4 Easy Partner Yoga Poses To Boost Intimacy

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Whether it’s your significant other, BFF, family or classmate, you will love these 4 Easy Partner Yoga Poses.

Yoga is an inward practice which can be strengthened by our outer relationships with others. Likewise, our personal inward practice can help us to have better relationships.

Partner yoga is a fun way to make the yoga connection with your fellow yoga students, your best friend, your beau, your kids — anyone you want!

Besides the fun, there are many benefits to practicing partner yoga poses:

• Mutual support for balancing
• A warm body to help relax you into a pose
• Teaches listening to your partner
• Guides you to speak to your partner about your needs
• Creates connection
• Builds trust
• These 4 partner yoga poses are especially good for the heart chakra
• Having a practice buddy keeps you both motivated

And with all good things come a few cautions. You really do need to get the communication down. Go slowly & talk!

Don’t move quickly lest you accidentally push your partner where they shouldn’t go. Be especially careful if you and your partner are vastly different sizes and abilities.

Be careful to not push someone beyond their healthy range into the poses; likewise, use your voice and communicate your current limits.

Here’s a few tips for trying partner yoga poses:

• Take turns being the person to lead the other step by step into the positions.
• Always ask each other: How does it feel? Would you like to go farther? Would you like to back off?
• Try to become aware of the other person’s breathing.
• If you think your partner isn’t breathing deeply or is holding their breath, gently call them out and remind them!
• Have a few pillows or other props handy so that if you or your partner need support for your neck, hips, knees or back you are ready.
• LAUGH! It isn’t always as easy as it looks. Go for fun over perfection!

Below are four easy partner yoga poses for you to try today.

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1. Double Tree Pose

It’s all about the balance! Partners must balance themselves and be in balance with one another. If one partner dominates then you both fall down!

How To:

1. Stand side-by-side with your partner.
2. Gently place your inside arm on your partner’s back.
3. Place your outside foot on your inside leg either below or above your knee.
4. Wait until you are both steady.
5. Focus your eyes at one point in front of you to help you be steady.
6. Then slowly bring the palm of your outside hand to your partner’s palm.
7. Repeat the affirmation 1-6 times.
8. Slowly come out of the pose — be mindful with your body so you don’t throw your partner off balance.
9. Take a few deep breaths.
10. Switch places and repeat on the other side.

Variations:

• Instead of lifting your foot to your opposite leg, you can keep the ball of your foot on the floor and just place your heel on your opposite leg.
• If you like to get fancy and can do so without knocking over your partner, you can place your outside leg into half lotus pose.
• Too wobbly? Stand with your backs to a wall to support you.

Breathing: Steady breathing here. Laughing and talking works too!

Cautions: If you have a current ankle or knee injury better keep both feet on the ground. Stand with your legs comfortably together and just place the palms together.

Benefits: Improves balance and your sense of humor when you do this with a partner! Enhances feelings of calm and serenity. Strengthens legs and core muscles a little. Helps you to be more sensitive to your partner.

Tips: 

• Communicate!
• Don’t sag into your hip joint on your standing leg or try to rely on your partner to hold you up! Lift up out of your hip as though growing taller.

Affirmation: While in the pose repeat out loud 1 – 3 times “I am calm, I am poised.”*

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2. Seated Forward and Backward Bend

Taking turns supporting and receiving is important in any relationship. The forward and backward bend partner yoga pose helps you do both!

How To:

1. Sit crossed legged back to back. I recommend sitting on pillows to support your lower back.
2. Breathe deeply together for a few moments getting a feel for each other and tuning into your partner.
3. The first partner will begin to slowly bend forward. Pausing every few inches or so.
4. The second partner leans back being supported by the first as his/her body moves into a back bend.
5. Have a pillow handy in case the backhanding partner needs support to keep his/her neck comfortable and safe. If needed place under second partner’s head.
6. First partner controls how deeply he/she feels the stretch with how far forward his/her arms move or come towards the floor.
7. Talk to each other as one partner may reach their current range limit before the other one.
8. Stop, breathe and hold the position when at least one partner has reached their max point.
9. Repeat the affirmation 1 – 4 times.
10. When it is time to come out, the first partner will lift up slowly with their arms. The second partner continues to lean and relax while being supported by the first.
11. Once fully upright return to the original back-to-back position and take a few deep breaths.
12. Repeat reversing roles.

Variations:

• Use props generously as needed: under knees to support them, under hips which helps both your lower back and your knees, under the neck of the person back bending.
• Listen to your body and request not going too deeply into the pose it that is what will keep your body safe.

Breathing: As you move into the pose, take very deep breaths, to help release tension or to help keep you steady. Once in the pose take deep relaxing breaths.

Cautions:

• Be very sensitive to the comfort of the back bending person’s neck. Use a pillow or blanket under neck if needed.
• When coming out of the back bend don’t try to lift your head up until you are, or nearly are, upright.
• In both positions, but especially the forward bend, make sure the knees are not being strained. If need be you can do this position with the legs straight and out to the sides. Be sure to use your arms and not go too deeply in the forward bend.

