3 YOGA POSES TO TRY WITH YOUR PARTNER TO BUILD A STRONGER BOND

Finding precious bonding time with your partner can be difficult. Whether you set aside 10 minutes a day to connect or schedule weekly date nights, quality time creates a sense of closeness and should not be overlooked. One way to better connect with your partner is practicing partner yoga. You can deepen your stretches and relationship, all while having fun, with a playful partner yoga practice.

Partner yoga helps foster communication and connection.  It also builds trust and teaches us how to physically and mentally let go. It’s a completely different experience than rolling out your own mat and practicing on your own in silence. These poses require two people to work together to get the biggest benefit.

The poses can range from simple seated twists that are great for beginners to Acro poses that require a good amount of strength and flexibility. Whether you’re looking for a simple stretch to try or a challenging pose that’ll require a lot of mutual effort, read on below for three different partner yoga poses to try!

Seated Spinal Twist

This is a great “ice-breaker” partner pose because it is simple and everyone can practice it!

• Both parties start seated cross legged, back to back
• Both parties extend their arms into a T-shape and twist to the right holding the left knee of your partner and the left hand rests on your own right knee. Repeat twisting to the left.

Lizard on a Rock

This pose is a little more complex but both students get a great stretch.

• Student #1 starts in child’s pose
• Student #2 sits sacrum to sacrum on Student #1 and extends backwards.
• Student #2 extends arms overhead and Student #1 grabs their wrists for a deep stretch
• Student #2 can extend their legs as well to get a full body stretch if comfortable
• Switch positions

Down Dog / L-Shape Handstand

This is a classic partner pose that’s fun and playful and goes upside down!

• Student #1 starts in downward dog
• Student #2 places feet outside Student #1 hands and then places their hands on the floor
• Student #2 takes one foot at a time onto Student #1’s sacrum (the triangular bone between the pelvic bones). Student #2 is in an L-Shape Position.
• Student #2 has the option to lift up one foot and then the other as if practicing L-Shaped Handstand at the wall
• Switch Positions

Thank you to our partners at  YogaRenew Teacher Training for sharing this fun sequence with our community!