Acro Yoga is a modern style of yoga that blends the mindfulness of traditional yoga with the strength and playfulness of acrobatics. Practised in pairs, it involves a series of dynamic partner poses that help build core strength, flexibility, balance, and most importantly trust.
Rooted in Vinyasa and Hatha yoga, Acro Yoga encourages deep connection and clear communication between partners. Whether you’re flying or supporting, each pose requires teamwork, focus, and body awareness.
This practice is not only physically energising but also emotionally uplifting. It’s a great way to step outside your comfort zone, have fun, and strengthen your bond with your partner be it a friend, spouse, or fellow yogi.
Origin of Acro Yoga
The first traces of acro yoga can be found in 1938 when the ‘father of modern yoga’, T. Krishnamacharya has seen performing a variation of backbend yoga pose with a child. However, it was just a part of his teaching methodology. At that time it was not publicized as a particular yoga style.
Several decades later, in the 1980s, while researching methods to alleviate his back pain, Benjamin Marantz discovered techniques that involved massage and inverted therapeutic techniques and named it as AcroSage.
Practising it requires at least two people but works best with three or more. In inversion poses, one person lies on the ground as a base, while another (the “flyer”) balances on their partner’s hands and feet. A third person spots the flyer and keeps everyone safe.
The many poses of AcroSage were the starting point of inversion therapy, many of its flying versions can be seen in today’s acro yoga classes.
It wasn’t until 1999 that the name AcroYoga was used. Dancers Euguen Poku and Jessie Goldberg of Canada established “Acroyoga Montreal (AYM)”. The blend of dance, acrobatics, and yoga came to be known as AcroYoga Fusion and was a hit among the audience.
The modern Acro Yoga terminology and usage was publicized by Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein who founded AcroYoga International in 2003. Later they also developed a training program to educate the yoga teachers about Acro Yoga and safely teach to their students around the world.
Common Acro yoga terminology
Acro Yoga involves three main roles: the base, the flyer, and the spotter. Each plays a vital part in creating a safe and successful practice.
- Spotter: The spotter plays a crucial safety role. They stand nearby to assist if balance is lost and help guide both flyer and base into and out of poses safely. Spotters are especially important for beginners, offering feedback and physical support as needed.
- Base: The base lies firmly on the ground and provides the foundation for the pose. Their strength, especially in the legs and core, supports the flyer’s weight. With arms and legs stacked for stability, the base transfers the load efficiently to the floor while guiding the pose with control and balance.
- Flyer: The flyer is lifted off the ground and balanced in the air by the base. Trust is key in this role. While the base supports, the flyer must stay engaged through core strength and active balance. Good communication verbal at first, then intuitive body cues is essential between flyer and base.
What to expect from Acro Yoga class?
Acro Yoga is a dynamic and physically engaging practice that challenges your strength, flexibility, and trust. Since it involves working closely with a partner, the class structure is designed to help participants connect, warm up properly, and safely explore partner-based poses.
Here’s how a typical Acro Yoga class unfolds:
- Cool Down & Closing
The session wraps up with a calming sequence or group reflection. This helps integrate the practice, release tension, and leave you feeling grounded and energised. - Opening Circle
The session usually begins with a group circle to set intentions, foster openness, and build a sense of community. This helps break the ice and encourage connection among participants. - Warm-Up
Dynamic stretching and movement exercises prepare your body for the demands of Acro Yoga. Warming up properly is essential to prevent injury and improve performance during lifts, holds, and transitions. - Partner Flow
You’ll pair up with a partner to practise light stretches, yoga poses, and inversions. This stage focuses on developing communication, comfort, and mutual trust key elements of any successful Acro Yoga practice. - Acro Poses
Under the guidance of the instructor, you’ll move into the main acro sequences. Poses will be tailored to your experience level beginner, intermediate, or advanced and may include flying postures, balancing moves, and creative transitions. - Cool Down & Closing
The session wraps up with a calming sequence or group reflection. This helps integrate the practice, release tension, and leave you feeling grounded and energised.
Check this out: Elevate Your Practice with AcroYoga Genie Classes
Can Acro Yoga be performed at home?
Yes, Acro Yoga can be practised at home if you have a reliable and experienced partner. Having a solid foundation in trust, communication, and technique is essential before attempting poses outside a professional setting.
That said, beginners are strongly encouraged to start with a certified instructor in a class environment. Learning from an expert ensures you understand proper form, safety cues, and spotting techniques, which reduces the risk of injury.
Once you’ve built enough skill and confidence through guided practice, home sessions can be a fun and rewarding way to continue your Acro Yoga journey.
Tip: Always keep a soft surface like a yoga mat or crash pad nearby when practising at home, and warm up properly before starting.
Benefits of Acro Yoga
Just like any other yoga style, Acro Yoga also comes with a range of physical and mental benefits. Some of which are as follows:
- Acro Yoga is a great tool for spinal decompression. It lengthens your spine and also helps in strengthening the back muscles.
- Since this is an intense form of yoga, your cardiovascular system is positively affected.
- You will gain flexibility, a stronger core, muscles, and joints.
- When you perform Acro Yoga with the same person, your relationship with them improves. And with an improved relationship comes understanding. You will easily be able to decipher body signs and achieve a higher sense of professionalism.
- It helps in improving your concentration as both the base and the flyer are focused on each other’s safety by being present in the moment.
- Through Acro Yoga, you will get trained to enhance your self-control in adverse situations and take quick decisions without any rigidity as you have your and your partner’s safety in mind constantly.
- You will learn to completely surrender yourself as you learn to give and take in equal proportions.
