Your Summer Yoga Practice, on the Fly

AcroYoga’s founder and chief visionary Jason Nemer and a crew of AcroYogis shares a summer practice with 24Life.

By Jason Nemer

Yoga has made its way through our modern culture, shifting both mindsets and bodies along the way. According to Jason Nemer, founder and chief visionary officer of AcroYoga, evolution is the foundation of yoga. Not only do you transform as a result of the practice, but your practice over time also transforms, expands and integrates new asanas and techniques.

AcroYoga elevates the connection between you and others through movement, connection and play. “Acro” in Greek means high, or elevated. “Yoga” in Sanskrit commonly translates to notions of union, or joining. By combining acrobatics, yoga and healing arts, the practice of AcroYoga instantly dissolves fears and invites practitioners to tap into new and infinite possibilities of communication, trust and union. This AcroYoga practice will take your yoga experience to another level—literally.

Grab a friend and give it a try. As you do, note that the solo practice is intended to help you find strength and build courage to seek out an opportunity to practice the other moves in a group. Once you are hooked on this new, liberating experience, seek out a certified AcroYoga instructor to expand your practice. And if you are ready for all things AcroYoga, join the tribe at the AcroYoga Fest: Divine Play festival this fall in Portland, Oregon.

Happy flying, with these three important tips:

  1. Keep safety as a first priority. It’s not fun if someone gets hurt.
  2. Practice good communication—this includes verbal, nonverbal and tactile communication.
  3. Set an intention of open-minded exploration and curiosity. The point is to have fun and to consider all the possible ways your amazing human body can move in space.

PREPARATION (SOLO)

Perform this short warm-up to build strength for AcroYoga.

Joint Play Mobility

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b1uo-rFHO8

Reps: 5-10
Sets: 1

  1. Work through your joints, mobilizing with circular motions in both directions.
  2. Keep your knees soft and breath easy.
  3. Listen for the articulations in the joints and feel the range of motion increase.

PRACTICE (SOLO)

Perform this strength circuit to build strength for an AcroYoga. Start with the base foundational movement and progress as your body allows to the fuller expression. Perform 10 to 20 repetitions of each movement.

AcroFit Squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1gbbyxM9HI

Progressions: Squat, Squat Jump, 360 Squat
Reps: 3-10
Sets: 1

  1. Maintain posture and an engaged core throughout the movement.
  2. Push down into the ground for power and practice landing lightly.
  3. Go at your own pace and with the most complete range of motion that you have available to you.

AcroFit Static Core

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OQvvrpVwik

Progressions: Tuck Hold, Hollow-Body Hold, Tuck-Up
Reps: 1
Sets: 1 (duration 30 seconds)

  1. Initiate movement by engaging your core and your breath.
  2. Allow your neck to stay long, and keep muscle tone in your arms and legs.
  3. Bring your legs strongly together, and keep your breath fluid while you maintain a hollow body.

AcroFit Single-Shoulder Stretch Kneeling Dog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E8kYdg-o8w

Reps: 1
Sets: 1 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Move slowly into position.
  2. Keep your core engaged and push down into your arms and legs to gather support from the ground.
  3. Listen to your body and determine your range of motion and how deep to go into the pose. Push down into your hands to slowly exit when finished.

PARTNER PLAY (DUO)

Encourage your body to trust and open up in new ways with these partner moves. Practice with friends to build strength for an AcroYoga. This is conscious movement. Make eye contact with your partners and work in concert, linking and integrating breath and movement. Partner stretches are a creative offering of mutually beneficial asanas and stretches. Practice trust and compassion and observe your breath as you move together.

Partner Squat Balance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfCp9Snp1qo

Reps: 10
Sets: 1

  1. Stay in constant communication with your partner, visually and verbally.
  2. Modify your distance of your stance and the depth of your squat to both support and challenge your partner.
  3. Keep your arms straight, spine straight and move slowly, then at a medium pace and then at a dynamic pace of continuous movement.

Partner Shoulder Stretch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXTQFZtSwWk

Reps: 1
Sets: 1 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Work on the spacing of your feet, and moderate the pressure of your hands with your partner for the best stretch. Keep you arms straight and communicate what you need.
  2. Create muscle tone in your arms and legs, and engage your core to draw your rib cage and tailbone under as you lengthen your spine.
  3. Keep your breath even and free, and maintain a firm, compassionate grip on your partner in the stretch.

Partner Push-Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lru0gtqR_m0

Reps: 3-5
Sets: 1

  1. Experiment with spacing to find a straight line through your arms, and stay in constant communication for timing. The base bends and extends while the flyer bends and extends, and then both of you bend and extend your arms simultaneously.
  2. Keep your core engaged and a straight line from your head through your spine.
  3. For the flyer, only bend as far as you have the stability to push back up.

