Galentine’s Day Yoga
By Brooke Bonfadini
Although yoga is often viewed as an individual practice and a self-journey, it can also be an opportunity to grow and build trust with a partner or friend. The practice of partner yoga is referred to as AcroYoga, which is a combination of Vinyasa style yoga and acrobatics. This article will go through 5 AcroYoga poses, how to enter each pose, and a warm-up for each person involved in the pose.
Seated Heart Pose
©PreciousPeachPhotos
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Warm UpEven though this pose seems fairly simple, it is always a good idea to warm up before attempting any yoga pose. A few stretches that will help you prepare for this pose are:
How ToTo enter this pose, begin by sitting side by side on your knees and sink your hips back so that your glutes touch your heels. Wrap one arm around each other and lift the other up over head until both of your hands touch. To make the heart shape with your fingers, curl your fingers to make a C-shape and keep your thumbs straight.
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Double Boat Pose
©PreciousPeachPhotos
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warm upTo achieve this pose a reasonable amount of core strength and hamstring flexibility is necessary. A few poses/drills that will help warming up for double boat are:
How ToThis pose can be done on a chair as shown in the photo above or seated on the ground. Begin this pose sitting up as straight as you can with your legs bent so that the soles of your feet touch the floor/chair below you. Wrap your arms around the back of your knees and straighten one leg. Once you feel balanced, lift the other leg off the ground, keeping it halfway bent. Ensure that your back remains as straight as possible. If you or your partner cannot straighten your legs, feel free to bend both to make the pose more accessible. Alternatively, if you want to make this pose more challenging, straighten both legs for an extra core challenge.
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Splits and Standing Backbend
©PreciousPeachPhotos
modification
©PreciousPeachPhotos
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Warm UpThis pose requires a significant amount of warming up for both partners in order to avoid injury. Backbends and splits can both be dangerous if the body is not properly warmed up.
Remember, there is no such thing as too much warming up, so both partners can warm up with any of these stretches regardless of their position in this pose. For the partner doing the splits/high lunge, a few good warm up poses are:
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how to
To enter this pose, begin by having the partner who is doing the splits/high lunge get into position and reach their arms up and back. Once they are steady, the partner who is back-bending should stand at their partner’s back foot and bend backwards until their hands reach their partner’s. Ensure your hips are pushing forward the entire time you are back-bending to stay balanced.
Scorpion Handstand with Support
©PreciousPeachPhotos
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warm upThis pose requires a significant amount of flexibility and core work for both partners. Poses that will help you warm up for this are:
how toFirst, have the partner that is going to be in handstand position put their feet on the wall and walk themselves backwards so that their hands are about a foot from the wall. Ensure they are steady against the wall before continuing. Then, the partner that is supporting should slide their legs in between their partner’s hands so that their toes are touching the wall. From there, the supporting partner should lift their arms and be prepared to take the weight of the handstander’s legs. The partner in handstand should slowly arch their back so that their stomach rests on the wall and straighten their legs until they rest on their partner’s hands. If the handstander cannot straighten their legs, bent legs will make this pose slightly easier.
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Hero and Crow Pose
©PreciousPeachPhotos
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warm upThis pose requires mostly upper body and core strength as well as hip flexibility. A few poses that would be beneficial to do beforehand are:
how toTo enter this pose, the first partner should sit on the ground in hero pose: with knees bent, feet on either side of the hips, and reclined so that they are laying on their back. The person who is entering crow pose should then straddle their partner’s legs, placing their hands on their hip bones. The person in hero pose then holds their partner’s shoulders and the person entering crow can begin to lift their legs off the ground.
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AcroYoga is a great way to meet new people, introduce others to yoga, and just mix up your practice once and a while. Remember to always warm up before attempting any poses, and be sure you can handle a pose before doing it. While AcroYoga is fun, it is important you do not overestimate your abilities and injure yourself or your partner. Be safe and happy practicing!
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Brooke Bonfadini
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