Long Distance Runners Benefit from AntiGravity Aerial Yoga Regimen

Long distance runners know the toll the road takes on their body. Especially in the cold on New England, where runners train in all conditions throughout the winter for their long Patriot's Day run in Boston, there is a physical price to be paid. In addition to requiring dedication, endurance, and stamina, distance runners need time to heal. The benefits of yoga for distance runners have been well documented in the medical literature. Consideration should also be made to supplementing one’s training to reduce the risk of injury through a regimen of Antigravity ® aerial yoga. There are some key reasons why inclusion of such a regimen would be beneficial.

Joint & Spinal Decompression and Better Stretching
Running, by its nature, is a high impact sport. With every foot strike and mile, serial pressure is placed on the runner’s joints, spinal column, and extremities. Biomechanically, pressure is transmitted from the road through the feet, ankles, knees, and joints in a pounding, repetitive manner. With time, increased pressure builds and the distance runners can feel it in their joints. Given the repetition, disc compression is also to be expected. Distance running overtaxes certain muscle groups, including hamstrings, hip flexors and calves. It also puts added pressure on the stabilizing musculature of the outer hip and thigh, not to mention the IT band, which can be particularly problematic for many runners.Aerial Yoga, such as AntiGravity, provides a proven and safe way to decompress one’s spine through utilizing aerial techniques in a silk hammock suspended in air. The concept is simple: body and mind are focused through a variety of inversions designed to heal and restore spirit and vitality. The pounding road creates compression; the inversions in the hammock are designed to counter with decompression. By using the AntiGravity hammock, extra relief is also given to one's hip and neck, which allows them to stretch out with safe support.

While different yoga modalities might seem intimating to the uninitiated, the AntiGraivty hammock is designed to be extremely accessible. The hammock is like having the perfect balancing assist of one's own, personal stretching companion. The hammock cradles one’s body in the safe confines of silk so one can actually stretch further and more effectively than on the ground. Many professional athletes, after an AntiGravity class, will describe it as the “best stretch” they have ever had.

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