Benefits: Both forward and backward bending are great for your spine. They increase flexibility in your hips, upper arms and chest and enhance trust.

These poses also support the dynamic of learning to balance supporting and receiving from your partner and others, and encourage the feeling of safety and stablity.

Tips:

• Communicate!
• Go slowly and check in with your partner as you move in and out of the poses.
• Once in the backbend – relax into the backbend and try to feel grateful and receptive of the support of your partner.
• Once in the forward bend feel the warmth and protective feeling of having your partner on your back. Feel strong and giving. Feel how you have to balance releasing your hips and keeping strong in your arms as you support you and your partner.

Affirmation: While in the pose repeat out loud 1 – 4 times “I am safe. I am sound. All good things come to me, they give me peace.” *

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3. Seated Twist for Two

In this pose you are both being equal in your movements. While holding the pose you are both equal in your efforts and relaxation. Finding equilibrium in your relationships is healthy and nurturing to both partners.

How To:

1. Sit crossed leg back-to-back as you did in the previous pose. Only this time have your other leg in front.
2. Breathe together tuning into your breath and your partners breath if you can.
3. Each partner will follow the same instructions:
4. Cross your right arm over toward your left and place your right hand on your left knee.
5. Take your left arm and reach it around to your partner’s knee.
6. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and turn your head to the left.
7. Exhale and relax into the twist.
8. Repeat the affirmation 2 – 6 times.
9. Slowly come out of the twist.
10. Take a few breaths in neutral and then repeat to the other side.

Variations: Use props under your hips or knees as needed and described in the previous pose.

• Don’t worry if your hand doesn’t reach your knee or your partner’s knee. Everybody has different body proportions and depending on yours it may be easier or harder to get there! Just place your hand as close as possible.
• You can both sit on a chair or stool placed back to back and do this pose.

Breathing: As you inhale, feel as though as you are lengthening your spine. As you exhale feel as though you are relaxing into the twist.

Cautions:

• Make sure your knees are ok in crossed leg position. If not you can have your legs straight and out to the side to protect your knee(s). – Just do the same with both legs.
• Elevate your hips to prevent stress on your back as needed.
• Don’t twist into sharp, tingling or numbing feelings. Do less or not at all.

Benefits: Strengthens postural muscles. Increases flexibility in the hips, spine and chest. Fosters a sense of being strong in yourself while also feeling connected with your partner. Enhances feeling of love and goodwill with your partner and with others.

Tips: It is more important to keep long and tall in the spine than to try to go too far in the twist. It should feel pleasant and joyful.

Affirmation: While in the pose repeat out loud 2 – 6 times “I radiate love and goodwill to soul friends everywhere” *

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4. Icing on the cake: deep relaxation hand-in-hand

Feeling comfortable being quiet together is a true test of a friendship or love relationship. In deep relaxation we are quiet together and can become fully trusting.

How To:

1. Lie down on the floor and get very comfortable. Use props like a bolster under your knees if you like or a blanket on top to keep warm.
2. Be close enough to place one of your hands on top of your partners hand.
3. Keep your hands totally relaxed, palms up. When your hands relax your fingers will slightly curl.
4. Say the affirmation once or twice out loud, Repeat a few more times mentally only.
5. Allow yourself to relax deeply, feeling held, supported and loved.
6. When you are ready to get up, roll to one side, use your arms to come up and sit facing each other.
7. Bring your palms together in front of your chest. Bow to one another as you say “Namaste” to each other in thankfulness and appreciation. Namaste is acknowledging the divine, best part of  ones self in each other.

Variations:

Comfort rules in this pose. Position yourselves so you are both relaxed. Use props if that helps to keep your back relaxed. If you use a pillow under your head, make sure that it does not lift your head too high.

Breathing: Take some deep relaxed breaths at first. Then just let the breath go as you allow your body to relax deeply.

Cautions: Just be sure that you are completely comfortable! Adjust your position so that you will be comfortable for as long as you hold the pose. The most common areas that may need a prop are under the knees for the lower back, under the neck (not too high) for the neck or something under the knees for the sake of the knees.

Benefits: Deep relaxation is the supreme pose! It helps stimulate the bodies natural healing processes. It reduces stress. Enhances feeling calm and peaceful. When done with a partner it helps one to feel connection not only with your partner but also with the world around you.

Tips:

• Communicate here too! Make sure you both agree on about how long to stay in the pose. Stay at least 2 minutes or as long as 20 minutes.
• Allow each other to come out of the pose slowly. It can be nice to not talk for awhile after this pose.

Affirmation: While in the pose repeat out loud 1-2  times “I feel my entire being – peaceful, healthy and relaxed.” Repeat 1-2 more times mentally.

Practicing partner yoga from time to time can be inspiring for your practice. Partner yoga also allows you to connect with your partner in new and deeper ways than perhaps you ever would otherwise.

If you’d like to discover more useful tips to improve your physical and mental health, then check out Zenward.

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What is your favorite part about partner yoga?

*Ananda Yoga ™ Affirmations

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