Give Yourself a Detox with Aerial Yoga!

One of the main goals of exercising is to promote physical fitness and to aid in the betterment of our mental health — the same goes for aerial yoga.

Frequently, because of the hustle and bustle of 21st century life, we tend to overlook our health for the sake of being able to keep up: to update every social media platform that we like, to get in with the new trends, to achieve something more, and to learn a new skill every day.

Although being productive makes you feel like a powerhouse, it is also important to take a break as often as possible. With all the forms of information and media that you consume on a daily basis, you will definitely come to a point wherein you just want to take a break because it has become toxic and counterproductive for you.

With that, having an output for all the stresses is a great way to handle it! Give yourself some detox with aerial yoga, even in the comforts of your own home with the simplest of movements that you can execute.

 

What is Detoxing?

Detoxing is a way for our body to release the toxins that everyday life throws at us.

These stresses may come from various reasons such as having piles of workload that students or employees should finish before the clock strikes at the end of the day, sitting and staring at our screens for long periods or even the process of commuting to and from our daily agendas; not to mention poor diet and even over training at the gym!

Stresses come from literally almost anywhere. For some people, even the mere act of being outside could cause stress and change their mood. This is because of our stress hormone, cortisol, rising up to levels that make us feel these kinds of things.

When things are piling up too much and you just want to make everything stop, it’s good to listen to your body, take a step back and not only take a digital detox, but also a physical one too from time to time.

To counter that, or at least to be able to have an outlet for it, finding an effective exercise for yourself and your lifestyle is important to keep both a physically and mentally fit self.

 

“Treat your body like a temple.” so they say, and we do too!

Fitness does not mean depriving yourself of the good things in life because of your goals. Sacrifices are supposed to be done and are really part of the process, as it is important to take breaks, but it does not have to be too much of a burden.

It is okay to push through your limits and see the other side but if you feel like it is not the time yet, then there is no need to rush. That is not how we want fitness to work.

For us, fitness does not only involve the physical aspect, but the mental aspect as well. It is known and proven that exercising helps drastically improve our mental health because of the stress relief that it provides. There is no better way of doing something and it is hitting two birds with one stone.

Simple detoxing could be done at any time of the day and the week. There is not really a specific day or condition for you to do it. You can do a session whenever you feel like you are on the edge, or do it periodically, focusing on the detox process for a few days at a time.

It is important that we do a detox from time to time. We must consider detoxing as a part of our normal everyday lives and not as a privilege. Everyone should have an outlet for their own personal toxicities, and it may just help break some negative habits too!

 

Who should do a detox at least once a week?

Doing a detoxifying routine or activity at least once a week greatly impacts your quality of life.

The best people that should try detoxing or an aerial yoga detox are those:

• Lacking energy for the past few days without any apparent reason
• Experiencing headaches, migraines, and body aches
• Skin conditions such as acne and others
• Feeling some stiffness in their back and joints

 

Not solely for fitness…

Exercising is not all lifting, building, and losing body weight and physically improving one’s appearance. Aside from these goals, one of the things that you should also work on whenever you exercise is the way you think.

As we all know, exercising boosts the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, also known as endorphins. Whenever we exercise, our mind shifts our focus into executing the repetitions and poses properly and with accuracy — that is if our mind is truly present. Being able to execute these gives us the feeling of achievement and pride that we would absolutely want to feel again and on a regular basis starting then.

The simple act of exercising can increase one’s mood drastically that when done regularly, might also change one’s perspectives and views of life. So, keep in mind that you are not just for the betterment of your appearance but also your thinking! Exercising is not all focused on being fit, but also on being mentally fit.

Let exercising be the way to a new path in your life or much better, do it with aerial yoga.

 

What is Aerial Yoga?

Yoga is a practice passed on for centuries now. It is used for recreation and restorative practices in ancient times and just continuously improves people’s lives up to the present day.

Aerial Yoga is a variation of the traditional floor yoga that we know through the use of specific aerial equipment that is suspended from the ceiling by specialized metalware, such as an aerial hammock or yoga swing.

In this practice, you are to be suspended in the air. Yes! You read that right. Being suspended mid-air provides most people with the feeling of being free and restrictions are thrown out of the window and all that is left is you, unbound.

Aside from the surreality of the experience, there are also aerial yoga poses that target specific concerns ranging from backaches, neck stiffness, heaviness on the shoulders, gentle stretches, and up to the most complex ones that will definitely make you feel like a pro aerial yogi!

In this blog, we will share some poses that are great  to detox with aerial yoga.

 

Detox with Aerial Yoga

As we mentioned earlier, aerial yoga has been used as a form of restorative practice. It is one of the most highly recommended forms of physical therapy that is accessible and inclusive.

Aerial yoga accommodates all people regardless of age, gender, and size. The fluidity of both the fabric and the practice is what we love the most about aerial yoga here at Gravotonics.

