After a yoga warm-up and guided breathwork, I take off, secured with cuffs on my wrists and ankles, and float above the mat (held by a monumental wooden beam construction). Wooden rods in my hands give my mind the impression of stability. Slowly I turn, tighten my arms and legs and release. Sometimes I feel the full weight of my body, sometimes I actively work against it. The benefits of the Aer Method are many and varied: mobilization, relaxation, strengthening, regeneration, stress reduction and pain relief… to name just a few. The basis of Aer Stretching is Pravilo, an ancient Slavic movement practice. The origin of the word “pravit” means to straighten something, and pravilo is indeed intended to align the body through gravity and stretching. Mother and son duo Tamara Shengeliya and Alexander Kromm brought the concept from Tbilisi, Georgia to Berlin, adding the latest scientific findings. Training at Aer is always 1:1 according to an individualized plan, led by specialized trainers, ideally once or twice a week. In keeping with the holistic approach practiced and taught here, you can attend grounding yoga classes with master instructor Alex Williams, which combine breathing exercises and deep relaxation. After my session, I feel relaxed, blockages have been released. I leave the studio feeling a little bit lighter.
Text: Verena Schwarz / Photos: Emilie Hain
For Verena Schwarz, movement is both passion and profession. As a certified Pilates instructor, she guides students through the strengthening and mobilizing practice. She incorporates influences from related disciplines into her classes to ensure movement is purposeful, but also fun and engaging. Verena currently teaches mainly at yogafürdich.
Aer Stretching, Kastanienallee 37, 10119 Berlin–Mitte; map
@aerstretching
