Best Yoga Poses to do with a Partner
According to a study from the Department of Epidemiology, yoga has been proven to reduce heart-related diseases such as cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also good if you want a way to relax and reduce your anxiety, which, let’s be honest, we all need in 2021 with the current state of the world.
What are the benefits of doing yoga poses with someone?
A 2-person yoga pose can be a lot of fun, but not only that, it will let you use your intuition and develop your listening skills. As your partner gives you a non-verbal cue, you will need to adapt yourself in order to follow his or her movements.
Moreover, if you do yoga with your boyfriend/girlfriend, it is a great way to connect and even improve your relationship. After a couple of yoga sessions, you will notice some changes in your life, such as:
- Being motivated in doing projects with teammates and your loved ones
- Confidence and good energy in your day-to-day life
- Better control over your emotions, especially when there is a problem involving your other half
How to warm up before doing yoga?
Ready to start your journey with your partner? Before we begin, it is better to start slow by warming up your body properly. There are actually many 2-player yoga poses you can do to warm up, so we picked the 3 best ones:
Partner Seated Cat-cow
This yoga pose is a perfect beginner starting point if it’s your first time adventuring this avenue. Here are the steps to follow:
- Sit in front of your partner, with your legs crossed.
- You can touch each other’s knees, by the way!
- Extend and hold each other’s arms, gently.
- Now inhale and exhale, slowly, with deep breaths.
- You can do this for as long as you like until you both feel that you are ready to go to the next pose.
Partner Forward-fold
This one is pretty similar to the previous yoga pose, so it’s a perfect follow-up. You can stay where you are after you’re done with the Partner Seated Cat-cow, and instead of having your legs crossed, you will extend them to make a V shape. The goal is to stretch your legs by pushing your feet against the feet of your partner. Lastly, hold each other’s arms and inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale… Try to be as synchronized as possible!
Partner Chair Pose
Okay, we’re almost done warming up. But this time, we are going to do something a bit more intense: the chair pose! That’s right, although there is just one big difference with your typical against-the-wall chair pose. You are going to use each other’s back in order to hold yourselves in that position! To help you succeed, you can wrap your arms around the arms of your partner, it will solidify the posture. Try to stay like that as long as you can, and take some deep breaths.
Partner Seated Twist
Now that you’re all warmed up, you and your partner are finally ready for the serious stuff! If you were wondering how to do a Partner Seated Twist yoga pose, we listed a mini step-by-step guide below:
- So you remember the first warm-up pose we did with your legs crossed? This time we are going to do the same thing but with your back against the back of your partner.
- Your right hand will go on your left knee, and your left hand will go on the right knee of your partner. Your partner does the same, but on his or her side.
- This will force you both to twist your body. But don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt or anything, it actually feels fantastic.
- You can stay like that for as long as you like, while your inhaling and exhaling, slowly, but surely.
- Repeat all the steps above but this time, your left hand on your right knee, etc.
Partner Tree Pose
To finish off our partner yoga session, you can do a tree pose against each other. To put it simply, only one foot on the mat, bring one hand to the sky while the other hand touches the hand of your partner. Try to get a perfectly symmetrical tree. This pose is all about trust and connection, as you will find your inner balance in the heart of your partner. Once you think you’ve reached perfect symmetry, then start taking very slow and deep breaths, in sync with your teammate. Finally, you can take a small break in between, to relax your legs.
Doing yoga with someone is a special experience that anybody should try at home or outside. All you need is a yoga mat, some time, and of course, a partner that you can trust. On that note, we hope you have fun doing these partner yoga poses and that life won’t be too stressful anymore.