The practice of Acro Yoga is slowly becoming part of my life, mainly by accident, but since I enjoy doing it so much and it gives me so much pleasure to put time into it, I thought of making a post about this beautiful, calming, and demanding sport that combines the freedom and spirit of acrobatics with the composure and attentiveness of yoga, including elements of body tension, alignment, balance and coordination.
The postures and techniques that Acroyoga works with, requires two or more people. If I am by myself I can't practice Acroyoga - it is actually right there in the name Acro: Elevation - and I actually like that, I love sports and activities that require team work as long as the other person(s) are as committed as I am to getting at our best level and to practice every time we have chance to.
In general, men have stronger legs and arms, so when you want to practice AgroYoga as a beginner, it is men whose position is to be under/below supporting the woman on top, lifting her and giving her space so that she can perform different techniques using her flexibility and core strength, which is something women excel more at.
Practicing Acro Yoga not only helps you strengthen different parts of your body and to acquire more flexibility and elasticity, but it is also a great source of meditation and provides an opportunity of developing therapeutic resources into your life such as:
- Trust: To know that the other person, is holding on to you and will not drop you, no matter the circumstances.
- Stability: To focus your mind, body and soul, in order to allow you to centralize your energy into different point of your body and achieve conscious equilibrium, both in the positions you practice and to translate that into your life.
- Listening: Learning to listen is something that everyone should work on, nowadays very few people actually listen. Working on your listening skills is crucial to reach your AcroYoga goals. If there is any hint of individualization and of not listening to your partner, the effort and drive becomes a one way lane and stops being a team work.
- Challenge: There are people that will find some techniques and positions easier to make than others, but those that prove to be a challenge to you become a goal, and to practice them and put the time and effort to dominate them, the happiness and satisfaction is immense.
- Connection and link: This one is probably the most important. Many times in life, to reach a connection, a bond, a link with another person provides a very hard to achieve satisfaction. AcroYoga is a perfect way to achieve a high level connection with someone else, something that if you translate to our life makes us realize that without meaningful bonds and connections with other people, life becomes inhuman, lonely, selfish and robotic.
If we believe that just by having strength in our arms, legs, core, and being a flexible person, then we can conquer any challenge that the practice of AcroYoga presents, then we are definitely, arrogantly wrong. In order to become an AcroYogi and in order to practice AcroYoga, we must use our mind and soul, which are the ones that give us the strength and security we need to actually reach a position.
Acro as part of my life
A couple of years ago, I began to follow the hashtag #acro on Instagram because I became interested in other type of exercise apart from swimming, crossfit and triathlon, I wanted something more meaningful or that works with many other sides of my life. Following this hashtag probably changed my life sportswise, because once I started to see all the positions people come up with and how hard they actually are, I loved it and was impressed of how many diverse things our body can achieve using our mind as vehicle.
I really wanted to get full force into practicing AcroYoga, but I just couldn't push myself to actually jump in completelly because, when the pandemic began, I suffered an accident related with acrobatics. I was hanging out with a friend who used to beg me every day to get into Acro together, and I yielded and we both enrolled into an online AcroYoga lesson. The teacher was passionate and intense and was giving us very specific and detailed instructions of what, how, and when to do positional changes, where to focus our strength etc, but she did warned us that if it was our first lesson, we should avoid doing some positions to avoid injuries. It was almost the end of the lesson when we reached a position where one person should position the arms in a weird way, and then elevate our legs. It looked pretty easy and I told myself that If I can already achieve an elbow stand with my legs fully stretched, I think I can achieve this position... which evidently I couldn't. The position definitely looked way easier than what it was in reality, and when I elevated myself I reached the position, but I couldn't hold it and my body slowly started to tilt sideways and I have no idea what happened with my arms, but my shoulder got bended in a weird way and it hurted for months so much, so much that even to this day it still hurts a little when I position it in certain ways, and this was two years ago!
