For a truly unique fitness experience, try an aerial yoga class — stretching and posing using long fabric slings suspended from the ceiling as supports.
Five other women and I (the only newbie) started a session at nearby Aerial Fit by getting inside and lying in a six-foot-wide fabric “cocoon” several feet above the ground. (They’re known as “silks,” although they’re actually nylon.)
To do that, you choose a silk that’s just the right height to sit on; the fabric has some give, so you stretch it just under your rear end and take a seat. You lie back, extend the fabric toward your feet, then lift your bottom and scootch back a few times. Pretty soon you’re horizontally suspended midair in a colorful, lightweight cloud — and the rest of the world is blocked out.
It’s a sensation unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced — because you’re not lying on water, or a bed or the ground. Yet, you don’t feel afraid because the hammocks are built to hold 2,000 lbs. and the connecting apparatus between it and the 25-foot ceilings is built to even higher specifications.
And the restful, New Age music in the background is calming.
During the hour-long class, we ran through a smooth routine, sometimes folding the silks in half and sometimes folding them in quarters to do the various moves. We sat on our haunches on the floor for some of the poses, inserting our necks, arms, and legs at various points into the hammock, pulling slightly and holding the poses to feel a stretch. We also got on the ground in a push-up position with our feet suspended in the silks and did some plank-like “stomach crunch”moves.
Although the plank move (above) was pretty dramatic, the most exotic pose we did was to sit in the hammock “chair” with the fabric mid-way up our back, spread our legs apart, lean back, then twist and wrap our legs in the air above our heads around the columns of silks. We then slowly lowered our heads and necks backwards toward the (well-padded) floor. Once there, using our forearms, we “walked” a short distance and held the position. It resulted in an amazing stretch — that you can’t believe you’re actually doing! Seems like you’re defying gravity! And it wasn’t hard at all; you just listen to the instructor and follow her step-by-step directions.
At the end of the class — which went by very fast — we got back into the silks and laid there for five minutes, stretching full-length and concentrating on our breathing. It was so relaxing that I didn’t want to leave!
Other fitness posts:
- Yoga Doesn’t Have to Be Dull: Amazingly Unique Yoga Classes
- Aerial Adventure Park: A Unique and Exciting Fitness Experience
- Polga (Pole Fitness and Yoga) Awesomeness
- Exotic Chair Dancing: Not Your Grandma’s Exercise Routine
- Dragon Boating: A Unique and Fun Team Sport
- Nothing Makes You Feel Better than a BODY PUMP Workout
- Zumba is Exhilarating
- Stand-up Paddleboarding: Testing the Water
- Ping Pong: Not Ready for the Olympics
- How to Add a Low-Cost Reading Rack to Your Treadmill to Make Walking More Fun
- Sports and Hobbies: How Many Can You Squeeze into a Lifetime? 79 So Far…
- Stand up Computer Desks: Take a Load Off your Seat
- Take a Load Off Your Seat #2: Adjustable Stand-up and DIY Cycling Desks
- Confessions of an Adult Learning to Swim
- How to Add a Reading Rack to a Treadmill
- Fitness Fun with FitBit
- Fitbit Fun — 10 Months Later
- Fitbit Fun — 22 Months Later
- Don’t Lose Your Fitbit! A Fabulous Fitbit Accessory to Keep the Clasp from Opening
- Fitbit Charge Review (New Product to Replace Fitbit Force)
- Do-it-Yourself Cooling Towels for Summer’s Hottest Days
- Regal Princess Review: Top 20 Amenities
—————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Pingback: Nothing Makes You Feel Better than a BODY PUMP WorkoutThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Zumba is Exhilarating! — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Weight Watchers Now: Wow! — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: 7 Things You May Not Know about Fitbit — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Fitbling: A Fun Fitbit Accessory — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Fabulous Fitbit Accessory to Keep the Clasp from OpeningThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Fitness Fun with FitbitThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: How to Find a Lost Fitbit and Get a Free Fitbit Replacement — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Find a Lost Fitbit, Get a Free Fitbit Replacement — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Find Lost Fitbit, Get a Free Fitbit Replacement — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Charleston Blogger Shares Favorite Fitness Activities | Holy City Sinner
Pingback: The ultimate adult boredom buster guideThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Fall Fun at a Women's Adventure Weekend in Brevard, North Carolina — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: 2017 Life GoalsThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Confessions of an Adult Learning to SwimThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Women's Kayaking and Hiking Weekend: Wonderful Except for the Near-Death ExperienceThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Fun New Fitness Activity - Disc Golfing with FrisbeesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Aerial Adventure Park: A Unique, Exciting Fitness ExperienceThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Having an Eclipse Party? Head to Target for Fun SuppliesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: I Am the Woman I Am Today Because My Mother... — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: First Acupuncture ExperienceThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Adults: 12 Fun Things to Do During Coronavirus Isolation — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: 169 fun things to doThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Rage Room: Relieve Stress, Stop Being a Good Girl — Thoughts, Tips and TalesThoughts, Tips and Tales
Pingback: Do Something New Every Day in JanuaryThoughts, Tips and Tales