Sky-Lab

A Rush of Blood to the Head isn’t just a Coldplay album you’d like to switch off, it’s also the physical consequence of rolling yourself up in a mesh hammock and hanging upside down for a few seconds at a time. That’s what happens in aerial yoga. You’re suspended in nets that hang from the ceiling, and – at least in our beginner’s class – guided through a series of poses that look neck-breakingly dangerous, but are surprisingly easy once you’re in them. Surprisingly not easy? The hanging upside down part – called an ‘inversion’, and the first time we tried it, we felt like our head would explode after about three seconds. That sensation abated with repetition, but it never quite went away. Aerial yoga’s unique selling point is the way it lets your whole body stretch out and decompress, sans the usual pull of gravity. It’s also said to help with circulation and lymphatic drainage, as all that blood that’s been pooling in your toes rushes back through your body. The nicest part, however, comes at the end of class, when you spend time hanging out in the foetal position, cocooned in a white veil, and gently rocking like a baby. We came out feeling a little taller, and much better rested.