It was actually pretty funny because as I began falling, I yelled at my sister who was at the moment in the house in another room, and just as she heard my shouts she got scared that something serious was happening right on that moment, and she came out to the garden screaming and crying fearing for the worst.
When she was already in the garden approaching my fell body, I was already laughing and rolling on the floor due to the hilariousness of the situation. The worst part of this is that we have a huge garden, but when I tried this specific position I felt like I needed more support on my shoulders and I decided to do it on the floor next to the garden... yeah, silly.
It's just now that I am writing this post for Hive that I remember more details about the situation. After I fell and injured, Gina the house lady, insisted me to eat a loaf of bread. I have no idea how it is in other parts of the world but in Mexico, eating a loaf of bread after a big scare or when a fearful situation happens, is supposed to calm you and scare away the scare and fear. There is no scientific support for this belief (of course) but still, this is a popular and well known remedy among Mexicans... now that I think about it, once we get scared or are fearful about a situation, we produce more gastric fluids and bread (just like milk and bananas) provide a sort of protection to our stomach and our stomach's mouth and avoid ulcers.
Backbend Archs as my intro to AcroYoga
My AcroYoga journey began with a very simple yet satisfying one-person position: Making a backbend arch on every beach I visited.
I got a knee surgery around half a year ago, so obviously I haven't been able to do them lately on my latest trips and that has got me frustrated as hell. I remember that on my latest family trip I tried and I realized I didn't have any leg strength due to my constant inactivity after the surgery, and even though I've been going to the gym for the past two months, my body is nowhere near where it was before the surgery, and that also affects my mind... and just as I mentioned earlier, AcroYoga is a sport that requires body strength as well as mind strength. Anyway, I tried to make the backbend arch and just as I was lifting myself and reached the back arch, I tried to lift my lef just as I am on every picture of this post, but neither my back nor my support leg endured the strain and I just fell on my back.
After a couple more months of doing more rehab exercises, attending physiotherapy twice a week, and attending the gym four times a week, I went on a trip to Yucatan, Mexico and when we were on the beach I decided to give it a shot. I was insecure and hesitant, but I was convinced I had to try it at least.
I connected my mind and my body and I was finally able to do a backbend arch again! This got me excited, satisfied and looking forward to actually jump in to practicing more challenging positions. This are two pics of two different times I managed to do an arch during that beach trip:
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It is worth noting that all the pics of this post were taken over the past two years in many different beaches of Mexico :D
Making a backbend arch every time I visit a beach destination has become some sort of tradition, and also a nice bonding time with my mom because she is the one that takes the pictures. I remember one time where she was taking a picture of me with a sunset behind - which is not on this post because of the lighting and angle - she said: Promise me that even when you are fifty years old and I am already six feet under, you will keep making backbend archs on every beach you visit.
To be honest, this struck me hard and threw me off my feet (and arms) and once I replied Yes, I asked her why?.
Her reply was so strong I still remember it perfectly: One of the things I admire the most of you is how much you strive to stay healthy, fit and to take care of what you eat, how much exercise you do, and to avoid harmful substances. I want you to keep at it, I want you to stay focused on being the best version of yourself.
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I hope that I don't suffer from what many people do: "Healthy people are the ones that get sick the most"
But now that I remember this specific interaction, I will strive to keep making arches until I am 70 years old :P
I probably won't be able to do that , but I still will try, and I will see who can take a picture of my attempt, but I will definitely try to achieve this and be true to my promise to my mom.
But even though I am back to being able to make backbend archs again, I've kept trying more difficult positions and some of them I have already conquered but some others I'm just not ready, and despite achieving them for a couple of seconds, I fall or yield. I need more practice but I know I will get there.
When ti comes to actual lessons, I've been trying to enroll but I don't want to do it online, I need face to face interaction especially for this kind of activity, and since we are living during a pandemic, there aren't many options here in Puebla, Mexico.
AcroYoga is a beautiful activity, apart from being aesthetically appealing, it also represents a constant challenge that leads to incredible satisfaction. Something that I really love about AcroYoga is that it is an activity that anyone can practice as long as your are disciplined, constant, and work on improving both your mind and body.
