Great Escape: Anti-Gravity Yoga

Exercise is a well-known way to cleanse your self of everyday stress. However, Crunch Fitness on Fulton Street in Fort Greene is taking it a couple steps further with their unique exercise classes, like anti-gravity yoga.

The purpose of the class is to repair both body and the mind with various yoga poses and stretches—with an added twist to a time-honored exercise routine.

Anti-gravity yoga involves using a hammock suspended from the ceiling in order to aid and enhance each pose.

“It’s about slowing down and taking time to focus on each of the body parts,” said class instructor Lucey Cummins.

According to Cummins, yoga is generally about focusing on the muscles, but the specially made movements combined with the stretchy hammocks help students reach down even deeper.

Diane Clemente, who took her first class Sunday, said that anti-gravity yoga “really gets into the joint movement, not just the muscles. It’s great.”

Besides being good for the body, anti-gravity yoga is a soothing way to de-stress. Cummins plays soothing Eastern-inspired music, and the hammocks provide a comfortable cocoon to stretch out in.

Suitable for beginners who may need a little extra help, anti-gravity yoga is also challenging enough for advanced practitioners looking for a change of pace.

If anti-gravity yoga is a little too slow-paced for your practice, you can also try Wings, a more sweat-worthy anti-gravity experience. You can also check out Boing with Kangoo, a low impact workout in which members combine bouncy moon boots and cardio exercise.

To find out about classes at Crunch, go to crunch.com or call 718-797-9464. Crunch is located at 691 Fulton St., between St. Felix and Ashland.

Individual Crunch classes are $35 for non-members, $25 for members.