Under the ceiling: What is "air yoga" and how it works
On-line images of celebrities are increasingly flashedperforming various exercises in the air on long multi-colored patches of fabric, and news about the discoveries of the studios of aeroiogues and aerostretching appear one after another. Back in 2013, Gwyneth Paltrow, known for her love for a healthy lifestyle, shared on her portal a story about her "anti-gravity" (that is, denying the force of gravity) yoga. It was then that America was captured by the general love for exercises on aerial silks - literally, "aerial silk", that is, a long piece of fabric suspended by two edges to the ceiling. We understand what it is, why it is needed and where to go for it.
For the first time, "aerial silk" appeared in the late fifties in circus schools, but gained wide popularity only in the nineties, thanks to American dancer and gymnast Christopher Harrison, who gathered an acrobat troupe called AntiGravity. Then Harrison began experimenting with exercises in the air and realized that with the help of a hanging hammock you can perfectly stretch the back muscles. Gradually, he developed a whole system of exercises for his troupe, and in 2007 he presented it to the public. The practice was called AntiGravity Yoga, and aerial yoga in its present form was invented by Harrison.
Of course, the American gymnast is not the only one who thought that the fabric suspended from the ceiling can help to take a fresh look at the usual exercises: one of the most famous modern yoga masters Bellur Iyengar also practiced a similar technique, only performing asanas not in a hammock, but on ceiling rope.
Despite the fact that AntiGravity is a patented technique, many athletes and instructors, inspired by the idea of training in the air, create their own sets of exercises, using the silk hammock as the main tool. AntiGravity has a number of areas, but the most popular is still aerial yoga, known in our country as "yoga in hammocks" or "aeroyoga."
The peculiarity of this yoga practice is that all the exercises are performed either completely in a hammock, or with partial reliance on it, which allows you to align asanas and support the body. Constant balancing loads muscles that are inactive in everyday life, helping to quickly master complex asanas, including inverted poses - they can be performed in a hammock without resting on the floor. Plus aeroiogs compared to classical yoga is that it develops flexibility much faster, because the hammock itself helps to increase tension and stretch muscles.
It is important that yoga classes on a silk hammock almost completely relieve tension from the spine and make it possible to stretch the paravertebral muscles as much as possible, which is very difficult to achieve when practicing "on the ground." And of course, aerial yoga, like nothing else, contributes to relaxation and calm: slow wiggle in a hammock, like a cocoon, help relieve stress and deep relaxation.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, a number of studios, in addition to practicing Aeroogoy, offer programs in some other areas of aerospace training, such as aerostretching. The main goal of these exercises is to stretch the muscles, increase their elasticity and develop the joints. As in Aeroogo, the load is removed from the spine, because cloth is used as a support. Due to the fact that the hammock is constantly balanced, you can constantly "lower" the point of fixation of the body; for example, you can gradually sit on the splits deeper, standing with one foot on the ground and leaning the second on a silk ribbon that will take the foot farther and farther away. In addition, a hammock helps to hold poses longer.
The most interesting direction of air sport, probably, is aerofitness - power and cardio training on a hammock (not to be confused with flying in a wind tunnel). This is an intense workout, which can be compared with the exercises on the TRX, only the body uses as a support not a loop, but a hammock. Due to the unstable position of the tissue and a fairly fast rhythm, the hammock helps to work out more muscles in a short time and load the entire body at once: for example, performing an exercise for the buttocks, you simultaneously use your arms, torso, shoulders and back.
Despite its fragile appearance, the hammock is able to withstand weight up to 200 kg, which makes it a practically universal simulator for both experienced athletes and beginners: everyone can try themselves in this type of training, regardless of their level of training. More classes in hammocks are perfect for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, after surgery and injuries, or for children with cerebral palsy, as a hammock reduces the load on the spine. The ability to perform inverted postures has a good effect on the cardiovascular system, and the unstable position of the hammock allows you to quickly strengthen muscles, improve posture, stretch joints, improve overall well-being.
It cannot be said that anti-gravity exercises are a revolution in the world of fitness. In the end, it's just an opportunity to diversify the routine or get carried away with something new. Any physical activity is helpful and helps you feel better. It is important that she likes and improves mood, so it is better to choose the type of load that you like; for some it is a long walk with a dog, for others badminton or swimming, for the third - fitness on silk ribbons.
Photo: Aerial dance chicago
