3 Person Yoga Poses: Acro Yoga for Beginners

Yoga is constantly evolving and now, there are three person yoga poses that you can do with two of your buddies. Like yoga with your best friend, yoga poses with three people is great for building connections and emotional relationships.

Furthermore, three person poses can be more dynamic, meaning that you'll get a good workout in the process. Let's take a look at what acro yoga is and some of our favorite poses after!

What is Acro Yoga? An Introduction

At its core, acro yoga is a combination of acrobatics and yoga. It originated in the 1990s and offers a range of physical and mental benefits for all three people involved. 

However, acro yoga is not limited to three people only. You can do groups of up to four people for acro yoga if you really want to!

Acro Yoga: Do’s and Don’ts

Just because you’ve practiced yoga before, even with two people, doesn’t mean you’re ready to dive headfirst into acro yoga. Here are some pointers for getting started.

Do’s

You do want to wear something form-fitting yet stretchy. You don’t want loose clothing getting in the way of your partners being able to balance you appropriately.

Additionally, you want to maintain a positive mindset. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the flutter of emotions of having other people depend on you, so trust in yourself.

Don'ts

There are different levels to acro yoga. You don’t want to push yourself beyond your means, so start slow with beginner poses. Once you feel confident in those, you can gradually move up.

The Basic Roles in Acro Yoga

There are three people involved with acro yoga, and they each have a specific role to play. Before getting on the mat and harnessing straps, you each need to decide which role you’ll perform.

Base

This is the person who has the most contact with the ground. They are the main area of support for the other partner.

Flyer

This is the person who’s lifted off the ground by the base. From there, they can move into a sequence of dynamic positions.

Spotter

This is the person who stands to the side to ensure the base and flyer remain safe. They may also need to intervene and catch the flyer if they slip and fall unexpectedly.

Beginner 3 Person Yoga Poses

Everyone needs to start somewhere. If you want to get into acro yoga, you should start with the following positions.

1. 2-Person Whale Pose With a Spotter

This pose is meant to offer a deep backbend for the flyer’s upper thoracic spine. The base requires a decent level of balancing skill, and a spotter should always be present to communicate the needs between the flyer and the base.

2. Downward Dog & L-Shape Group Pose

The base should go into downward dog while the flyer places their hands on the ground and puts the bottom of their toes at the top of the base’s hips. It’s a great way to open the base’s hamstrings and strengthen the flyer’s shoulders.

3. Lord of the Dance Pose

The base and the flyer effectively assume the same position for this one. Each person gets into the lord of the dance pose while balancing one another on the other’s shoulders. It’s recommended for warming up.

Intermediate 3 Person Yoga Poses

Once you get the hang of beginner poses and feel confident in your partners, you can move onto intermediate territory.

4. Plank Pose

The base assumes a standard plank pose while the flyer planks on the base. The flyer’s feet should be on the base’s shoulders.

5. Goddess Trio

This is recommended to increase blood flow and boost posture. Make sure the hamstrings are adequately stretched before starting and move into the standard goddess pose. A third yogi is needed who will maintain support on the other two’s legs.

6. Downward Dog Pyramid Pose

This essentially requires all three people to assume the downward dog pose with one person doing it on top of the other two. Preferably, the one on top will be the most petite out of the group.

Advanced Acro Yoga Poses

You should only attempt the following after you’ve practiced acro yoga for a long time.

7. Throne Pose Variation

The base gets on their back with arms and legs extended toward the sky. From there, the flyer sits atop the feet with their feet in the base’s hands. It’s great for flexing those core muscles.

8. Double Plank Pose

Earlier, we mentioned a pose where one person planks on another. For a more advanced treatment, a third person can plank on the second, resulting in a tower of planking.

9. Front Plank With Vertical Flyer

The base and the flyer begin in the basic plank position. A second flyer than stands on the first flyer’s butt while balancing. It’s impressive when pulled off correctly and looks great on Instagram.

Do Your Favorite 3 Person Yoga Poses Today!

Anyone can take advantage of these three-person yoga poses, even if it’s only a supplement to another form of exercise, like running. These stretches with your partners get you in shape and bring you closer together with your friends

References:

Teitelman, Suzi. “Yoga Poses For Three People Doing Acroyoga (Easy, Intermediate, and Challenging Poses).” Dogadog, 2 Dec. 2021. https://dogadog.com/yoga-poses-for-three-people/

Health News. “3 Persons Yoga Poses – Acro Yoga Ultimate Guide.” News Social 4, 22 Apr. 2021. https://en.news4social.com/lifestyle/health/3-persons-yoga-poses-acro-yoga-ultimate-guide/