Yoga is one of those practices that can reinvigorate the mind, body, and soul, but what do you want to do if you want to take your yoga practice to the next level? This is where 3 person yoga poses hard can be a perfect addition!
If you are looking for an approach that combines yoga with acrobatics and gives you that next-level challenge with your yoga, a three people yoga pose can do a lot. Also known as acro yoga, this is a unique form of exercise that is becoming more popular because of its numerous benefits to those who need to challenge themselves further, and, of course, the unique photo opportunities that they pose!
Balance, core stability, and communication are pivotal to ensure everybody participates in successful acro yoga. While many acro poses are for two people, there are many three person yoga poses that the experienced and supremely fit can try.
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3 Person Yoga Poses Video
How Should 3 Person Yoga Poses Be Practiced?
The basic rules of three person yoga poses are as follows involve three key people:
Base
This is the person who is the foundation of any pose. Anybody in a three people yoga pose will rely on this person as the essential support; this person is usually the strongest of the three, as they need to provide that core strength so others can perform the poses.
Flyer
This is the person at the top of the post, and as the name suggests, they look like they are flying at points. Depending on the yoga position in question, there may be one or two flyers within the 3 person yoga poses setup.
Spotter
Like any weightlifter, the spotter is in charge of ensuring the yogis maintain adequate form and are kept safe. The spotter either takes part in the three person yoga poses or may be supplementary to the two people performing the yoga pose.
The 3 person yoga poses is an incredibly challenging prospect and should only be performed if you are completely satisfied that your yoga needs to go to the next level and you can perform the duties of these three roles.
Easy 3 Person Yoga Poses
Everybody needs to start somewhere! If you want to get started on your three people yoga pose journey, try the following positions:
Lord of the Dance Pose
This is where the base and the flyer will assume the same position. Every person gets into the Lord of the Dance Pose while balancing the other under the shoulders. An ideal warm-up yoga position, even for a solo yogi, this pose can be challenging but when you use a group of people, you can help everybody balance. These types of poses are crucial as you start to develop your three person yoga poses practice.
Downward Dog & L-Shape Group Pose
This is where the base goes into a downward dog position and the flyer puts their hands on the ground, putting the bottom of the toes on the hips of the base. A perfect practice to open the hamstrings and strengthen the shoulders, everybody should take turns in this position. One of the most common yoga positions, the downward dog says it all. When you start with the downward dog, you then progress to the half dog and the half L, and then the third person forms a full L-shape.
2-Person Whale Pose (With Spotter)
The whale pose is excellent for beginner yoga. This yoga pose will strengthen the spine and stretches the abs, chest, and shoulders. You start with a tabletop position, ensuring your hands are shoulder-width apart and your knees hip-width apart. This pose offers a deep backbend for the upper thoracic spine for the flyer.
Additionally, the base requires strong balance skills. This is why the spotter is there, so they are able to help in the moment and communicate between the two people if necessary.
Intermediate 3 person yoga poses
For those who are looking to take their yoga practice to the next level and have developed that all-essential core and stability, intermediate practices can build upon the basics while also holding the positions for longer.
Plank Press
This intermediate yoga pose can be suitable for beginners but the 3-person upgrades require one person on each side of the yogi. Lying down on the yoga mat in the supine position, you perform your plank while having the third person sit between your legs, supporting you from under your thighs. Engaging your back muscles and abdominals, inhale as you lower the pose into a plank position.
The plank is an incredibly well-known exercise, not just for its ability to tone the abs, but in terms of yoga, it can pose many next-level challenges.
3-Person Camel Pose
This pose stretches the entire front of the body, and if you’re looking for an extra challenge, you can perform this with a fourth person, or if you’re looking to downgrade, it can be performed with two people too. When performing this pose with three people, two people need to hold yoga blocks at the side while the person performing the pose kneels behind them. The yogi performing the poses places their hands on yoga blocks and leans back until the palms are flat on the ground.
Make sure you squeeze your shoulder blades together, bring your elbows into the side of the body, keep the kneecaps lifted, and engage the glutes, while slowly lifting your hips off the floor and pressing your tailbone towards the ceiling. Tilt your head back slightly, exhale and hold the pose between 5 and 8 breaths before slowly lowering to the upward dog position or child’s pose.
Triple Warrior III
This is a perfect 3-person interpretation of the classic Warrior pose. Best performed on solid surfaces like wood or grass, everyone stands in a circle facing the center, after inhaling, the arms go above the head with palms facing in. The two posers place their hands against each other or interlock your arms, making sure they shift their weight onto the right leg and keep the body in a flat T-shape with hips facing the ground.
Box Trio
A good intro to the flying three person yoga poses, this is where the three performers make a rectangular box shape. One of the trio lays flat across the top and the other two form an L-shape. This move needs incredible core strength; one of the best ways to warm up is to conduct the chair pose to prepare for that 90-degree leg angle. The two base people lay flat on their backs, with the crowns of their heads almost touching.
Both raise their legs up and bend their knees slightly, so the flyer can get into position. The top person adjusts their shoulders onto one of the base’s feet and raises their lower body onto the other. Gradually, the bases adjust and put their legs up until 90 degrees are reached. The flyer stays in a Savasana position and the bases support the flyer’s body weight.
3-Person Ballet Pose
An incredibly challenging position, but a very beautiful one nonetheless! The ballet pose provides a deep stretch and is the pinnacle of intermediate three person yoga poses. One person starts with Warrior I and the second base align their front toes with the heel of the other base and goes into their Warrior I pose. The third yogi steps onto the thighs of the bases, as if to form a pyramid. The flyer then lifts their front leg onto one shoulder, while the other base helps the flyer into the splits.
Advanced 3 Person Yoga Poses
For those who are ready to step into the advanced positions, the following can be incredibly challenging, not to mention unique!
Trio Flying Mountain and Throne
This pose involves both flying partners supporting their own weight and balance without touching each other. The base needs incredible arm and leg strength to hold their legs in a 90-degree position.
The base starts by lying flat on their back and the first flyer stands facing away from their legs. The base puts their legs on the flyer’s sit bones and presses them up into a seated throne. The second flyer steps onto the extended arms of the base, ensuring their body is aligned and engaged. This requires a lot of focus and should not be attempted by beginners.
Trio Plank Pose
Different from the previously mentioned 3 person yoga pose, this plank involves stacking on top of each other. The base has to have the strength to support the other two. The strongest person holds a Phalakasana while the partner faces their feet.
The middle person holds onto the ankles of the base and puts the tops of the feet onto the shoulders, engaging the core. The top person then mimics the second movement but faces the opposite direction.
There are incredible benefits to having three person yoga poses as part of your health and fitness practices. But it’s important to remember that if somebody is not well-versed in the basics or the intermediate poses, they should not try this, otherwise they will run the risk of injury! Anybody looking to upgrade their yoga practices can always benefit from a three people yoga pose, but ensure that you are strong, not just in body, but in mind, before you attempt these!