AcroYoga - Together you are less alone
Apr 29, 2020
Have you always wanted to fly? In AcroYoga we connect with each other through movement and play to float together. With this form of yoga you not only build confidence in your own body, but also within your partnership or friendship.
We've summarized for you what's behind the yoga trend and how you can try it out in your own home.
What is AcroYoga and where does it come from?
AcroYoga is a form of partner yoga. The term was first used in Canada in 1999 by Eugene Poku and Jessie Goldberg. The two began their journey together in dance and then revised their routine to incorporate acrobatics and yoga.
Finally, in 2003, AcroYoga International was founded by Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein in San Francisco. They coined the AcroYoga terms used today and developed a training program that teachers around the world can use to teach.
AcroYoga combines traditional Hatha or Vinyasa Flow Yoga with acrobatics. It can also incorporate elements of the healing arts such as Thai massage. Gravity is used as an element for strengthening the muscles as well as for stretching.
A typical AcroYoga class consists of warm-up, partner work, flowing sequences, inversions and can be rounded off with a Thai Yoga massage.
Do I need previous acrobatic knowledge?
No. You don't have to be a master gymnast or circus acrobat to start AcroYoga. As with solo yoga practice, it's more about listening to your body and exploring its natural range of motion. Little by little, you'll learn movement building blocks and skills that will literally take you to the next level.
All you need is your own motivation and a partner with whom you can test the laws of gravity together.
Yoga exercises for two for more mindfulness
While you spend a lot of time in your head when doing yoga and meditation alone, AcroYoga is an intense partner work that creates a shared physical experience for you and your fellow yogi. Not only do you learn to be more aware of contact points, but you also develop your communicative awareness.
AcroYoga a way to interact with your partner, listen mindfully and communicate your own needs.
You may remember the basics of mindfulness from our post "Fighting the winter blues with mindfulness". While with inward-focused mindfulness you communicate primarily with yourself, AcroYoga offers a way to interact with your partner, listen to them, and communicate your own needs.
Flying Yogis - AcroYoga terms
Are you base, flyer or both?
To facilitate communication, there are a few basic concepts that every Acro-Yogi should know. Good communication is important to ensure safety and to get into a flow together.
You will hear the following terms during an AcroYoga class:
Base: Base, as the name implies, refers to the person who is on the ground. In most poses, they lie with their back firmly on the mat. Your job as Base is to provide a stable foundation for the flyer's AcroYoga poses.
Flyer: The flyer, or flyer, is the person who is lifted off base. Body tension and balance are important skills for the flyer. Once in the air, the flyer assumes poses similar to yoga asanas.
Spotter: The spotter is a kind of mediator between base and flyer. He provides support and helps to improve the shape of the poses and to ensure the safety of all practitioners.
Solar acrobatics: In this dynamic part of AcroYoga, the focus is on the flow of movement. Base and flyer are in constant motion and flow from one pose to the next. This even includes jumps and spins.
Lunar Acrobatics. This rather calm variant of AcroYoga is also called therapeutic flying. Here, the flyer is brought into static postures that resemble the asanas in Hatha Yoga. The focus here is on relaxation. The flyer is lifted from the base, moved and sometimes massaged.
Yoga: As a counterpart to the physical element of acrobatics, yoga brings spirituality and creates harmony between body and mind. Pranayama breathing techniques and mindfulness in the movements of both partners promote physical and mental connection.
If the communication is right, you learn AcroYoga in a playful way with your partner. And by the way, you'll learn a few interesting things about yourself.
3 things AcroYoga teaches you
AcroYoga looks beautiful, feels good and allows for new perspectives on your own abilities. It is an invitation to look at yourself and your partner from an authentic point of view.
1. open communication: the key to successful teamwork
Communication is the key to successful teamwork. Exercises usually get mixed up when there are misunderstandings. You will find the common flow, however, when an open and trusting exchange takes place. No matter if verbally, through eye contact or touching. You and your partner decide how best to communicate in a mindful way.
2. honest self-assessment of natural limits
Balancing someone above your head only works when you have the right posture. That means your body has to be ready for it. AcroYoga allows you to realistically assess your physical abilities through the natural limits your body sets for you.
3. natural flow: synchronous with the partner
Getting into a flow requires timing. By working out a new pose with your partner, you learn to match your pace to that of another to get in sync. Once your bodies are in flow, you are ready for the next level. Gradually you can reduce touch points and minimize movement.
AcroYoga exercises for beginners at home
Although there is now a worldwide community that regularly holds so-called AcroYoga jam sessions.
Good beginner poses are Throne, Free Bird and Folded Leaf. Use a tutorial with photos for the five best beginner exercises or a video tutorial for acro yoga newbies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyzd9kPnPSw (AcroYoga for Beginners at Home)
It is important that you have enough space and start with exercises at the beginner level to prevent injuries. If you respect your physical limits, AcroYoga is quite safe and brings one thing above all: great fun.
Take off together
AcroYoga not only gives you a comprehensive work-out for body and mind, but also promotes strength, balance, flexibility and coordination. You learn more about your own gravity and discover what it means to be in flow with your partner.
The interaction with other yogis also gives you the opportunity to look at your own body from a new perspective. And what could be better than feeling yourself and your partner? So grab your partner or a friend and take off together ...
and don't forget your LUVIYO!