Beating the Post Travel Blues Suspended Three Feet in the Air

Thinking outside of the box and digging deeper into a Yoga practice with Anti-Gravity Yoga.

It has not been that long ago that I returned back home from traveling around Southeast Asia, and I am starting to feel the post-vacation blues.

Whether it is for a week or two months, getting back to the daily routine of daily life is always disorienting and deflating. When traveling one is touched by the possibilities that were not part of ones everyday life like: trying new foods, experiencing different cultures, scenery, and pace of life. It is necessary to keep these aspects of your vacation well and truly alive upon returning home. I always have to remind myself that getting home does not mean the vacation is necessarily over. I do this by exploring my own surroundings, trying new restaurants, visiting museums, and finding new experiences.

This time around, I am beating my post vacation blues with this new found hobby, Anti-Gravity Yoga (aerial yoga). When I first learned about this new aerial yoga class last year, I knew I had to try it. A big fan of traditional yoga such as Hatha, Bikram, and Ashtanga—which improves flexibility, muscle tone, and the mind-body connection—I knew I would really enjoy this class.

Arriving back home, a friend mentioned that a local yoga studio was now offering the class; I wasted no time this weekend and signed up for the class. Thrilling, self-challenging and exciting, I am feeling revitalized. I am looking forward to taking this class again this week…

Hoisting yourself to anti-gravity/aerial yoga

You are probably asking yourself, what is anti-gravity/aerial yoga? Anti-gravity yoga (or aerial yoga), is a combination of aerial acrobatics, Pilates, and yoga, certainly looks effortless. In reality, there is nothing easy about balancing aloft on a silky sling hammock suspended three feet from the floor.

As I hoisted myself into the Anti-Gravity hammock for the first time, arms and shoulders burn every time one pulls yourself up into the hammock; thighs tremble as one stands with one leg slung up behind you. Even hanging upside down is tremendously relaxing, releases tension in the body, and makes one feel weightless; but it takes work. Relax too much and fail to engage your stomach, one might fall. Sure, it looks and maybe even sounds intimidating. Luckily, for weak-stomached me, there was no upside-down twirling in the first class, but there was enough acrobatics to make this workout fun and challenging.

The Pros and Cons

It is necessary to keep this aspect of your vacation well and truly alive upon returning home.

Pros: Being suspended in the air offers greater flexibility, and it feels like you are flying. Hanging upside down is extremely relaxing, releases tension in the body, and makes one feel weightless. 60-minutes of this class burns 390 calories.

Cons: The downside of yoga for weight loss: Holding poses while suspended from the ceiling requires coordination and is not for newbies or obese people.

Coming prepared with more than just lululemon pants.

When not traveling, I keep balanced with yoga such as Hatha, Bikram, and Ashtanga— improves flexibility, muscle tone, and the mind-body connection.

Coming prepared with a sense of humor and willingness to try new things goes a long way toward making an AntiGravity Yoga class a fun and relaxed experience. Still a newbie to this practice, here are some of my tips and observations :

• It is usually advised to practice yoga on an empty stomach and that is especially true of AntiGravity Yoga, what with the inverting, spinning, and pressure of the hammock on your abdomen.
• Long pants and a shirt with sleeves are must-haves since the hammock can dig into your arms and legs under the weight of your body.
• Do not wear any jewelry such as earrings, necklaces and rings. Some of the poses where you have to grip the hammock strongly or being upside down will be not only uncomfortable, but dangerous.
• I felt some pain from the hammock when it was under my hips in forward folds, though my teacher assured us that this abates with continued practice.
• Those with certain medical conditions, such as glaucoma and high blood pressure, are advised not to undertake this practice, so be sure to check your medical history against this list.