In addition to that, we also learn to practice breathing techniques whenever we do aerial yoga.

These breathing techniques train our cardiovascular system to withstand more strenuous activities and improve its overall health and capabilities. Who wouldn’t want that, right?

Aside from its benefits to our cardiovascular system, there are also certain aerial yoga poses that provide a gentle massage on the abdomen, therefore massaging our internal organs and providing a bit of movement, stretch and mobility. All these techniques make it a comfortable experience to detox with aerial yoga.

 

Aerial Yoga Poses for Detoxing

Most of us, if not all, are not really a fan of detoxing, because one, it can be more stressful depending on the activity, and two, it can really set you back in terms of momentum in your daily life.

But there is no need for you to think about those two when detoxing with aerial yoga! Keep your normal routine. just switch up your poses to these gentle cleansing poses and let the detox process work its magic.

 

Aerial Downward Dog

The Aerial Downward Dog pose provides a gentle stretch in the stomach as you bend down on the ground, stretching your arms and legs in the process as well. This pose is great for improving your bowel movement and circulation when done regularly.

First, adjust your swing to be just about the height of your hips. Then, insert your upper body and let the fabric rest in front of your pelvis. Raise your arms up as you fold forward and reach for the ground with your hands.

When executing this pose, you must reach an inverted “V” shape pose. The soles of your feet must also be flat on the ground as well as the palm of your hands pointing forward as you straighten your torso and legs towards the junction or upwards. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

Aerial Bridge Pose

The next pose is easy: Aerial Bridge Pose is great for stretching the back and we very much recommend doing this with your eyes close for the best experience!

Adjust your swing lower on the ground, just about the height of your knees or higher. Lie down on the ground with your back. Insert your legs into the swing and raise your lower body as you raise your legs as well.

Rest your hands flat on the sides and use them for support but make sure that your core is engaged and you are breathing properly. Do this pose for 30 seconds again up to 1 minute.

 

Aerial Reclined Big Toe Pose 

This next pose is a good pose next to the Aerial Bridge Pose. This pose gives a good stretch to the back of your thighs and your legs.

From the Aerial Bridge Pose, remove one leg from the swing. This is the leg that you will be holding up. Rest your back flat on the ground and hold the soles of your feet with both of your hands. Pull the said leg toward your body while keeping it straight.

You should feel the stretch at the back of your thighs and your arms as well. If this feels too hard at the moment, then it is okay if you fold or lighten your knees a little.

Do not forget to breathe and do the same on the other side. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds up to 1 minute on each side. Do it slowly and controlled. 

 

Aerial One-Leg Child Pose

Child pose is definitely one of the go-to poses of every yogi out there and is even frequently used for cooldown because of its healing, calming, and restorative properties.

To do the child pose, start with kneeling and then reach towards the ground using your upper body while keeping your tailbone tucked in.

Also, reach your arms forward overhead. Make sure that there is space between the ears and your arms so you can also breathe properly. Insert one of your legs straight back into the swing.

Stretch. Breathe. Do this pose again for 30 seconds up to 1 minute. 

 

Aerial Boat Pose (Hands, Hips, and Soles)

This next pose is another variation or extension of the poses that we did in this session. The Aerial Boat Pose is good if you want to include a little challenge or cardio as an end for your flow.

To do this, sit on the ground and step your feet toward the aerial yoga fabric. Raise your legs up and use your hands to pull some of the fabric towards you. Make sure that your legs are straight as you raise them up.

Your upper body must also be raised up and you must be forming a semi-”V” pose. The tension provided by the pulling of your hand adds the extra challenge to this pose!

 

Aerial Seated Wide-Legged Straddle Pose 

Our last pose to detox with aerial yoga, adjust your swing higher, about the height of your head when seating upright.

To do the Aerial Seated Wide-Legged Straddle Pose, sit upright in front of your swing and spread your legs wide apart. Hold onto the swing above your head using both of your hands.

Then, bend your upper body forward. You must feel the stretch on your back, shoulders, and inner thighs.

Do not do this forcefully as you might strain your legs or your shoulders. However if you want to elevate the intensity a little you can do this suspended in the sling and use the handles as stirrups as depicted in the picture.

Similar to the other poses, do this one for 30 seconds up to 1 minute. You can also move back and forth a little for a bit of movement.

 

The Best Detox for You

Detoxifying should not have to be too hard or too expensive. Moreover, it should be accessible and inclusive, that is why we suggest to detox with aerial yoga.

We recommend aerial yoga not only because we pioneer in it, but because of the countless great testimonies from our customers and practitioners. We want aerial yoga to be able to reach you and help you reach the goals you have for yourself.

Of course we definitely suggest detaching from the computer and phone screens for a while, eating clean and doing some juicing and other supportive activities while detoxing!