Practice These 5 AcroYoga Poses for a Stronger Relationship

How can two people build a trusting relationship? How can a couple restore trust that’s been lost? One YouAligned way to do this is AcroYoga. 🙂

Trust is at the core of every relationship. Relationships built on trust are empowered and empowering. Without trust, unhealthy emotional patterns work their way to the surface and cause conflict.

The word “acro” stems from the Greek root “high,” and “yoga” means “union” in Sanskrit. Combined, acroyoga bridges the high flying of acrobatics with the wisdom and harmony of yoga.

AcroYoga (also referred to as Partner Yoga) requires at least two people: the “flyer” and the “base,” and ideally a third (known as a “spotter”) for trickier poses.

To feel AcroYoga in its most exalted expression, partners have to trust one another, having faith that the base has the strength to hold the flyer while the flyer carefully follows the base’s words and cues.

My partner and I first spent quality time together at AcroYoga meet-ups in the park. This allowed us to establish honesty and communication with each other early in the relationship.

While AcroYoga may seem like it’s only for the daring at heart, there are plenty of accessible poses for beginners that help build trust.

Read on to learn five fun AcroYoga poses that are great for couples at any stage of their relationship!

Practice These 5 Beginner-Friendly AcroYoga Poses:

1. Folded Leaf:

The base and the flyer grip hand-to-hand without interlacing fingers (this is important because the proper grip will prevent injury). The base places his or her feet at an angle – heels in, toes out – in the hip creases of the flyer.

The base bends the knees and receives the weight of the flyer, coming into a bone-stacked position with feet stacked on knees or hips. The flyer’s legs separate into a piked straddle, arms relaxing by the sides of the base.

2. Super Yogi:

From folded leaf, the base will grab the flyer’s wrists as the flyer extends or interlaces fingers. The base will exhale and press his or her legs away while pulling the wrists and arms of the flyer forward. The base inhales the legs back to stacked position and repeats.

3. Front Bird:

With parallel feet, the base places the flyer’s hipbones in the arches of the feet. The flyer’s toes will rest on the stomach and heels on the top of the thigh. The base will bend the knees and receive the weight of the flyer.

The flyer will lift the torso, engage the back, core, and legs, and gaze forward – like a plank. The base and flyer can keep the hand-to-hand grip with two sets of straight arms or the flyer can release the arms to the side of the body with palms face down.

4. Back Leaf:

The flyer stands at the hips of the base facing away and then reaches for the ankles of the base. The base angles the feet out, placing the arches along the flyer’s glute crease.

The flyer bends knees and leans back while the base bends knees to receive the flyer’s weight, placing hands on the upper shoulders of the flyer. The base then extends the legs while the flyer relaxes legs and arms. The flyer should be prepared for a juicy and deep backbend!

5. Jedi Plank:

The base lies on his or her back. The flyer gets into a plank position with feet outside the shoulders of the base and hands next to or on the shins of the base. The base picks up the legs of the flyer at the ankle and lifts until arms are straight.

If the pair is feeling strong, the base can do a sit up while the flyer lifts the hips high into the air creating a Jedi Box.

Final Tips and Important Safety Information to Know About AcroYoga

Coming out of poses safely is essential and a key part of the trust-building process. The base should bend his or her knees while slowly lowering the flyer to the ground. The flyer should patiently await the ground below.

Important safety tip: A spotter is necessary and helpful for new Acro yogis. Always use a spotter. It never hurts to fly in the sky a little more safely!

AcroYoga has the potential to transform relationships. It ignites playfulness between two people, builds ahimsa (love) and satya (truth), and can set the foundation for a lifetime of trust.

Want to explore trust on a deeper level? Try one (or all) of these AcroYoga poses. Take a photo and then share them with us on Instagram with #yogiapproved and tag us @yogiapproved so we can see!

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