Purpose
The classic first counterbalance: standing up together from the floor using shared weight through the backs. A small, reliable taste of "I can't do this without your weight."
Setup
Pairs sit on the floor back-to-back, knees bent, feet flat, spines pressed together.
Play
- "Press your backs together and find the shared lean."
- "On a count, push through your feet and stand up together — using each other's weight through your backs. Don't lose contact."
- Sit back down together, controlled. Repeat, finding efficiency.
- Explore: rise and lower slowly, pausing anywhere.
Cues
"Push into each other, not away." · "Find the shared line of weight." · "Let their back help you."
Variations
- Easier: link elbows for extra security.
- Harder: rise and lower with eyes closed; find it by feel.
Debrief
"You literally couldn't stand without their counter-weight. How did that trust feel?"
Watch For
Match heights/weights roughly. Watch for knees; anyone with knee issues sits this out or goes slow.