As many of you know I love suspension yoga it has been a great part of my practice and I wanted to share a little bit more about it with you. The Yogi Gym is the equipment I use because it has a very comfortable foam insert that supports me as I invert. The handles come with the foam grips are truly amazing for the poses I practice. It also has a variety of knots that the sling and handles sit in which allow you to select the heights that you’d like to practice at which makes them customizable to any body.

In this post I would like to just talk about being inverted in the Yogi Gym and the benefits to being upside down The first benefit it has is the anti aging effects, being upside down nourishes and hydrates the skin at a cellular level offering your very own beauty treatment.

Anti- stress benefits. Research has showed that being inverted relaxes 35% more deeply than in any other position. If you are looking to wind down before bed get in your yogi gym and invert, relax and ease the stress of the day away.

Immune Function benefits are that being inverted boosts the lymphatic drainage system, which is responsible for clearing toxins from our tissues, playing an essential role for our immune system.

Spinal health. In your inversion, there is a tremendous benefit to the spine; it aligns and decompresses it. This relieves pressure and alleviates back pain, there are studies that inversions have proven to be helpful in correcting/ greatly improving different conditions. Such as herniated discs, herniated nucleus pulposis, spondylolisthesis, lumbar osteoarthritis, sciatica, paralytic scoliosis, and inclinatory skeletal defects.

Inversions are used for correcting digestion problems and elimination issues. It stimulates the digestive juices decompressing the body, allowing for better assimilation of nutrients from food. Being inverted allows the stool to move with gravity encouraging elimination.

Some many good things come from inverting!

I wanted to introduce you to inverting with a little practice. If you are having fear around being suspended and upside down I want to ease the anxiety, we can start off easy.

I want to go through a few levels that you can get comfortable with first and take your time working your way up to the other heights. You may think if I don’t go to the highest level will I still reap all the benefits that you listed above? Why yes, yes you will! Being inverted is where the heart is above the head. Alright let’s get our Yogi Gym’s and begin.

Start of with sling and handles at ankle height, we are setting up for a diamond wrap; sit in the sling pull the fabric behind you so that is not all bunched underneath you. Then bunch the fabric and bring the foam piece to your sacrum holding it there, start to lean back holding until it sits tight against your back and then let go opening the legs wide and wrapping around the sling and let your back touch the floor.

Welcome to the inversion life. This is a great way to ease into inversions, here you can swivel the hips allow them to move freely in this decompressed position.

If you are feeling comfortable in this position unwrap the legs and using the handles or sling come out of your diamond wrap slowly, allow the head to come forward for a few moments before getting out of the sling.

For the next height move the sling to knee height and the handles to mid-shin, then same as last time sit in the sling making sure the fabric is not stuck under your seat. Bunch the fabric placing the foam piece at your sacrum and slowly lean back when the fabric is taut you can let go and take hold of the sling spreading the legs wrapping them and leaning back again. To come out take hold of the handles or sling fabric and unwrapping the legs slowly come up leaning the head forward for a moment’s pause before you leave the sling.

You can try this diamond wrap with the sling at mid thigh height handles at mid shin, or at inguinal height (the crease between your upper thigh and hip bone) and the handles are set so that the upper handle is at the top of your head.

I encourage you to explore and play at all the different heights be safe and have fun. You can purchase your Yogi Gym at the link on my website or by clicking here.

Comment on my latest Instagram post about your experience with the inverted life or on Facebook. Feel free to message me with any questions about the Yogi Gym or poses in suspension yoga I would be more than happy to answer them for you.

XO Kristy