What is a Yoga Swing?
The best way to practice trapeze acrobatics is by using a yoga swing. A yoga swing makes practicing complex asanas as easy as a knife through butter. It provides you with the freedom to practice phenomenal varieties of asana (or yoga poses). The yoga swing is made of a strong fabric hammock that allows you to perform tricky asanas while lifted in the air. This is most useful in asana that targets specifically the spine.
Yoga swings, although modified and modernized only a couple of decades ago were initially invented in 3000 B.C.E. They were made of ropes that enabled yoga practitioners to execute inverted yoga poses smoothly. In practice for a very long time, trapeze acrobatics is an effective and efficient way of anti-gravity yoga.
How to Get the Best Yoga Swing?
If you thought a yoga swing is just a piece of cloth hanging from your ceiling then you are very wrong. The concept of a yoga swing seems very easy and natural but it is much more complex than that. You need to choose the right swing and install it perfectly to get the safest and most comfortable swing that leaves you in total control.
There are many types of yoga swings with many variable features. They can differ in terms of
- Weight limit
- Colour
- Fabric type
- Diameters/ length
- Number of handles or no handles
- Price
It depends on the buyer which characteristic matters the most to them. Even if you are on a tight budget, you can still manage to get a good and most suitable best yoga swing set for yourself.
How to Install Yoga Swing?
What to do after buying the most suitable yoga swings? It takes a lot of time and energy to compare and select the finest yoga swing kit for yourself but your work is not yet done! It is very important for you to install the swing flawlessly to avoid any hazards and incidents in the future. To help you to carry out the flawless installation of a yoga swing set, you should carry out the following steps.
Step 1. Safety Check:
Before installation, you must double-check the equipment. First of all, check the stitching of the swing to make sure it’s rigid and will not tear. Most yoga swings are triple stitched. If the swing feels lousy or loose, call the company’s helpline and get the swing exchanged.
Next, check the knots of the carabiners. The rope knots should be tightly secured around the carabiners. Then you need to test the carabiners and if they are damaged. Damaged carabinersshould be changed.
Next and most importantly, check the extension straps. Check each loop separately for any defaults in stitching. If there is any issue, do not use the swing and contact the respective company with your issue.
If you do not have extension straps with your kit, then you should tie a strong knot of the fabric. This knot should be very carefully and tightly secured.
Step 2. Choose the Right Structure to Hang the Swing on:
Select a safe, secure, and concrete structure to hang the hammock to ensure complete safety. The structure must be secure enough to lift the load of one person. Some options could be
- Ceiling mounts
- Exposed ceiling beam sets
- Swing sets
If rods are not available, you can always drill ceiling mounts for the swings.
These mounts should be at least 8 feet or 2.4 meters above ground level. Both hooks/mounts should be at a distance of 16 inches or 41 centimeters from one another.
Step 3. Hang the Hammock:
This step differs depending on the structure of the surface for example ceiling mounts, swing set, etc. For ceiling mounts, pass the rope or the extension strap through the hook of the mount. Add a carabiner at the free end of the rope or extension strap. If you are using a rope, make sure to tie a strong knot around the hook. Follow the same procedure on both hooks.
Step 4. Tie the Hammock with a Carabineer:
Take one end of the hammock and add a carabiner. Now form a tight and secure knot of the hammock around the carabiner.
Next, attach the hammock’s carabiner with the carabiner of the rope extended from the ceiling mount. Follow the same for both hooks and make sure the swing is leveled. This slip knot makes sure no ropes come undone when weight is applied to the swing.
Your yoga swing is securely installed now.
Step 5. Last Security Check:
Before sitting on the hammock, do one last security check. Tug a couple of times at the carabiners to make sure they are secured. Now tug at the knot of the hammock and the surface of the hammock with your both arms. Apply pressure. If the swing feels loose, you may want to attach your hammock to a safe beam instead. If it feels right, you can test it out.
It is much easier than it appears in these steps but if you think it is too much work, you should know a yoga swing is definitely worth the wait and energy.
What are the Benefits of Anti-Gravity Yoga?
Yoga swings are used to practice aerial yoga. Aerial or anti-gravity yoga has been in practice for centuries. There is no doubt that it is indeed one it is the most beneficial and fruitful types of yoga. Different aerial asanas offer different benefits. Some benefits of aerial yoga include:
- Enhances stretches
- Alleviates joint and tendon pressure and spinal constriction that floor workouts may generate
- Improves digestion
- Releases tension
- Better blood circulation
- Improves balance
- Strengthens core strength
- Battles the signs of aging
- Enriches breath awareness
- Provides better access to inverted postures
- Discharges endorphins
- Improves brain functions
- Spiritual relief and connectivity to your subconscious
Believe it or not, many yogis have said that regular aerial yoga practice has given them better sleep at night. Several yogis also say that aerial yoga makes them “feel safe”.
As quoted by a yoga fitness expert, “Some describe the feeling as being in a cocoon, which can be especially comforting for healing trauma.” aerial yoga helps with mental discomfort and past traumas as well.
What is the Difference Between Anti-Gravity Yoga & Classic Yoga?
The most asked question from yoga experts is “what is the difference?” well there is more difference between aerial yoga and ‘normal’ yoga than you can guess. Dr. Marina Quattrocchi says that aerial yoga is much more beneficial for those who experience joint and spinal pain. This is possible because a fabric hammock suspended in the air gives you much more flexibility to access difficult and complex postures. These yoga pose are much harder to achieve on the floor on a mat. The full-body stretch and movement really helps with circulation and spine that classic yoga lacks. Moreover, the myth about aerial yoga being more complex than classic yoga is completely false as you do not even feel additional difficulty while being suspended in the air. The inverted asana can be achieved twice as easily with a fabric hammock as compared to classic yoga.