I’ve been doing yoga twice a week every week since January of 2019. It’s been a great addition to my routine and I really enjoy learning the art as a practice and philosophy. This last month I started an Acro yoga class and let me tell you how fun it is. It’s not really as hard or physically challenging as an actual yoga class. In fact it’s not really a workout in that traditional sense of sweating, breathing hard, and moving.

Instead it’s much more interactive. In Acro yoga there is a base and a flyer (sometimes multiples) but the base is the person who holds the flyer, who is being lifted up. This requires communication, trust, and a degree of interaction that doesn’t exist in most exercise classes.

People who do yoga have yoga in common but they probably don’t talk to each other that much at all. Just like people who exercise at the same gym might never utter a word to one another. In a way, Acro yoga has similarities to jiujitsu because you need to communicate to train effectively. Without communication someone will get hurt, be unhappy, or even frustrated with the situation.

Acro yoga is definitely a component of jiujitsu and could be incorporated into trainings. The art is all about understanding mechanics of balance, limbs, posture, and leverage. In fact it’s quite amazing to see what you can do with little to no practice. The key is that you have a good coach who understands how to explain and demonstrate the different positions. Additionally, it’s helpful to have someone who can “spot” you, to assist in transitions of difficult positions. I’ve found it quite amazing to see small people lifting big people also.

I’m looking forward to adding some Acro into our jiujitsu every week! In class, I’ve used this as an opportunity to unwind after rolling. Some of the holds are good openers of the shoulder and hips. In general it’s a good transition to unwind from rolling.

In addition to being fun and communicative, there’s a challenge to the movement and holds that keeps me engaged. In a way, it’s an exploration of balance, movement, and feeling. Just yesterday I was belly basing (where people are on their stomach instead of their back) and small adjustments in my toes, heal were enough to help the flyer adjust to find their balance. Crazy!