I told my sensible self that I bought this to help with back pain from sitting at a desk all day, but I secretly have always wanted to be one of those acrobats twirling around on yards and yards of silk twenty feet from the ground! Buying this seemed to be a fun and safe way to hang upside down in cool poses and fuel my whimsy. Silliness aside, it's a fantastic product. My back and neck have never felt so good! It almost feels like I'm taller.

Installing it was a little bit of a challenge, but nothing that couldn't be solved by a trip to Home Depot and chatting with their associates. I did order the ceiling mounts recommended with this item on Amazon. However, when I went to Home Depot to purchase the lag screws, I discovered that the recommended fasteners would not work for my ceiling's beam structure. A stud finder is invaluable if you can't see your ceiling's beam structure. Also note you have more flexibility for placing your trapeze along the length of a beam rather than across multiple beams.

Before you buy mounting fixtures, determine if your ceiling beams are 2x8s or 4x8s. Most typical older buildings like my apartment will have 2x8s. If that is the case, you can't use the recommended mount item on Amazon (Amazon mounts require the beam to be at least 4" wide since there are 4 holes for lag screws around the circle plate). I ended up using two 3/8" screw eye bolts from Home Depot. Each was spec'd for 325lbs (total 650lbs), which was better than the Amazon recommended ceiling mount's 200lbs (total 400lbs). The option I used was also cheaper--about $7 for two screw eye bolts. The Amazon recommended option required two mounts and eight screws, which would've totaled to around $10. It's not a huge difference, but if there's a cheaper option, why not take it?

Mounting the screw eye bolts into the ceiling required drilling a pilot hole half the diameter of the bolt. It's easy to turn by hand for the first bit, but when you start feeling more resistance, insert a dowel/stick/pole in the ring and use it like a lever to generate extra force. I'm a tiny, not so strong woman, but I had no problem putting these in using the dowel method. The hardest part was figuring out how to reach the ceiling without a tall enough ladder (solved by using my dining room table). The whole process took about fifteen minutes to mark the placement, drill the holes, install the hooks, and hang the trapeze.

When it was first hung, I was a little baffled about how to get into it. Youtube videos and a footstool were very helpful at this stage. There are a wealth of videos on the YogaBody Naturals website that are also really helpful. I recommend watching them before you set up the swing, so you don't torment yourself like me by having to sit next to a fully setup swing watching youtube videos about how to get into it and use it.

If you need to adjust the height, you can add or remove knots in the rope. I ended up taking out two of the knots in mine to get the swing to hang at the proper waist level, and I'm about 5'1".

The swing is really easy to put away, travel with, and put up again, which is a huge plus in a smaller space like mine (I also have a cat that would probably terrorize it if I left it up). I just unclip the sling and the handles and put them in the bag they came in. If you fold up the sling nicely, it's very easy to fit everything in the bag. I leave the ropes hanging in my ceiling hooks just because I'm so short that I'm not bothered by them hanging there. If you're taller, it's easy enough to grab them down or re-hang them if you don't want them out.

All in all, it's great product. I love using it. It doesn't feel like I'm exercising--it feels like playing! However, don't be mistaken, it will give you a work out. Just getting in and out of the swing requires arm and ab exercise, and coming out of inversions slowly is also a great ab work out (as my muscles have been reminding me all day). I'd say that any product that can trick me into working out without realizing it is a great one. Definitely recommend the yoga trapeze!

I love it! The shipping was fast and everything was packaged well. The webpage offers great instructions on installation that my husband was able to easily use. We bought the indoor hammock hanging kit by live infinitely to hang it because of the large (600 pound) weight limit. The ropes that come with it are perfect for being able to adjust the height to where you want them. There is defiantly a bit of a learning curve when first starting to use it for hanging upside down. After a few times of awkward flipping and flailing around (which was hilarious and I was laughing my butt off and having fun the whole time) I got it. Now here is the kicker. I am an out of shape (for now) 270 pound 5'5" woman and I could still do it. The fabric, rope, and carabiners are really sturdy. At first I was worried about my weight being too much for it. But after a few uses I realized that it had no problem holding my weight. Hanging upside down looks way harder than it is. I only hang for a half minute or so at a time for now. But doing that a few times a day I think is making a difference. I have a degenerative spine and a crap load of back issues. This yoga swing is awesome for it! Also there was an unexpected benefit: accidental massive ab workout! The first few days of using it my ab muscles were getting really sore (a sign of a good workout). It took me a little bit to realize that just getting in and out of the hanging position was working my abs that much. I know, probably a sad sign of just how out of shape my abs were, but I'll take it! Also, I love that it is machine washable. The only drawback was the lack of colors. I wish that they had a white version. I have the purple one, and it is pretty, but I would rather be able to leave it hanging up without it sticking out so much because of it being colorful.

