Something New: Anti-Gravity Yoga
I’m not a super adventurous gal, but I enjoy trying something new every now and again. So when I saw that a newly formed local gals group, Rhode Explorers, was getting going with an intro class in anti-gravity yoga, I thought it would be just what I needed to fight some of the winter blues and cabin fever.
So this past Saturday I joined a group of truly fabulous females at Raffa Yoga in Cranston, RI. I was very impressed with the facility, the instructor ( who is a rock star), and how wonderful all the gals were- it was a lot of fun and I felt welcomed, truly enjoying myself.
The class was a lot harder than I thought it would be– in fact, I was surprised at how much my body wasn’t letting me do while I was in the class. I thought my flexibility from my regular yoga practice, cardio work, and strength training I’ve been doing over the past year had made a real difference i my body/health ( which they have), but it definitely made me realize how weak my core is! The practice is definitely more of an ab builder than regular yoga, but I was impressed by how having the stability of the hammock helped extend my flexibility with some poses from yoga like half-moon or triangle. The upside-down hanging was a weird sensation for sure, but it was also really interesting to feel how the body stretches and reacts differently too. Of course, pulling myself back up from hanging to get to seated or floating within the hammocks was some of the most strenuous stuff. A lot of us gals were saying it was a lot harder than we thought it would be!
It was great to challenge myself physically, but I also went out on a limb a bit by going to the class alone, instead of waiting to sign up for when I had a friend to come with me. I’m glad I did it because everyone was so welcoming and warm, with lots of support and laughter from everyone, no matter the abilities or strength of any one person.
Image via here
Life By Kristen 