There was a period of time in 2011 where I was practising yoga rather religiously. I even attempted and completed a 40-day Bikram Yoga self-challenge! These days I’ve not been doing much yoga, but I was all game for a YogaFly elementary class at Upside Motion, as recommended by Stretch City, a new online all-things-yoga portal.
I did a bit of reading before I went for the class, but I still felt a little nervous, wondering how I would handle the class. Upside Motion has a new branch at Armenian Street, newly opened about one and a half months ago, and that was where I headed to for the class.
Registration was done online so that I could save time at the counter and also save paper (and the trees)! I was told beforehand to come in close-fitting and comfortable clothes with sleeves for the class as it is important to cover your underarms, midriff and legs to avoid abrasion. It is also advisable to remove all jewellery.
YogaFly is a hybrid yoga that combines the benefits of traditional yoga, pilates and acrobatics into one complete workout. You will find yourself being cradled in sheer but strong fabric suspended from the ceiling. Yes, a little bit like the circus.
Don’t worry about the fabric snapping or tearing – it is made of an ultra strong and flexible material that enables you to work out while being fully supported for a safe, low-impact exercise regime. If you are new to it, of course you will be slowly eased into it and not thrown into poses too technical.
We started off doing some stretching with the fabric (ok let’s call it hammock, fabric sounds weird) before moving into poses like the tree pose. We started doing a little more complex moves and I found myself hanging upside down with my legs curled around the fabric (oops, hammock I mean) for support. You really need to have a little bit of courage and you must absolutely trust the special seven-yard long stretchy fabric (hammock).
There was one pose where we had to rest our hips on the fabric (hammock) and then with our arms extended behind us, kick off and swing like a plank. I was worried of slipping off the fabric but I just took a deep breath and kicked off! It was easier than it seemed and I enjoyed it.
The last move was the vampire trick, as the instructor called it (see my opening picture) and you had to engage your core and give one good kick to get your legs up, above and over you before stretching out. The first time I did it I was clinging onto the cloth for dear life, but when I tried it the second time, I relaxed much more and realised I didn’t need to grip it too tight!
At an elementary level, the moves weren’t difficult to execute, especially if you have a strong core. You just need the courage to lift your legs off the ground and be suspended. Here are some benefits of YogaFly:
- Stronger core muscles and a well-toned upper body
- Improved posture and reduced tension in the neck and spine
- Increased flexibility and joint mobility, particularly in the hips, spine and shoulders
- Develop greater body awareness in a new aerial dimension
Go give it a try! You can get a one-week trial pass for $55 or go for a single class at $40. More pricing details can be found here.
GET FLYING!
Upside Motion is located at:
100 Turf Club Road #01-02L/X
Singapore 287992
Tel: +65 64651559
or
36 Armenian Street #02-03
Singapore 179934
Tel: +65 66366859
