Yoga in hammocks is a modern trend in which various asanas and stretching exercises and muscle strengthening are performed with the help of special hanging equipment.
This is a dense canvas, which is fixed to the ceiling by means of carabiners. The lower part of it is about a meter from the floor. Special slings with handles can be hung next to the hammock. For them, it is allowed to adhere during the execution of asanas .
It's hard to say who first came up with the idea of using a hammock for yoga. Similar trends emerged almost in parallel in the noughties. For example, in 2005, appeared The Unnata Method / Unnata yoga unnata‑yoga by Michel Dortignac, and two years later — aerial yoga by Antigravity Christopher Harrison’s ANTIGRAVITY® LAB Christopher Harrison.
To date, there is no universally recognized system of exercises. Each course author and teacher experiments, composes their own sequences of asanas and rules for their execution on the weight.
Yoga in hammocks combines different directions of yoga, complements them and allows you to diversify the usual practice.
There are several reasons why you should pay attention to this direction.
Yoga is not the most energy—consuming activity. Running or group fitness programs will be much more effective for weight loss . At the same time, for those who do not like cardio, yoga in hammocks can be a good opportunity to lose some weight and build endurance.
In the study L. C. Dalleck, D. J. Green. ACE‑SPONSORED RESEARCH: Can Aerial Yoga Take Your Workouts to Another Level? / ACE The American Council on Physical Exercise (ACE) estimated that these classes raise the pulse to 126 beats per minute and help to spend about 320 kcal in one 50‑minute session. In an experiment lasting six weeks, women shed 6.7% of fat, reduced the waist by 2 cm, and also significantly improved endurance performance.
Tatiana Shemeneva says that performing asanas in a hammock causes much less stress than practicing on the floor. The support on the canvas relieves the load from the muscles and helps to completely relax them, which contributes to a soft stretching and deepening of poses.
Moreover, thanks to the hammock, it is possible to modify difficult asanas in such a way that it is comfortable even for beginners. For example, upside‑down poses are simply not available for many practitioners due to technical complexity or the presence of contraindications.
Using a hammock also allows you to take such positions with support, removes the load from the spine and neck.
Thus, yoga in "zero gravity" helps to increase flexibility and benefit from complex asanas without the risk of injury and overload of the joints.
During the lesson, you are constantly changing your position in a very unstable environment. The hammock swings at the slightest movement, and you need to make an effort to just roll over in it, get on your knees or put your feet in loops.
Thanks to this, aerial yoga trains the muscle groups responsible for maintaining posture and joint stability, develops coordination of movements and a sense of balance.
In general, sitting in a hammock has a good relaxing effect. The canvas sways, responding to every movement of the body and breathing, which helps to calm the mind, focus on transitions and poses.
Such concentration, along with the pleasure of somersaults, helps to get rid of worries and problems for a while, relieves stress and develops awareness.
Shavasana in a hammock is a separate pleasure. The feeling of a cradle is created, the canvas of the hammock envelops the body, lulls it to sleep. You are closed off from the rest of the practitioners. This helps to concentrate on breathing, allows the body to adapt to its new state after practice.
Exercises in hammocks are designed for healthy people. If you have any diseases, you should definitely consult with a therapist before practicing.
Potential contraindications are:
In general, aerial yoga classes are quite safe. Especially if you select a group for your level of training and will not risk trying to perform complex elements.
However, it is worth considering that you can still fall out of the hammock. Therefore, if you are afraid of instability, have poor physical shape or are overweight, it may be better to try other types of yoga first.
For classes, you will only need comfortable sportswear that does not restrict movement, for example, leggings and a T—shirt. There is no need to take shoes: training takes place in socks or barefoot.
Choose a yoga studio offering this direction and come to the class. If the hammocks are not yet suspended, the instructor will explain to you how and at what level you need to fix the canvas. Also, a rug is laid out under it — it may be needed for some poses.
As a rule, the session lasts 60-80 minutes and includes many asanas, ligaments and exercises.
Like any direction in yoga, practice in hammocks can be very diverse: more forceful, aimed at stretching, relaxation, rehabilitation. There are also classes for pregnant women. Choosing a teacher, it is worth focusing on his specialization.
If some poses seem dangerous to you — for example, because of the fear of falling out of the hammock or pulling muscles , tell the instructor about it. He will change the position so that you are comfortable.
