who knows :)
There is no requirement to free the spirit from connection with finite or manifested existence—special thanks for this.
Most poses begin with jumping onto a hammock, like on a swing. And this swing from a piece of hanging fabric still needs to be assembled: “Which edge are you saying to grab? Oh, with the wrong hand!” But by the end of the lesson, the correct hands are remembered by themselves, the left one is on top. (Or is it still the right one?))
Sasha continues to show: raise your leg here, throw the other there. Roll over - fixate - smile. Hanging upside down turns out to be strange and unpleasant. 15-20 seconds last forever. Blood rushes to the head, temples pulsate. I doubt that this is so useful and physiological.
The hammock is swinging, the floor is moving before my eyes, in my thoughts - am I well wrapped in fabric? If I relax my leg, will I lose my balance? and fall down??
It's actually impossible to fall. That is, I am sure that it is impossible) But “inverted poses” are given in the first lesson with excitement, you need to be prepared for this.
Two beginner mistakes: trying to stretch to the limit and abruptly leaving fixed poses. I did both :) What my lower back told me about by the end of the lesson. So it’s better without heroics, really.
But the next day my back didn’t hurt at all. Even where I usually always got sick. So I’ll have to hang upside down (and grumble about this topic) more than once: I bought a subscription to antigravity yoga. Not to Plastilin, though, but to the yoga studio closest to home.
And then, who knows, maybe enlightenment will come.”
5 facts you need to know about hammock yoga
1. A hammock from the dacha will not suit you. Need a Harrison hammock.
- It is made from construction fabric, so it can withstand a load of at least 450 kilograms. The AntyGravity troupe works with the same ones, but at an altitude of 12 and even 120 meters. A country hammock is best used for its intended purpose.
2. Why is it yoga? It also looks like acrobatics. Yes, it seems. But the program includes a lot of yoga and Pilates poses. And anigravity is positioned as a comprehensive fitness technique for improving health.
3. Who should not exercise? Contraindications - pregnancy, heart disease, high or low blood pressure, recent head injury, glaucoma. And after Botox injections you need to wait at least 6 hours.
Traditional yoga in an unconventional form is a new offshoot of a new practice called AntiGravity Yoga or FLY YOGA. Ignoring the laws of gravity, it is very useful for a person, because it allows him to develop spiritually, while simultaneously improving his physical form. What AntiGravity Yoga is, how the asanas are performed, and what effect it provides – we will tell you in this article.
A direction such as Antigravity Yoga first appeared in the United States and gradually spread to Europe. The popularity of such yoga is very justified, because it allows you to relax as much as possible and feel every cell of your body.
Before you start getting acquainted with the Antigravity Yoga complex, it is important to find out what it is. First of all, it is a practice of self-knowledge and development. However, unlike traditional branches, AntiGravity yoga involves the use of a special hammock.
The founder of this direction is K. Harrison (Christopher Calvin Harrison). Being at the same time a gymnast, dancer and acrobat, in the early 90s he invented an atypical device for holding acrobatic shows, securing not only one end of the canvas, but also the other. Thus, the resulting hammock came to be called “anti-gravity” and was initially Christopher Harrison’s main assistant in his show. However, somewhat later, this device began to be used in training, helping athletes improve their bodies, recharge themselves with positivity, hone their skills, increase flexibility and clear their thoughts.
Today, the popularity of the patented fitness technique aerial yoga is rapidly increasing. And therefore, in domestic spaces, you can increasingly hear positive reviews.
What is the advantage of this variety?
- stimulates blood circulation and starts renewal processes in the circulatory system;
- eliminates tension from the entire body;
- helps get rid of complexes and tightness;
- relieves stiffness of the spine;
- improves the functioning of the respiratory system;
- strengthens muscles, restores their tone;
- promotes the burning of subcutaneous fat, which means it promotes weight loss;
- allows you to clear your mind and find harmony with the world around you;
- improves flexibility, stretching, endurance;
- relieves painful symptoms of PMS.
Who can and who can’t exercise?
As you can see, anti-gravity yoga is multifaceted and incredibly useful. In addition, the indications for its use have virtually no restrictions. So, the following can practice fly yoga:
- patients after undergoing healing therapy, after injuries;
- people with disabilities and central nervous system disorders;
- those who have been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, diabetes, insomnia, migraines, decreased blood circulation, hemorrhoids;
- people experiencing chronic fatigue;
- patients with back pain;
- suffering from bronchitis, asthma;
- women during menopause.
But, despite such a motivating list of indications, anti-gravity yoga also has some contraindications. It is advisable for everyone who wants to practice AntiGravity Yoga to know about them before starting classes.
The list of contraindications for aerial yoga training is relevant for people:
- with a diagnosis of thrombophlebitis, thrombosis, hypertension, atherosclerosis;
- with displaced spinal discs (to avoid tissue wear);
- with weakened walls of the cardiovascular tissue of the organs of vision, nose;
- survivors of a traumatic brain injury less than a year ago;
- experiencing the consequences of an enlarged thyroid gland.
The fact is that fly yoga is a specific practice in which exercises are performed primarily in an upside-down position, as demonstrated by photos and videos from training sessions. Against this background, people at risk may feel worse and complications of their diseases may arise. Therefore, to avoid health problems, it is better to pay attention to another area of physical activity for self-development, no less specific (for example, aqua yoga).
Preparation for training
Having decided to learn AntiGravity Yoga lessons and asanas, it is also important to find out what you will need for the classes. Since such classes are held in special rooms equipped with canvases (hammocks) suspended at both ends from the ceiling, you will only need to comply with the dress code.
So, to increase the effectiveness of your training, you should purchase non-slip sportswear:
- a tight-fitting, tight top that will securely hold the chest in place (especially when upside down) and will not cause discomfort;
- tight-fitting capris or leggings.
Gravity yoga, like traditional forms of ancient practice, should be performed barefoot.
It is recommended to attend aerial yoga classes in groups or during individual training under the guidance of a professional trainer. In the first lessons, attention is paid to studying asanas and the technique of performing them without a hammock. Subsequently, some elements are practiced on a hammock, during which a person gets used to weightlessness and develops his muscles, preparing them for the main load. After learning the basic movements, you can move on to the main highlight of aero yoga - performing asanas in the air.
Anti-gravity yoga, videos and photos from training sessions of which can be viewed in this article, is a very specific type of yoga. Therefore, only those who have fully mastered the technique of performing asanas in a hammock can perform it at home. In order to equip yourself a “workplace” at home, you can purchase a special canvas (hammock) along with fastenings at sporting goods stores.
Antigravity yoga is truly unique. Those who once tried themselves in the role of a soaring yogi were able to unlock their potential and find harmony.
