Defying gravity

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a new fitness trend that gets your heart pumping and sends your spirits soaring: AntiGravity Yoga.

In the 2010 Grammys, Pink brought this routine to the spotlight with her jaw-dropping performance that used an AntiGravity hammock.

If it comes across artistic and entertaining, as an experience, it actually is, thanks to its creator and developer Christopher Harrison, a former world-class competitive gymnast and professional dancer who also wanted the workout to be a beautiful and enjoyable activity.

Christopher was in town recently to introduce the AntiGravity Yoga, exclusively in partnership with leading yoga studio Beyond Yoga. Pinoys can now experience the routine that’s making waves in the US and in over 50 locations worldwide since the entertainment and fitness brand started licensing it in late 2008.  

“It’s not my first time in the Philippines as I’ve been here many years ago for an acrobatic touring show. I’m at home here. I have fond memories of the country and its people,” he said.

It was in the course of his work — he owns the AntiGravity acrobatic/aerial performance company that has taken part and provided choreography for Hollywood, Broadway and Metropolitan Opera productions as well as entertainment awards shows and even the Olympics — that Christopher invented the AntiGravity hammock. So, instead of the usual mat, this yoga employs that silk hammock apparatus cum structural fabric rated and designed to safely hold over 1,000 lbs., as it hangs from two overhead points and acts like a swing and soft trapeze.

Members of Christopher’s AntiGravity company — composed of athletes, most of whom were Olympic competitors — work on the hammock about 20 ft. suspended off the ground. But when Christopher lowered the hammock to waist-level for the purpose of making it accessible to all, he discovered that by distributing one’s weight between the hammock and the floor, a whole lot of unique exercises and corresponding health benefits were possible.  

The other international celebrity fans of AntiGravity Yoga include Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Courtney Love.  

Pink’s AntiGravity routine in a 2010 Grammy performance

Accredited by international fitness certification agencies such as AFAA, ACE and CYQ, AntiGravity Yoga is basically a hybrid of yoga poses, aerial dance, Pilates and calisthenics. In an AntiGravity Yoga class, one is guided by a certified instructor (to date, there are 200 instructors in the world-over who passed the rigorous certification program) through progressions that gently decompress your overworked spine. Christopher said that the workout can make one taller as it helps stretch the spine and align the body from head to toe.

You get other benefits connected to any kind of yoga such as increased flexibility, toned muscles and relief from stress, with pluses like core workout, upper body strength, an overall relaxed feeling, low impact cardio workout, etc. All these as you revel in the fun aspects of flying, flipping and floating in mid-air.

“It is safe and appropriate for (students) of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. It’s also fun and good for you,” said Christopher.

(Beyond Yoga’s certified AntiGravity instructor is Anna Carbonell. For more details on AntiGravity Yoga classes, visit Beyond Yoga at the 3rd floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato cor. Scout Madrinian St., Quezon City. Log on to www.igobeyondyoga.com or call [+63917]5BEYOND[5239663].)

Beyond Yoga’s AntiGravity Yoga instructor Anna Carbonell in a skirted star pose