The media could not be loaded. Really like this tool!! I call it a tool because I think is a great addition to your daily stretches , yoga practice, etc.. I'm a certified yoga teacher and I can tell you that the way you stretch your body with this tool is FANTASTIC! You can get deeper stretches. I just got it so I will post un updated review once I actually do an entire class .. I'm looking forward to it .. I can feel relief in back and hips already just by doing the tutorial videos . My 10 year old went ahead and tried it with the Superman pose .. he absolutely loved it .. the material is very solid, is a parachute fabric . It was very easy to put up; my husband did all the work ! .. so I will say if you don't know how to find the beam on the ceiling or just not too familiar with drills, definitely look for profesional help; you NEED TO MAKE SURE it gets install properly so is safe for you to use .. other than that is a great product that I will be using daily in my practice ..

The media could not be loaded. The reason I bought this in the first place is, well, they have this unbelievable deal of try for $1 and return if you don't like it. The price back then was $99 and it hasn't changed much since then. Sure upgrades cost more but there is no price gouging. The reason I that I kept it was because my back hurt back then and this took up little realty in our apartment. I hung it on the "pull up" bar for my inversion boots; those boots were impossible to get tight enough and to get my feet over the bar; comical really. That bar was anchored into the studs so I felt like it was the safest thing we had at the time. Plus I knew that they weight tested every trapeze to withstand over 600 pounds. Going upside-down, I want my noggin to be safe. The other no brainer is their 10 year warrantee!! a pretty easy no brainer.
Trying it for the first time I was dizzy and, I am not gonna lie, some positions hurt where the straps cut into my leg. Using the trapeze over time, My hips opened up more and the discomfort went away. Now, it is very nice to hang upside down. Sometimes I will stay fifteen minutes upside-down, writing emails or reading the paper. At first I would only do 30 seconds. I learned that the sling material shouldn't be too high up your back but it should cover an area of boy shorts or boxer briefs. That helps the discomfort as well.
I know that I can only use one at a time but having two trapezes will allow my partner and I to have our setups permanently hung at our heights. Spoiled, I know. Plus they have made some nice improvements. I will go over them in a video. Noteworthy: The daisy chain straps have two different sized end loops at either end so make sure that you put both straps on the same way so that they and the handles will be the same height. The carabiners (now 2 instead of 4, so no clanking sounds) are sharp so make sure that they don't catch the material when you close them. One of my carabiners is stiff and sometimes doesn't self close, I just have to be vigilant in checking my trapeze before use and make sure that it closed. Once closed, it stays closed. The handles are more sturdy and less spongy/ less porous making the new handles easier to clean and disinfect. I'm not sure if it is the material or the handles on the new trapeze but there is a smell when you first open the box. The new material seems slightly more slippery than the old. Nothing of concern, more of a feel. You can take the metal off of both the old and new trapeze and wash them in cold water with vinegar. You cannot leave them to dry in the sun or use the dryer. I haven't tried that yet.
Even thought there weren't any yoga trapeze classes back then, it was a great tool to gain some spinal space, hangin upside down; which is still my favorite thing to do. Now I am working on upper back strength and shoulder support. especially since I spend more time working at the computer at home. My shoulders do feel better and I am sitting and standing taller due to those workouts . The upper body workout on the trapeze is the only thing that I have changed. There are tutorials on the website now and you tube videos; but I look forward to the day when there is some sort of directory to find a "yoga trapeze instructor near you". I think that I would use it even more often if there were.

I took some time before writing this review. Got a neighbor to install the bar in the doorway and it only took him about 30 minutes. I ordered my trapeze in purple because it's my favorite color and I got 2 shades of beautiful, depending which way you flip it :). I hung the trapeze in less than 15 minutes with everything perfectly "customized" for me in height adjustment, etc. It was SO easy. I use this thing most every night and many mornings. My last job of 9 months had me on concrete 5-7 miles a day for 11 hour days 5-6 days a week without breaks. My back suffered and I developed sciatic issues. I've done yoga since I was 6, (and got my certified to instruct a few years ago) and quickly could no longer just fold my body in half. Many days I could barely get out of bed and would get a Charlie horse in my lower back in my hips. In only a few weeks, my mobility has significantly increased and I'm well on the road to recovery for what NO 2 hour massage every 2 weeks and regular chiropractic adjustments could fix. It was just no match for what the trapeze offers with inversions that only being aerial can provide. I didn't even do the $1 offer to try it. I took ONE aerial class and ordered this thing at $99. I ordered a "silk" one also, to be able to have either option. This trapeze has the varied handles the silks don't provide, but the silks are much larger and softer for the "hammock" aspect. I have the best of both worlds and this trapeze has saved me SOOOO much money AND discomfort, AND is recovering me quickly to where I was almost a year ago and for the last 37 years!