Mayan Hammock 101 NRFPT

Getting into Your Mayan Hammock ~ (series of pictures, captioned?) 

It’s really easier than described below.  But for those who want it, we present this ridiculously detailed description. 

Identify the approximate center of the hammock’s width.  This is easy to do visually, especially when the hammock has more than one color (Photo here).  Spread the hammock out a little to expose enough space in the center to accommodate your tushy (Photo here).

Turn your back to the hammock and lower yourself onto the center as you would to sit in a chair.  (Series of photos for this? or Photo here)  As you sit, reach behind you and spread out the weave (Photo here), then lay back into it. (Photo here). Raise your legs and then, using your feet (Photo here), spread the other side out to accommodate your legs (Photo here).

If you’ve followed the instructions, you will find yourself laying perpendicular to the length of the hammock.  (Photo here) This is the preferred starting position for Mayan hammock novices.  It’s comfortable, it maximizes the width of the weave, and makes you feel like you are spread out upon a multi-colored cloud.

Getting the Hang of It ~

Experiment with other positions in the hammock.  You will probably find the least comfortable postion is the one most of us gringos go for intuitively, which is along the length of the hammock.  In that orientation, you will have very little support on your sides, and your body will feel as though you have just been scooped up by angry natives in one of those rope-net booby-traps from an old Tarzan movie. (Photo here)

What I call the ‘sweet-spot’ is found somewhere between the parallel and perpendicular.  That is, you want to rotate your body until you are crossing the length of the hammock diagonally.  If you think of an imaginary line from end-loop to end-loop, your head will be about 1-2 feet on one side of it and your feet about 1-2 feet on the other side.  (Photo here)  It is in this position that your body comes closest to flat.  This is prime snooze territory.  Nighty-night.

Some folks (myself included) prefer to use a small pillow for neck support.  And as a further sleep-enhancing refinement, try skooching (is that a word?) your body down the length of the hammock so your feet are nearer to, but not between, the end strings (Photo here).  This will elevate your legs and lower your torso and head. 

It would be far too brutal to describe the grueling research we conducted to arrive at these findings.  Suffice it to say that no hardship is too extreme in our quest to bring you the most accurate information so that you can maximize your enjoyment of the Mayan hammock. It’s all in a day’s work here at Hammex.  Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my afternoon siesta, er, research session.