Basic Yoga Poses for Three People

While performing yoga alone or with someone is fun and relaxing, bringing a third person to the mix can boost your motivation and creativity. Yeah, you have read it right. Three people can form a yoga pose together. 

It is a fun way of doing yoga with your beloved ones and will improve the practitioners’ bonding, communication, and connection.  That’s why three-person yoga or trio yoga has been gaining momentum for a while now. 

Generally, this method of yoga features a lot of positions in which one or more practitioners levitate, balancing themselves on the feet, torso, or hands of the yogi lying on the ground.  

Like a traditional yoga method, a three-person yoga will stretch and strengthen your entire body while helping you feel mentally focused and relaxed. What an exciting way to do yoga moves together!

So here, we will walk through some yoga poses for three people. But, first of all, it is important to learn the ins and outs of these technique from a qualified teacher. 

Understanding the Basic Roles Involved in the Three-Person Yoga Positions

 

Base

A practitioner who lies on his back under the formation. This way, they ensure a reliable foundation for other practitioners. Therefore, a practitioner should be strong enough to play this role. 

Flyer

The flyer stays on the top of the formation. In some poses, they look as if they are flying. Yoga positions for multiple people may have one or two flyers. However, flyers need to maintain balance and coordination. Besides, one must be lightweight and have good body control to distribute weight evenly. 

Spotter

The role of a spotter is to stay watchful and make sure that no one falls. 

Let’s Get Warmed Up First!

Beginners shouldn’t jump right into three-person yoga poses without proper practice and planning. After all, this yoga method is all about lifting and balancing on other practitioners’ limbs. Therefore, make sure to choose an easy yoga pose. 

Be sure to be mentally ready before starting and you are ready to devote full concentration as you perform these poses, because these poses require that the three people work together in unison.

 

Are You Ready? Let’s Get Started.

 

Triple Warrior III

This is an interesting twist to the classic partner Warrior pose. Make sure to choose a solid surface like grass or wood to perform this yoga posture. 

Here’s how to do it:

• All participants should stand in a circle while facing the center. 
• Extend the arm over the hand as you inhale. Keep the palms pressed against each other.
• Inhale and transfer the weight to your right leg. 
• Lean forward while extending the back legs straight back with the hips. 
• As you enter the Warrior III position, make sure to keep the foot flexed. 
• Maintain a level T-shaped plane with your hips facing the ground.
• Repeat on the other side.

The 3-Person Plank Pose (Phalakasana)

Before doing a 3-person plank pose, everyone should practice this plank position individually to gain control and accuracy. Make sure to maintain the plank position for at least 10–15 full breaths. 

Once you all are confident enough to perform this pose, here are the steps to follow:

1. Begin at the bottom of the plank tower, with the strongest person holding a solid plank.
2. The second partner stands up and faces the feet of the first.
3. Grasp the ankles of the person in the base position. Now, keep the tops of the feet on their shoulder blades, bracing and tightening the core muscles. 
4. Then, the top partner can repeat the movement of the second partner in the opposite direction.
5. Everyone should look down or slightly ahead with their necks straight.
6. Once the position is set, a person in the role of the top flyer can lift one foot while releasing. 

Trio Downward Facing Dog

Trio downward facing dog looks like a pyramid, with two yogis in the downward-facing dog position while one of them acts like a flyer balancing on the booty of the two bases. Here’s how to do it:

• One of the base partners begins in the traditional downward dog position.
• The practitioner handling the base should get into the down dog keeping the head and hands touching the person playing the first base.
• The bases should be stable, while your hamstrings should be extended. Once you are sure, you can inhale. 
• The flyer (second partner) places the hands on the lower back of one person at the base and quickly lifts their legs into a tabletop set on top of their partners using their core power.
• To get into the 3-dog pyramid, the flyer extends their feet to the opposing base’s shoulders and gets into a downward-facing dog posture.
• For a farther stretch, the person acting as the flyer can raise one leg into a split dog.

Three-Person Flying Mountain and Throne Pose

This might be a challenging yet fun pose to try with your yoga buddies. This pose requires both flying participants to hold their weight, as well as balance without being touched by each other.  

Before jumping to this yoga pose with three people, make sure that the person at the base has good arm strength and hamstring flexibility to keep their legs up in a 90-degree position. 

Want to try your hand at this yoga pose? Let’s do it: 

• The person at the base will lay flat on the back.
• The first flyer takes a position away from the legs of the base.
• The base bends their knees and rests their feet on the lower hip part of the flyer, gradually forcing them up into a seated throne stance.
• Once the first flyer is in place, the second flyer maintains the foot-to-hand balance by softly placing onto the extended arms of the base with their entire body solid and engaged.
• The base should extend their legs and arms as they focus on the flyers. 

Now that we have learned some great yoga poses for three people, make sure to practice to gain accuracy and control. Take your time with each yoga pose. Don’t hesitate to ask for assistance or modifications while doing these poses.

Three Person Yoga Pose Pictures

Here are some gentle 3 person exercises your group can emulate from the photos below:

The Bottom Line

So, these are some fun 3-person yoga poses. As you can experience, yoga poses are an excellent way to relax and get your mind off the day’s stresses, which helps keep your body healthy in the process. While there are many benefits to practicing yoga on your own, it can also be great to practice with a friend or even your entire family. Above all, have fun and enjoy these unique yoga poses to do with your family and friends.