You’ve probably seen people practicing Acro yoga at the park, on the beach or in your Instagram feed. They look effortless and graceful, aren’t they?

What is Acro Yoga?

Acro Yoga is a mixture of Yoga and Acrobatics in which two or more people perform striking figures with their bodies off the ground. It demands flexibility, stability, strength and loads of trust to your partner. It is an excellent technique to help build strong bonds among its practitioners.

In an Acro Yoga session, there are 2 primary roles, the base, and the flyer and another recommended one especially for beginners, the spotter.

Base

It the one on the ground. They firmly hold contact with the ground, usually on their whole back. They normally use the strength of their hands and feet as a base to support the flyer.

Flyer

The flyer is totally dependent on the base as they elevate with a firm base. As they are lifted, they created static and dynamic poses. The flyer needs balance, strong core and of course trust to the base.

Spotter

The Spotter will take charge of “safe landings”, should you lose your balance. Particularly when you are just starting with Acro Yoga, or when trying some new position, have someone spot you during your practice.

Some people who have a history in Yoga or Acrobatics begin practicing on their own, exploring with balance and forms. However, it’s still recommended that you train with experienced Acro yoga teacher when starting off who will guide you on the learning steps needed to minimize the risk of injuries.

Learning Acro Yoga needs flexibility, strength, and technique, for which you have to prepare specifically. Train your core and arms strength specifically; your flexibility with a regular yoga practice; trust by practicing with a partner.

Whether you’re already a yoga practitioner or with zero yoga experience, you can do Acro Yoga. With the right mindset, practice and hard work, one day, you’ll be taking video or a picture of yourself doing Acro Yoga by the beach, park or anywhere!