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It is not like swimming for example - I was a high performance swimmer for many years - in which if you don't have certain physical attributes such as height, you have a disadvantage. AcroYoga gives a chance to everyone no matter if they're tall, short, fat, or skinny, etc.
So far I've been able to make some very simple positions like this one, but considering my knee situation, I consider this a huge win.
I hope that in a few months I am able to make an incredible post about AcroYoga, with many positions and many insights, tips and descriptions but in the meantime, I hope you liked this post! :D
Spanish version of this post
El acroyoga es una práctica, que como bien dice el nombre, está fusionada al yoga, pero a la misma vez, es muy distinta.
Las posturas y técnicas que te brinda el acroyoga, deben ir acompañadas de dos o más personas. Una sola, no lo puede hacer, porque su objetivo es la elevación (acro).
Generalmente los hombres, que son los que tienen más fuerza en brazos y piernas, son los que van abajo sosteniendo a la mujer, elevándola y dándole el espacio, para que pueda hacer diferentes técnicas, con la ayuda de su elasticidad y fuerza en el abdomen.
Esta práctica, no solo te ayuda a fortalecer distintas áreas del cuerpo y a tener más elasticidad, también es una fuente terapéutica en la que el individuo trabaja:
- La confianza: saber que el otro, ante cualquier peligro te está sujetando y no te va a soltar.
- La estabilidad: concentrar tu mente, cuerpo y alma, para poder centralizar distintos puntos del cuerpo y poder concientizar el equilibrio en tu vida.
- La escucha: trabajar en equipo para llegar al objetivo propuesto, ya que si se manifiesta la individualización, el esfuerzo se vuelve de uno y no de dos.
- El desafío: a algunas personas, algunas técnicas les serán más fáciles que otras, pero aquellas que se nos hacen difíciles, una vez que las prácticas y te esfuerzas, para lograrlas, la felicidad y el gozo es inmenso.
- La conexión: está es muy importante, porque muchas veces, no nos conectamos con el otro para llegar a nuestra propia satisfacción y el acroyoga te brinda, el darte cuenta de que, si en la vida cotidiana, no nos conectamos con el otro, nuestra existencia, se vuelve inhumana, solitaria, egoísta y robótica.
Si creemos que por tener fuerza en los brazos, piernas, abdomen y mucha flexibilidad podemos lograr los desafíos que nos brinda el acroyoga, estamos muy equivocados. Para lograr esta práctica debemos darle lugar a la mente, que es aquella que nos da la fuerza y seguridad en todo lo demás.
Hace un par de años, empecé a seguir una cuenta en Instagram que se llama #acro, cuando comencé a ver las fotos y videos que subían, me encanto e impresiono la diversidad de cosas que puede llegar a hacer nuestro cuerpo.
Se me antojaba mucho hacer diferentes técnicas de videos que había visto en la página, pero no me animaba porque un día, después de muchas súplicas de una amiga, me anime a entrar a una clase de yoga por videollamada, intensamente, estaba haciendo todas las posturas que nos iba diciendo la maestra, a pesar de que nos había advertido que si era nuestra primera clase, no hiciéramos algunas porque nos podíamos lastimar. Casi al final de la clase, puso una en la que debías acomodar los brazos de tal forma que no recuerdo y elevar las piernas. La verdad se veía muy fácil y me dije a mi misma, si te puedes levantar de piernas en la pared y quedarte un buen rato, claro que lo puedes y hacer, evidentemente no pude, se veía más fácil de lo que era y cuando me eleve, lo logré pero me fui del otro lado y no se cómo acomode los brazos, pero el hombro se me dobló y me dolió por meses, estoy segura que algo me paso, porque hasta la fecha me sigue doliendo y fue aproximadamente hace dos años. Fue muy gracioso, porque cuando estaba apunto de caer, le grité a mi hermana y ella al escuchar el grito con tono de espanto, salió llorando y atrás de ella una señora que en ese momento hacía la limpieza en la casa, diciéndome -señorita está bien?. En el momento en el que salieron ya estaba en el piso cagada de la risa. Además tontamente en vez de hacerlo en el pasto, lo hice en un pasillo de piedra que te dirige de la puerta mi de casa que da del jardín, a la calle.
