HEALTH
&
BEAUTY
38
NOVEMBER2015
AMERICANWAY
PHOTO
COURTESY PURA VIDA
MOSTOFUS
whodoyogastrive to feel
grounded, legs like treeroots, seeking
solid, earthboundequilibrium.Butone
of thecoolestyoga trends—aerialyoga,
alsoknownasAntiGravityAerialYoga,
UnnataAerialYogaandAirYoga—has
itsdevoteesnavigatebetween thefloor
and theair, at timessuspendedabove the
ground insilkhammocksanchored to
theceilingor toametal frame.
Broadwaychoreographer
ChristopherHarrisoncreated
AntiGravityAerialYoga in1991,buthe
hasseenaerialfitnessexplode in the last
fewyears, extendingacross50countries.
“Oursystem is fun, and the techniques
make itsafe,”Harrisonsays. “You
have thebenefitofzerocompression
inversions, actuallyhanging fromyour
hipssoyoueliminatepressure inyour
spine, createspace in thespinalcord for
yournervesandhydrateall thosediscs
inyourback.”Plus, youget thebenefitsof
inversion: ahappycocktailof freshblood
and feel-goodhormones.
All thegravity-boundworkoutswe
docan takea tollonourbodiessince
theyarecompression-based.Suspension
allows fordecompressionaspeople
stretchandfloat, relievesbackandneck
pain, and issaid tomakeyou taller.
Abonusresult,Harrisonsays, is that
“people feelgreataboutdoingsomething
theydidn’t think theycoulddo— it’sa
greatway tore-establish thatmind-and-
bodyconnection.”
The trendhasextended toresorts,
spasandhealthclubs thatarecatering
to thosewhoalready loveaerialyogaand
fitness, aswellasbeginners.
–
PEGMOLINE
Ditch theyogamat—resortsandspasacross theglobeare
embracing theaerial-yoga trend
LearntoFly
THREEOFOURFAVORITE
AERIAL-YOGASPOTS
DENVER
PURAVIDAFITNESSANDSPA
Thegorgeous 1,200-foot studiohas 20high-
techhammock stationswith soaring views
evenwhenupsidedown.
Puravidaclub.com
LAS VEGAS
SHINEALTERNATIVEFITNESS
Launchedby twoCirqueduSoleilperformers,
ShineoffersAntiGravityYogaandother
suspensionclasses.
Shinealternativefitness.com
TUCSON, ARIZONA
MIRAVALRESORT&SPA
Guestsmaybook aone-on-one consult to
learn the ropes. There are also “dream silks”
sessions of various poses.
Miravalresorts.com
