yoga videos

Bird and Folded Leaf CUES

Bird:
The flyer begins facing the base at the back of the mat > 
The base places their feet on the flyer’s hips. > If the base has very tight hamstrings, they can place a blanket or bolster under their hips to give them more range of motion during your practice > 
The flyer connects hands with the base and leans slightly forward to transfer their weight onto the base’s feet >
Be sure the flyer keeps their entire body fully engaged > 
To come out of Front Bird Pose, the base slowly bends their knees to allow the flyer’s feet to connect with the mat .

Folded leaf:
The base and flyer setup for Front Bird Pose as listed above, except the base’s feet turn out slightly to create a “V” shape on the flyer’s hips > 
This small adjustment with the base’s feet will give the flyer the space needed to fold their torso over the base’s legs > 
Once the feet are set up, the flyer can release their hands and “hang” their torso over the base’s legs > 
When you are ready to release the pose, connect hands and invite the flyer to slowly come into Front Bird Pose > 
Then the Base can slowly bend their knees to let the flyer come to standing > 
Be sure the flyer takes their time to stand back up after being inverted for a longer period of time

Once you feel comfortable here, you can play around! The base can turn the flyer around from folded leaf to straddle bat. Then, back around, birth through, and back to bird! Go through this sequence a few times, and we call that a washing machine. 

Source: https://www.yogiapproved.com/yoga/acroyoga-explained/

Whale 🐳 .

The flyer begins facing away from the base with their feet framing the base’s neck > 
The base grips the flyer’s ankles and places their feet on the flyer’s upper back, framing the flyer’s spine > 
While keeping their whole body engaged, the flyer leans back to accept the support of the base’s feet > 
As the flyer’s weight is transferred onto the base’s feet, the base begins to lift the flyer’s legs off the mat > 
The base and flyer stay in communication regarding the flyer’s intentions for this backbend and how long they would like to remain in this pose > 
To come out of High Flying Whale Pose, the base slowly uses their feet to bring the flyer back to standing. .
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Throne 👑 .

The flyer begins facing away from the base with their feet framing the base’s neck > 
The base gently grips the flyer’s ankles for stabilization
The base then lifts their legs to bring their feet toward the flyer > 
The flyer slowly bends the knees to sit on the base’s feet
While staying in constant communication, the base then lifts the flyer’s feet one at a time to place the flyer’s feet on the base’s palms > 
Once the weight has been transferred, the base slowly presses the flyer into the full Throne Pose
The flyer can bring hands to heart center or play with different arm variations > 
When ready to exit the pose, the base can slowly extend the flyer’s legs and move their hands to the flyer’s ankles, then slowly bend their knees to allow the flyer’s feet to meet the mat. .
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Source: https://www.yogiapproved.com/yoga/acroyoga-explained/ .