Partner Core Satellite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5dzQPEvhHo

Reps: 5-10
Sets: 1

  1. Support yourself on your elbows and push off the ground to create stability.
  2. Engage your core, and keep your pelvis neutral to stabilize your torso and adjust the height of the leg motion with your partner, as needed, to maintain core integrity.
  3. Contract your leg muscles to create strong tone and a straight line from your hip to your foot.

PARTNER ACROBATICS (TRIO)

Take turns working with your partners, alternating who will be a base, who will be a spotter and who will be a flyer. Spotters are on the side at the center of gravity. Try one to two poses.

Front Plank Prep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU7tcOCZOGc

Reps: 5-10
Sets: 1

  1. Flyer: Target your partner’s feet to your hipbones and maintain a strong line form your head to your toe.
  2. Base: Maintain receptivity to control the tempo and depth of your knee bend.
  3. Spotter: Keep the flyer safe and the base aligned.
  4. All: Breathe together, and stay in visual and verbal communication at all times.

Front Plank to Front Bird

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wzhfl1Nz4M

Reps: 1
Set: 1-3 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Flyer: Target your partner’s feet to your hipbones, lean you bodyweight towards your base and maintain a strong line, extending your spine to keep your body unified.
  2. Base: Maintain receptivity and joint-stack your legs under your hips in a perpendicular line. Use your feet and arms to guide your balance.
  3. Spotter: Lower your center of gravity into a ready position and guide in and out of position, managing spacing, timing and safety.
  4. All: Breathe together, and stay in visual and verbal communication at all times.

Foot to Shin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru_4LqchCYg

Reps: 1
Sets: 1-3 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Flyer: Use the support of your arms to place your foot at the top of the shin position. Stand up tall and draw your feet in.
  2. Base: Maintain core integrity and engage your inner thighs to stabilize your knees. Give the flyer support with your hands and maintain a strong, steady position, lengthening your neck and spine against the floor.
  3. Spotter: Use your hands at the center of gravity (flyer’s belly and back), giving the minimum amount of support but aiming for the maximum level of safety for the flyer and base. Be ready but let them find each other.
  4. All: Breathe together, and stay in visual and verbal communication at all times.

Foot to Shin With Squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo-t2iN7ed0

Reps: 5-10
Sets: 1

  1. Flyer: Use the support of your arms to place your foot at the top of the shin position. Stand up tall, maintaining excellent posture. Perform squats at a slow and steady pace.
  2. Base: Maintain core integrity and engage your inner thighs to stabilize your knees. Give the flyer support with your hands and maintain a strong, steady position, lengthening your neck and spine against the floor. During squats, stabilize your knees with your hands.
  3. Spotter: Use your hands and guide in and out of position.
  4. All: Breathe together, and stay in visual and verbal communication at all times.

Front Plank to Foot to Shin With Squat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWiDGuWCixU

Reps: 5-10
Sets: 1

  1. Flyer: Use your hands to balance and move into plank with your partner’s feet at your hips. Guide again with your hands and pull your feet to the top of the shin position. Stand up tall, maintaining excellent posture. Perform squats at a slow and steady pace, and transition back to front plank.
  2. Base: Start with your feet at the flyer’s hips and guide the flyer to front plank with the flyer’s joints stacked for integrity. Maintain a strong core and use your hands to guide the flyer to stand on your shins. Engage your inner thighs to stabilize your knees. During the flyer’s squats, stabilize your knees with your hands. Give the flyer support with your hands and return to front plank. Maintain a strong, steady position, lengthening neck and spine against the floor throughout.
  3. Spotter: Use your hands and guide in and out of positions with careful focus on transition placement.
  4. All: Breathe together, and stay in visual and verbal communication at all times.

PEACEFUL RESTORATION

Explore each of these AcroYoga stretches as a way to restore and heal your body and mind. Hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds or more for flexibility and recovery.

Lunge to Half Split

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOaVVEnLF6I

Reps: 1 on each side
Sets: 1 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Use padding underneath your knees, if needed.
  2. Work on keeping your hips and shoulders squared, and track your knee through the center of your foot.
  3. Press your back foot and shin down into the ground. Use that downward energy and lift out of your hips, then straighten your front leg and front foot and bow forward toward your shinbone, using your hands for support on the floor.

Reclined Spinal Twist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAqwa48qDac

Reps: 1 on each side
Sets: 1 (duration 30-60 seconds)

  1. Allow your body to rest on the ground, core engaged, legs lifted at 90 degrees.
  2. Stretch your arms to the side and guide your legs to the opposite side, anchoring with your hand and turning your head.
  3. Breathe as your body opens into the twist, and engage your core to return to the center and to the other side.

Photo/video credit: Tom Casey, box24studio.com
Hair and make-up: Mariah Nicole, mariahnicole.com