Candy hearts, red roses, romantic dinners, and other romantic gestures are good for your relationship, but these things seem to die down over the years. The “romance” may wane, but couple yoga poses will help to improve relationships.
If you really want to strengthen your relationship, couple yoga poses are scientifically effective for that. Couples’ yoga can do a lot for your relationship.
These are four areas of your relationship where couple’s yoga is life-changing: A boost in satisfaction in your relationship, improved sex life and intimacy, better trust and communication, and less stress and anxiety.
Sex isn’t the only aspect of intimacy. There are other ways to boost your intimacy. Partner yoga for couples happens to be one of those ways. It’s important to know the difference between intimacy and sex.
Since there are so many benefits of partner yoga poses, this guide will include the following 10 couple yoga poses that will help your relationship.
1. Partner Breathing Exercise
Starting with the easiest and most essential elements of yoga, this couple’s yoga pose is all about getting your breathing balanced. This is a seated partner breathing exercise.
You can also use this time for meditation, but remember to focus on your breathing. You will be seated back-to-back on the floor (preferably) with your legs crossed (criss-cross applesauce) at the shins or at the ankles; just be comfortable.
Place your hands on your thighs or knees, clear your mind, and relax. Let yourself start feeling the connection with your partner with each breath.
Inhale slowly, but regularly and pay attention to how it feels to have your rib cages together as you’re breathing. Take steady breaths. Don’t force your breathing, or overthink it.
This may seem odd, but breathe alternatively with your spouse or partner. Therefore, when you inhale, your partner should be exhaling, and vice versa.
Start this practice at five minutes. This is the easiest, most relaxed, and gentle way to feel more connected to your partner. The heart is open during this yoga practice.
2. Partner Twist
The seated twist pose is called Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sanskrit) when performed as a single. This is the same pose, only you are doing it with a partner.
For the partner twist, you will start in the same seated position, keeping your backs against each other. Also, stay in the same pose with your hands on your thighs or knees to maintain your connection to each other.
Next, inhale and raise your arms over your heads as you lengthen your spine, reaching up to the ceiling. Upon the exhale, twist to your right, while bringing your hand to the inside of your partner’s left knee, and rest your left hand on your outer thigh or knee.
As you’re doing this, your partner will be mirroring your moves.
Now, hold this pose for three to five breaths. You can then exhale as you “untwist” your bodies. Repeat the same movements and pose on the opposite side.
What does this yoga couple pose do for you? The partner twist is effective for cleansing your body and aids in detoxification. It’s also fun and playful, which improves your connection and intimacy.
Generally, yoga twist poses are very effective at lengthening your spine, reducing ab fat, boosting digestion, alleviating back pain, detoxification, and stress relief.
3. Partner Side Bend
Stay in a seated position on the floor with your legs crossed. The seated couple yoga poses in this guide are the easiest to get started for beginners. Some of these poses will be more challenging, but are still doable for couples.
The partner side bend is an amazing stretch that improves the flexibility and endurance of the spine. This couple’s spinal stretch requires hand, shoulder, and spinal movements.
In yoga, this is called the Parsva Sukhasana Partner Stretch, which is a beginner pose that merges the lateral twist with the Sukhasana for a gentle hip opening. Your upper body, lower back, chest, ad Psoas muscles are all engaged in this movement.
In the meditation posture, align your backs, shoulders, head, and torso, sitting back-to-back. Each partner will raise their hands straight while aligning their shoulders. One partner will grasp the wrist of the other on each side, as they stretch their hands up to the ceiling.
Both of your spines should be stretched in a healthy pose that you will hold for around 10 seconds. Remember that breathing is crucial in yoga.
Next, you will each take turns switching sides while you gently keep a hold of your partner’s wrists. Finally, you will gradually and slowly return your hands to the first sideways pose. Make sure to keep your head straight and your knees on the floor.
4. Partner Forward Fold
The partner-assisted, wide-legged forward pose is also called Upavistha Konasana in Sanskrit. This pose is designed for partners. This is also one of several seated couple yoga poses you will see in this guide.
This time, you will be facing each other with your legs stretched out in front of you. Look each other in the eyes. Stretch your legs and open them as wide as you can in a V-shape pose. You should be legs’ length between each other, of course. You should be able to touch your feet together in this posture.
Next, reach out to one another and hold each other’s arms. Gently bend forward as far as possible, remembering to be comfortable and not overstretching. Keep your hips stationary, and your hands straight while you are holding each other’s arms.
As one of you leans forward, the other should lean backward to make plenty of space for the one leaning forward. Your backs and arms should be kept straight. Don’t forget to inhale when you’re leaning backward and exhale when bending forward.
The benefits of this couple’s yoga pose are to reduce stress, increase stamina, and aid in relaxation. It’s a great way to end a long day at work, before discussing anything about your day.
