Why Would You Do Swing Yoga & What Sets It Apart?

From facts to misconceptions, swing yoga probably has it all — but not just those, of course!

Swing yoga proves to be beneficial for various age groups, people with particular conditions, and even to those who are only doing it for the sake of having fun!

In this blog, we will be talking about what really sets the swing yoga practice apart from other yoga styles and exercises, what the most significant benefits that you can reap, the possible modifications and additions that you can incorporate into your practice for an added twist, and just its overall versatility!

From all of our aerial yoga publications, modifications, and additions to the practice, let us have a detailed view of what really is the significance of swing yoga and if it is suitable for you.

At the end of this blog, we would like you to ask yourself the question, “Would I do swing yoga?”

 

Defying gravity… with cloth?

Most people would go, “That is not safe!” whenever they hear about aerial yoga even without truly knowing how it works. We at Gravotonics have years and years of genuine experience with the activity and rest assured that although it does come with risks, there are a lot of ways to minimize them all with proper research and professional guidance.

In swing yoga, we really do defy gravity using cloth — but why cloth? Wouldn’t that be too flimsy to hold a person up? In this practice, Nylon is our best option.

Nylon is a material that is definitely extremely strong and can withstand pulling, gripping, and certain strenuous activities given that it is the right kind for the said activity.

In this practice, we use a special nylon parachute fabric that is sturdy enough to hold a person suspended from the ground and at the same time non-irritating and easy to handle and to grip onto. The multiple colorways are just bonuses!

Contrary to popular belief, a not-so-stretchy fabric is perfect for doing swing yoga: this is for those who want to have more stability since with parachute fabric, there is not that stretchiness that is common in some aerial yoga practices, and you would not “sink” into the fabric, which in extension, could affect your balance and the proper way of executing a pose.

The fabric that we use with our yoga swings and aerial hammocks are military grade, rip-stop parachute fabrics because they provide more stability, especially for beginners who are still on their way to finding their balance and polishing their mid-air skills.

This fabric also provides a greater, but not too much, amount of friction so that it is easier to grip and we can minimize the risk of falling. Of course, it is not just cloth — that would be unsafe!

Parachute fabric is also breathable meaning that even if you sweat while in a session, it is more than okay! It will eventually dry up but still, ensure the proper maintenance of your equipment by washing, or dry-cleaning depending on your preference. Also, don’t forget to disinfect before and after use if you’re sharing with others!

We also use special metalware that is specifically made for this practice. These will hold up the equipment from the ceiling and makes sure that everything is strongly intact. Just ensure that they are properly installed to maximize their purpose and reduce risk.

High-quality parachute fabric plus specially-made metalware? What more can you ask for?! All that we are waiting for is you to finally defy gravity!

 

Mid-air Suspension Therapy

According to healthline, the suspension that aerial yoga provides allows for our body to open more freely, and intuitively than that of the traditional floor yoga.

This means that aerial yoga helps you get into fitness without really sacrificing comfort and having to experience too much pain.

In working out, it is inevitable to feel some pain but in aerial yoga, one of its very mission is to relieve it without neglecting the “getting fit” aspect of working out.

Swing yoga is an all-in-one workout because there are poses that you can do for simple stretching, poses that have repetitions for muscle targeting and exercising, and also poses that aims to aid muscle and other body aches such as those of the back, shoulders, hips and legs etc.

In general, swing yoga is considered as a mid-air suspension therapy because the feeling alone of being suspended in the air gives us this freedom that we do not usually experience when we are standing or sitting upright from the ground.

Swing yoga is also often referred to as ‘flying yoga’ or ‘trapeze yoga’ and is also commonly confused with Aerial Yoga because of the unique contraptions that one needs in order to do it. The contraptions allow for the ‘flying’ of the yogi.

A lot of practitioners have also stated how it is easier to execute asanas whilst being supported by the yoga swing in their traditional floor yoga practice, as well as some poses performed in mid-air. So its a new option for you to try!

It is undeniable that a lot of poses in the traditional floor yoga setup is difficult especially if you are a beginner. Oftentimes, a lot of people tend to get overwhelmed and just give up the practice altogether — don’t!

Give yourself another chance by finding a modification that is easier and get yourself some props such as the yoga swing and you’ll see the practice through a new perspective. Try swing yoga first and you’ll never know, you might come to love the practice like we do!

 

Light and Easygoing

In the exhaustingly busy world that we all live in, wouldn’t you want to give yourself some solace amidst it all?

Swing yoga is a practice that is light and easygoing. Regardless if you are a beginner or a veteran, you can always opt to do a soft session because it is always available and is still effective.

In getting fit, we also have to keep in mind that even though the exercises that we are doing are low-impact, it does not mean that they are not totally effective. It is a light workout: as we said earlier, in swing yoga, there is no requirement as to how many reps, how long, or how many sessions you punch in a day. What we want you to achieve is peace with yourself and your capabilities.

This does not mean that we are hindering your growth by being content with what you have at present, but about building the strength and will over time to achieve a habit that you will embody throughout your life, not just when you are swinging with your equipment. Do what you can only do for the day and do not force it.