Hasta ahorita me estoy acordando que después de la caída, Gina (la señora que hacía la limpieza) insistía en que me comiera un pan, porque aquí en México y no se si en otros lugares también lo sea, el pan (bolillo), alivia los síntomas del susto. Es un remedio muy popular en mi país, no hay bases científicas de que el pan alivie los síntomas del susto, pero si tiene sentido, si pensamos que cuando tenemos miedo, hay más producción de jugos gástricos y nos da acidez y el pan, al igual que la leche y otros alimentos, nos ayuda a disminuirlo ya que funciona como una protección a la boca del estómago, para no generar úlceras.
Me incorpore al acroyoga, haciendo arcos en las playas a las que viajaba. Los últimos viajes no pude hacerlos y me frustré mucho, por la operación de rodilla. Recuerdo que en un viaje familiar a Puerto Vallarta, lo intenté y al no tener nada de fuerza en la pierna por dejar de caminar algunos meses, no me podía levantarme y cuando logré sostenerme con las piernas, dándole espacio a mi espalda del suelo, me caí, sin haber logrado levantar la pierna.
Después de un par de meses y al haber fortalecido la pierna con un fisioterapeuta llamado Gerardo, que me recomendaron mucho, viaje a Merida y volví a intentarlo, me costo mucho y pensé que no lo iba a poder hacer, pero al final, conectando la mente con el cuerpo y el alma, lo logré.
El hacer arcos cada vez que voy a una playa, no solo se ha vuelto una tradición, también una conexión muy linda con mi mamá. Recuerdo que un día que me estaba tomando fotos, me dijo, prométeme que aunque ya esté muerta y tu tengas 50 años lo vas a seguir haciendo. La verdad al principio se me hizo un poco rara la propuesta y después de haberle dicho que si, le pregunté el ¿por qué?. Ella me dijo que una de las cosas que admiraba mucho de mi es que siempre me he mantenido saludable y delgada, al comer bien, hacer ejercicio y no meterme sustancias que le hagan daño a mi cuerpo.
Espero que a mi no me pase lo que dice el dicho: “las personas más saludables, son las que más se enferman”.
Ahora por haberle dicho que si, voy a estar hasta los 70 años intentando hacer el arco jajajaja, lo más seguro es que no me salga, pero ya veré a quien le pediré ayuda para que me levante y me tome una foto.
Pero no solo me quede con el logro del arco, he seguido intentando otras posturas más difíciles pero dentro de todas las menos complicadas y si me han salido, por lo menos unos segundos y después me caído, tengo que practicarlas más.
En cuando a clases, tengo muchas ganas de meterme, pero la única que encontré en puebla, por la pandemia no la han abierto, estoy a la espera del mensaje de la profesora para que me diga cuando va a empezar el nuevo curso.
Es una actividad muy linda, porque además de que se ve muy estética, es un desafío constante que te lleva a una satisfacción muy grande. Algo que también me gusta mucho, es que todos lo podemos hacer, con un trabajo consistente. No es como en natación, que si no eres alto, no serás bueno o en básquet. El acroyoga le da la oportunidad a todos, chaparritos, altos, gorditos, delgados, etc.
Wouldn't it be difficult for the fat guys ?
It would be difficult, yes, but not impossible!
Flexibility is not always correlated to Fitness, and it is definitely not correlated with mind strength.
But yes, it can be more of a challenge for fat guys, but not impossible like for example, rock climbing (I guess?)
You really enjoy that stance
It is the only one I have mastered so far, nowadays I am trying different positions but since I got the knee surgery 6 months ago I am just now able to try different stances :)
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