Why do I feel taller after hanging?

That feeling is real, and it's one of the nicest surprises people notice after their first time in the lianas. Here's what's happening: all day long, just standing and sitting, gravity is quietly pressing down on you. Your spine is a stack of discs and joints, and that constant downward pressure squeezes them together bit by bit. When you hang, gravity works with you instead - your own body weight gently pulls everything apart instead of pushing it down. The space between each vertebra opens back up, so you're not imagining it: you likely are very slightly taller right after class.

Think of each spinal disc like a little sponge. Compressed all day, it loses some of its moisture and plumpness. Give it a stretch and a moment to breathe, and it soaks that moisture back in. That's the lightness you feel afterward - space coming back, pressure coming off.

This is exactly why the practice starts small. Even a few seconds of hanging lets the body register that release, and most people feel this lighter, taller sensation from the very first class. It builds from there - a more settled, spacious feeling in the body tends to show up around class 4 to 6, with a steadier result around class 10, always with regular, gentle sessions rather than one big push.

If you're ever in Bali, our studio in the Canggu area runs small guided classes where you can feel this for yourself: https://bookgravity.com/canggu.