- It is also a fun activity hence will boost the secretion of happy hormones, thus, acting as a mood-booster.
- When you’re performing inverted poses, it helps in improving the blood and oxygen circulation to your brain.
Tips to practice Acro Yoga successfully
It is due to substantial attraction towards the fluidity and dance-like motions that has probably led you to pursue Acro Yoga. We have listed a few tips that will get you to perform yoga in a safe way.
- The first and obvious step is to find an Acro Yoga group. Once you connect with the community, you will be able to establish a relationship with the people who will constantly motivate you and provide you with invaluable experience and support.
- Just as trust between a base and a flyer is important, trust in your spotter is also essential. They will be your guide and motivator throughout the duration of the class and you have to trust in them to keep you safe and teach you well.
- Even if you have previous knowledge in acrobatics or yoga, you have to stay humble and start from scratch. Build the courage to unlearn everything and learn from your instructor.
- Do not skip any warm-up sessions as they are essential in preventing any form of cramps or muscle injury during Acro Yoga practice. Some stretches and Sun Salutation are extremely effective.
- Have constant communication with your base and spotter at all times. Communication during the transition of poses, your comfort level, feelings regarding a pose, or intention behind a pose. Keep communicating!
- Keep taking breaks to keep a healthy pace in the initial stages and switch roles to experience both sides of the roles.
- Do not hurry in learning everything in a short time. Build a strong foundation of your basics and a strong communication level with your yoga partner.
- Investing in honest self-assessment will take you a long way. Be honest with your feelings towards the yoga poses or whether you have learned something new in the session.
- If you’re the base, you should not arch your backs to get a good hamstring and lower back stretch. You can also use a folded mat or a blanket for additional support.
- If you’re the flyer, you should be cautious of not making any sudden movements. They should find a balance and their center of gravity before making any movements.
Contraindications
People with the following conditions should avoid Acro yoga style.
- high blood pressure,
- recent surgery or injury,
- vertigo,
- joint problems,
- Skin related problems
- Open wounds
Pregnant ladies should also avoid it since it may cause discomfort to the abdomen.
5 Best beginner Acro Yoga poses
Acro Yoga can look intimidating at first, but with the right partner and guidance, even beginners can enjoy it. Here are five beginner-friendly Acro Yoga poses to help you build trust, balance, and body awareness.
1. Stacked Plank Pose
It is one of the introductory poses of Acro Yoga. It helps in building the core and arms muscles of the base and the flyer.
How to Do it?
The base should come in the standard plank position – shoulder stacked over the wrists, arms straight and core engaged. To distribute the weight of their arms, their palms should be firmly placed on the ground and fingers should be spread.
Now the flyer will gradually grab the ankles or calves of the base. Slowly, the flyer will place one foot on one shoulder and do the same with the other. They can also tuck their toes on the base’s shoulder blades.
2. Fish on the rocks Pose
This restorative Acro Yoga pose is a great hip opener for the base and the flyer. It also helps in stretching the back for the base and a chest opener for the flyer.
How to Do it?
The base should come to the Child’s pose, with their hands stretched out in front of them. Their knees are outwards and their forehead is touching the ground.
The flyer completely lies on their back on top of the base, with a nice arch and stretch to their back. Here the flyer can stretch their legs and let the hands spread either to the side or towards the base’s hands to completely surrender to the pose.
3. Partner Forward Fold Pose
You must have often seen athletes or a few sports people performing stretches by picking up their partners on their backs. This pose is a fun way to deeply stretch the back and hamstrings of each other.
How to Do it?
The base and the flyer need to stand with their backs facing each other. Their legs should be spread hip-width apart and their elbows hooked, base’s elbow below the flyer.
Keeping the back straight, the base will start bending forward, bringing the flyer up with them. The base will stop bending when the upper body is parallel to the ground. The flyer has the option of bending their knees to their chest, straightening the legs towards the sky, or spreading them wide in a straddle stretch.
4. Front Plank Pose
This is another pose that is recommended for beginners as the clasping of hands will give a more stable foundation to the flyer’s plank pose. Also called an Airplane pose, this gives the flyer an opportunity to balance their body and core when ‘flying’
How to Do it?
The base lies firmly on the ground and bends their knees to place their feet on the flyer’s hips. By connecting the hands with the base, the flyer now starts bending forwards, transferring the weight onto the base’s feet.
With the flyer’s and base’s core engaged, the base starts ro straighten their legs and brings them perpendicular to the ground, not leaving the flyer’s hands. The flyer should keep their legs straight so that their body is now parallel to the ground.
5. Folded Leaf Pose
This pose is great for releasing stress and tension of the back muscles as well as in the spine. It is one of the therapeutic poses in Acro Yoga and a base for a few intermediate to advanced poses.
How to Do it?
The base lies on his back and pulls up his legs with a slight bend of their knees. The toes should be placed on the hips of the flyer at a 45-degree angle to create a ‘V’ shape.
By engaging the abdomen muscles, the flyer bends forward and ‘hang’ on the base’s legs.
The base and the flyer hold hands for support as the base now extends the legs to make them straight. The flyer’s upper body is now draping the front of the base’s legs and their legs are more or less parallel to the floor.
The spotter usually will be standing behind the flyer to support the hips.
Conclusion
Acro Yoga is a great way to make friends, build your communication, engage with the community and challenge yourself. Some people start getting monotony by performing the same yoga poses and Acro Yoga may just be the right calling for them. It is a fun way to practice yoga all the while reaping the benefits of enhancing your core strength and building your arms and legs muscles.
