Acro Newbies: Drills and Skills

These drills help to teach your body some of the basics of Acro play.  Acro requires that you learn a new vocabulary of movement and these drills will help develop both the strength and coordination required.

DRILLS

1. Toe to Toe Counterbalance: Straight-Leg Version: Stand toe to toe holding hands.  Keep tension on your arms equal as you lean back until arms are straight then slowly return to standing. Stand-to-Sit-Version: same as above but bend knees as you straighten arms. Gradually increase how low you go until you can lower all the way to the floor and return to standing. 

2. Metronome (3 people): this is like a trust fall with the flyer falling both forwards and backwards.  Increase distance to increase the difficulty. 

3. Superman on the floor, both with hands pointing forward and hands pointing back; flutter arms/legs to increase the difficulty. 

4. Hollow body holds and rocks(front to back and side to side).  

5. Elevator: base is on back with legs bent and feet flat on floor. Flyer stands at base's feet where base can reach tip of flyers toes. Base places feet so their arch is over the hip bone and slowly bends legs as deeply as possible.  Flyer stays straight as a board as base bends and straightens legs. No hand contact. Repeat with the flyer putting their arms forward at a right angle to their body.  DO NOT JUMP OR TRY to HELP THE BASE. KEEP YOUR SHAPE. 

6. Supine on mat: lift buttocks off the ground using heels & shoulders.

7. Side plank to side plank: Start at the top of a pushup position, roll onto the outside of one foot and lift your arm straight up so that both arms make a single line perpendicular to the floor. This can be done on the forearm for an easier version.

Work tripod headstand and handstands if you have those skills.

Stretch and work flexibility:  KEEP LEGS STRAIGHT for the exercises below.  When you bend your knees you escape the hamstring stretch.

    Forward folds (standing and seated)

    Straddle pike stretches (standing and seated)