Easygoing as a preference: of course, you will encounter people in this practice who are quite intense and truly do the hardest and most complex poses repeatedly and in a sequence — you on the other hand, do not need to if you neither feel like it or are not quite at that level yet. It is similar to what we said about considering your current capabilities.

Try and take this practice as a way to enjoy yourself and have fun without the feeling of simply reducing the practice to the need to burn calories with every move.

 

A bunch of great things!

Swing yoga has a lot of benefits most particularly to the person who practices it with consistency.

Consistent muscle stretching

Swing yoga never disappoints especially when it comes to stretching — it even champions on it! As we said the last time, swing yoga allows for the body to open or stretch more gently and completely than when you do it all on your own without the aid of yoga swing. This increases the ease of executing poses and getting into deeper stretches for greater comfort and relief.

Better stability, balance, and posture

Of course, long-term practice would eventually lead to you having better stability, balance, and flexibility — and these are only a few of the most significant benefits! Continuous practice of swing yoga develops you in these aspects that greatly contribute to better posture and overall improvement of your health.

Joint Decompression

Standing or sitting upright for extended periods of time, particularly to those who are in the working field, pressure could build up in the joints and even the back that causes aches here and there. You can stretch those pains away through swing yoga!

With the right variation and guidance, you would not need any other medicine or contraption. This can also become a primary focus through Inversion Therapy, whereby you hang upside down to decompress the spine and allow the vertebra to unwind.

Inversions for Brain Power

You can also do inversions easier in swing yoga! Since it is a versatile activity, inversions are made a lot more possible because of the equipment’s nature, and inversions are one of the constant asanas in swing yoga.

Inversions promote better circulation, allowing for our bodily fluids, particularly the blood, to recirculate faster back to our upper extremities which then promotes better functioning of our brain as more blood and oxygen reaches it. This helps you make better decisions and think a lot more clearly.

A Helping Hand in Digestion

If you are one of those people who have quite a hard time digesting and ends up being bloated for quite some time, swing yoga could also help with that! It could be hard for the food to move through your digestive system so a little help would not hurt.

Poses that involve twisting could help move your abdomen, which, in extension, your organs also move along because they do not just stay in place! Of course, when you move, your organs also adjust especially if it is big movements or stretches. Therefore, this promotes greater peristalsis or the natural movement of food in the digestive system.

 

Swing Yoga Level-Ups!

What else can you incorporate into swing yoga? Wonder no more because we have quite a good list for you:

Aerial Yoga Nidra

Aerial Yoga Nidra is a variation that is also commonly referred to as “yogic sleep”. In this practice, we aim to improve one’s sleeping habits by inducing it through poses that provide intense muscle and joint relief.

Inversion Therapy

There is also a variation of swing yoga that is more focused on inversions. As we said earlier, Inversion Therapy is great for those who seek relief and comfort by doing only one constant pose with small movements or changes here and there. It is fairly simple and easy to understand but bears a lot of good benefits.

Yogic Breathing

You can also practice and improve your breathing habits in swing yoga! Oftentimes, we somehow ‘forgot’ to properly breathe and find yourself shallow breathing, or breathing heavily or deeply all of a sudden. Yogic breathing aims to improve this by practicing mindfulness in the way we breathe but not to the point of overthinking it. Yogic breathing allows for our respiration to come a lot more naturally and with ease.

Proper breathing helps our brain to get more oxygen which then leads to it functioning the way it should and to avoid having cloudy judgment. Remember when people tell you to just breathe in stressful situations? It is just the same principle but on a continuous basis.

Restorative Swing Yoga

As we said, there is a variation of swing yoga that only aims to relieve and restore your body’s capacities. In this variation of swing yoga, you do not really need to do repetitions but rather focus on the yin practice of slowly relaxing into the stretch for your muscles and bones to get a little help and faster recovery time.

Restorative swing yoga also helps those who are recovering from serious injuries and diseases by slowly reintroducing the body back into exercising and to, again, restoring one’s then capabilities.

Sound Healing

And why don’t we immerse ourselves in music?! In line with versatility, you can also choose to do your swing yoga with music playing. This music could be calming, soft, and even one that is instructional, especially for those who prefer to do their yoga practices alone.

Studies have shown that a lot of people tend to have faster recovery from illnesses with the help of music because it reaches certain parts of our brain that simple words cannot. Sound healing is a great natural alternative to try or add to your path to improving your emotional and mental health. Swing yoga with sound healing is great for giving yourself some ‘quiet time’ for reflection.

 

So, would you do Swing Yoga?

And we have arrived at the end! The question now is would you do swing yoga?

With all these benefits, modifications, and recommendations in mind, we genuinely hope that you try it so you will better see what we are promoting and why a lot of our practitioners have attested to it.

Here at Gravotonics, our relationship does not end after sales invoices. We continuously work to provide you useful information about your swing yoga practices may they be at home or in a professional studio.

If you have inquiries about swing yoga and where to get the right equipment, just head to our homepage and connect with us.