AcroYoga: flying, fun and wellbeing

With AcroYoga, you can feel yourself fly, literally! Established in San Francisco Bay in 2003 by two Californians, Jason Nemer and Jenny Sauer-Klein, AcroYoga mixes three, previously very separate, ancestral disciplines: yoga, acrobatics and Thai massage.

A kind of fusion of styles, AcroYoga is centred around practising yoga poses in the air with a partner, according to the principles of acrobatics and the pressure techniques from Thai massage. This unusual type of yoga helps you realise your dreams of a supple and toned body, as well as reaching a positive state of mind.

An innovative discipline, AcroYoga is catering to a new public – with a more community spirit and dynamic approach.

AcroYoga: everyone into a circle

“Team spirit is at the centre of this discipline,” says Yohann Guichard, an AcroYoga teacher at Beyoga studios in Paris. This is why everyone is arranged in a circle around the instructor. There is an element of play in the opening of the class where everyone introduces themselves by their first name... and then presents a pose that best represents them. The rest of the class adopts this pose in response, by way of a ‘hi there’ – a unique way to make someone’s acquaintance!

Warm ups follow, with a special emphasis on alignment. “To best carry out these positions that hold the partner on the hands and feet, you need to follow some specific skeletal alignment principles to ensure you find your balance,” explains Yohann. The more the body finds its alignment while still on the ground, the easier it will be to practise the AcroYoga poses once actually ‘in the air’.

Flying yoga, in detail

Far from being an individual exercise, learning AcroYoga requires a team of 3 people: the base (bottom position), the flyer (the top position) and the spotter (who ensures the positions are safe). “Emphasis is placed on security in order to create the best conditions for learning,” clarifies Yohann Guichard.

Two main aspects lie at the heart of AcroYoga: the acrobatic and the therapeutic. The acrobatic element involves learning the asanas, or yoga poses, upright or balancing on your partner’s hands and feet. In the meantime, the therapeutic element is based on the stretches, another benefit of yoga, combined with the pressure points of Thai massage, applied by the person in the ‘base’ position.

Most of the time, the session puts emphasis on one of the two participants only. All the same, the meeting of the two people ensures that the therapeutic nature of the practice is assured. How? Yohann Guichard explains, “Acrobatic ‘support’ demands really toned muscles, in contrast to the therapeutic ‘flying’, which is based more on relaxation.’ The two compliment each other and thus benefit both body and mind.

Another aspect of AcroYoga worth noting, whether the participants are big or small, is that the roles reverse. You get to play both acrobat and support. “Of course, we take care to pair up people who are the same size,” Yohann Guichard is careful to point out. Otherwise, ouch!

Good reasons to really go for AcroYoga

You don’t have to be a total yoga bunny, but, of course, that will certainly help. Beginners are accepted and will quickly feel the benefits. This acrobatic type of yoga really strengthens muscles right from the first few classes, thanks to the ‘base’ position. At the same time, the acrobatic part of the class develops suppleness and a more responsive body.

The experts are adamant that: “Though you can feel very apprehensive at first, the first experience as the ‘flyer’ is incredibly liberating.” In the long term, you’ll become more confident in yourself and improve your ability to concentrate.