We love the grace of yoga; the fluidity as one pose morphs into another. When Vancouver yogi Tedi Martin introduced us to Antigravity yoga, we nestled into the safety of our duvet-cocoons and the beauty of yoga fused with man's primordial desire to fly (you're only a couple of feet off the ground but you still feel like an acrobat).
the nuts & bolts of antigravity yoga
What do you love, love, love about antigravity yoga?
I LOVE feeling like a kid swinging around on some ropes. The best part is it's SO MUCH FUN! I love being upside down! Antigravity yoga (AGY) looked like an art form that I've always wanted to try but have never had the arena to explore. Most people would recognise the hammock from Pink's performance at the Grammy's.
Do you see it as a progression from other yoga practices or a corruption?
I believe that one's exercise should be well balanced with all types of activities. Too much of any one thing is not healthy. AGY is just another fantastic movement form to be added to the mix.
Does AGY work against the benefits of traditional yoga
No, they are complementary. I would never leave my regular yoga practice or even decrease the frequency. I have been adding AGY and it has only helped. For many people who are learning inversions, AGY helps to build that kinesthetic awareness of having your hips above your shoulders.
what to expect
What should people wear for AGY?
It is important to wear sleeves (long or short) for when we wrap the hammock around our arms. One thing I've noticed with men is it might be better to wear tighter shorts (or bike shorts underneath) as some of the 'booty wrap' poses like to take loose shorts with them.
antigravity yoga benefits> zero compression inversions antigravity historyChristopher Harrison started the Anti Gravity Fitness and Entertainment brand in 1990. It started in New York, and now it's in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, USA and Canada. |
Do people need to be familiar with yoga positions before they start AGY?
Definitely not. The Steve Nash Sports Club is the only place in Vancouver with AGY and it's a brand new program. So in my classes, at the moment, everybody is a beginner.
What is the biggest issue for most people when they come in?
Trust. On so many levels. Trusting the hammock, the teacher and themselves. One of the first postures we do is an inversion, which can bring a lot of fear. Everybody has been successful at this technique and it's amazing to watch the fear subside throughout the class. Each person leaves feeling accomplished.
The amazing video above captures so much of the beauty of antigravity yoga but it has to be experienced to feel the gravity-pulling, hammock-supporting serenity of it.
want more?
- Join the 'hot or not' Bikrams debate.
- Find out what the cool kids are talking about with yoga 101
