Contortion poses

Contortion is built up of many different tricks, skills and postures. These are combined to create acts and routines. There are a huge verity of skills within Contortion that you can learn. These range from core, foundation skills all the way through to performer-unique poses. It’s important you understand your current ability level so you can work on skills appropriate for your ability level.

Ana Velasco displays an advanced backbending pose that is a variation of a chest stand face frame.

Performer Luke performing a advanced backbend while balancing on his elbows

Luke shows an advanced backbending pose that includes elements of balance has he rests on his forearms on a box.

There are distinct types of contortion poses for your act

Contortion is built up of many different tricks, skills and postures. These are combined to create acts and routines. There are a huge verity of skills within Contortion that you can learn. These range from core, foundation skills all the way through to performer-unique poses. It’s important you understand your current ability level so you can work on skills appropriate for your ability level.

Types of contortion poses

Backbending poses

Poses that require hips, back and shoulder flexibility

Balancing poses

Poses that require and element of balance to execute

Dislocation poses

Poses that specifically focus on the rotation of the shoulder joint in a way that allows tricks to be achieved with the arms.

Frontbending poses

Poses that utilise the hips, legs and back to bend forwards

Poses that focus on the flexibility of the hips and the legs, most specifically focussed on the hamstrings.

Poses that incorporate an element of twisting the upper body, which touches the areas of the spine, shoulders, hips and legs.

Foundation contortion poses

Looking to get started with contortion poses? These are a great place to start your contortion journey as they provide the proper foundation for more advanced poses. These poses are also great for building your general flexibility even if you aren't wanting to train more advanced contortion tricks.

Squat is a fundamental pose for many hip-related poses. To squat down have your feet a little over shoulder width apart and sit down…

Raised bridge (Feet raised)

Raised bridge provides a more accessible version of bridge pose that allows for better access into the shoulders than that of bridge from…

Pike while standing

Pike pose while standing helps with developing your hamstring flexibility in a different plane of gravity but also helps…

Pike pose is one of the fundamental foundation poses when you’re starting off in your training in contortion…

Pigeon pose is another great foundation pose that is wise to master. This position is the precursor to much…

Pancake is an important foundation pose that enables other poses such as fold through as well as helping improve poses such as human…

Lunge with hands on floor

Lunge with elbows on floor

The next progression of lunge is to lower to the floor with a flat back and elbows placed running parallel with the foot. The key is…

The most simple pose of the lunge sequence, in this position you want to have your hips square pushing forwards and down at the same…

Frog is one of the great first stages of working towards box splits. The full expression of frog pose is quite challenging…

Glute bridge could be seen as one of the very first forays into backbending that puts much more emphasis on using the glutes…

Butterfly pose is a foundation pose that stretches the groin and less so, the hamstrings…

Cobra pose is a foundation backbending pose. This pose stretches the abdominals and the lower and thoracic spine

Contortion family poses

Ready for more than foundations? These are core poses in their own right that serve as the parent to a whole host of other variations.

Leg behind head

Leg behind head is the act of placing one’s foot or ankle behind the head, neck, shoulder.

Leg behind back

Kneeling backbend with knee catch

Human knot is one of the classic staples of a frontbending performance.

Kneeling backbend

This is one of the first progressions towards very advanced poses such as triple fold.

Chest stand is probably one of the most sought after poses in contortion and is considered a milestone when it is reached.

Bow pose can be thought of as a reverse bridge, this position is more challenging than bridge however

There are many ways to enter the bridge pose. The most common method is to enter for laying on the floor with knees bent, feet placed close.

All contortion poses

Want some inspiration, or just to see what the human body is capable of? Take a look at the full compliment of contortion poses

Leg behind head while twisted armbalance

A fun progression after leg behind head and the twisted variations have been mastered.

Leg behind head arm balance

Once comfortable with leg behind head a contortionist is able to start playing with different positions and transitions.

Leg behind head

Leg behind head is the act of placing one’s foot or ankle behind the head, neck, shoulder.

Leg behind back while standing

Leg behind back twist

Leg behind back handstand

Leg behind back

Kneeling backbend with knee catch

Fold through is a classic frontbending pose that is a great progression for those working towards human knot.

Human knot is one of the classic staples of a frontbending performance.

Kneeling backbend

This is one of the first progressions towards very advanced poses such as triple fold.

Kandasana armbalance

Human knot with ankles under opposite arms

Human Knot armbalance

Chest stand with bent legs and arms crossed over feet chin on floor

Most often referred to as chest stand face frame, this pose is usually the next variation that performers will look at working towards.

Chest stand headsit with straight legs and feet on floor

Bridge with straight legs feet by hands

This is a slightly more advanced version of the regular bridge as it requires more spinal flexion in order to get the hands and feet to meet

Chest stand is probably one of the most sought after poses in contortion and is considered a milestone when it is reached.

Bridge stagged with bent leg

This pose is a subtle variation of the straight legged bridge. Instead of both legs out straight, one is brought in to change the shape.

Bridge stagged with bent raised leg

Bow pose can be thought of as a reverse bridge, this position is more challenging than bridge however

Bridge on elbows holding ankles

This variation of bridge is a good way to prepare for the more advanced ankle catch bridge.

Bridge ankle catch

Bridge chair-sit

There are many ways to enter the bridge pose. The most common method is to enter for laying on the floor with knees bent, feet placed close.

Bow with single foot on shoulder

A contortion act is more than just the poses

Learning tricks in contortion is also more than just the poses themselves. The transition, as well as the execution of the trick are just as important as the static pose itself. It is all of these elements woven together and executed in a way that looks effortless that creates the magic of a contortion performance.

A lot of contortion poses overlap in their requirements which is why starting with the foundations is key. Once you have mastered some core poses you will find that other more intermediate poses become accessible. The key to learning new poses are progressions. Every pose can be broken down into smaller chunks or a less advanced version. Doing this means you can make small and measured improvements when learning new contortion poses.

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