5. Partner Boat Pose
This partner yoga pose will take a little practice to get into the proper position. This one is good for strengthening your calf muscles and hamstrings. It also tones your abs and lifts your back leg muscles.
The buddy boat pose, also called Paripurna Navasana in Sanskrit, is a known major ab burner. Yoga postures like this bring you closer together, and they also tone and lift your legs and abs.
You will start by sitting facing each other with your legs stretched out towards your buddy. Next, you will slowly start lifting your feet up to meet your buddy’s feet. You will be forming a triangular shape with your legs and torso.
While you’re getting into this partner pose, you will hold hands on each side of your legs (around the knees) to support the post. Both partners’ legs will be lifted between your arms. As you envision this pose, you can imagine that it will take some practice to get it right.
Finally, you relax by taking deep and steady breaths as you gradually lower your legs and let go of each other’s hands, so you can lower your arms. If you have tight hamstrings, learning and practicing this pose can help release that tightness.
6. Partner Savasana
The Savasana yoga pose is also known as the “corpse pose”, and is known as the most relaxing pose in yoga. It’s most often used at the end of a yoga session to complete your asanas and achieve complete relaxation.
Partner Savasana is also considered the easiest of all partner poses. When used as one of the couple yoga poses in your routine, you can use it at the end, or just to relax. This pose isn’t used to burn fat or improve your fitness level. Instead, it’s a deep relaxation pose where you hardly move at all.
What it can do is deepen your spiritual connection. How do you perform the corpse pose?
First, you will lie down on the floor, side-by-side with your partner. Your navals should be aligned. You should lie at opposite ends. In other words, your heads and feet should be at opposite ends.
Close your eyes, and enter a relaxation, resting phase without moving. Clear your mind and simply be there. Each of you will practice a deep breath as you relax and enter the resting stage of this pose. Deep breathing is the main focus of Savasana.
You should consider this a way to connect and engage in mindfulness together. You will remain in the corpse pose for about five minutes.
7. Partner Twin Tree Pose
The partner twin tree pose is the couple’s version of the twin pose, and is also called Vrikshasana or Vrksasana in Sanskrit. It comes from the words “vrksa” (tree) and “asana” (pose). Now you have a new yoga language for tree pose.
This partner pose requires much coordination and balance, so be patient with yourselves as you practice this one together. The t
You need to know that of the couple yoga poses in this guide and others you can find; this one is an advanced partner pose. It will require time, patience, and a lot of practice to master this asana. When you do “get” this pose right, your spine will elongate, making you a little bit taller.
The tree pose is not one that can be done alone because it requires a buddy for support.
You start by standing next to your buddy, or partner. Each of you will raise your inner arms upward, and then you will bring the palms of your hands together.
While you’re making that movement, you need to both keep your inner legs straight to serve as a base position. Next, gradually raise your outer leg until your foot can touch your thigh.
You will hold this posture for 5 to 8 deep breaths, and then you will rotate 180 degrees and repeat it again.
8. Partner Double Downward Dog
You may be somewhat familiar with downward dog in yoga, which in Sanskrit is called Adho Mukha Svanasana. However, did you know that you can do this with a partner? That is when it’s known as the double downward dog yoga posture.
You need to know that of the couple yoga poses in this guide and others you can find; this one is an advanced partner pose. It will require time, patience, and a lot of practice to master this asana.
While downward dog alone can be done with practice, making sure that two people doing this as a partner’s yoga pose can get into the proper position smoothly while maintaining it for a long enough time is challenging.
Once you adapt to double downward dog, you will discover how relaxing and pleasant it is to do. The partner on the bottom of this pose will get a great hamstring and back stretch. The top partner will achieve a healthier upper body. So, it’s best to take turns at this one as you adjust to proper form.
How do you do it? Start with both partners in the tabletop position. Keep your shoulders directly over your wrists and then back up 5 or 6 inches using your feet and knees. Make sure to tuck your toes under, so that you are on the balls of your feet.
Lift your sit bones upward and go into the regular downward dog yoga pose as you breathe out. Now, slowly bring your hands and feet back until you are both in a comfortable, stable posture.
Next, walk your feet to the outside of each other’s low back to locate the back of your hips. When you get through these transitions, talk to your buddy and make sure you are both comfortable before moving on. Don’t over do this. If one of you feels pain, stop moving.
Once you get into the proper posture, hold the pose for around 25 seconds. Next, slowly bend your lower hips and knees down to end the pose. Switch partners and repeat.
9. Partner Camel Pose with Plow Pose
The camel pose is known in Sanskrit as Ustrasana. It comes from the words camel (ustra) and asana (pose). The plow pose is Halasana in Sanskrit. These poses are a bit more challenging, but effective for opening up the front torso and stretching the lower back.
This will be challenging due to the deep forward fold for the plow pose, and the backbend for the camel pose are advanced asanas. You can use blocks, props, straps, or whatever you need in the beginning before going deeper into this yoga pose together.
The first partner will lie down on their back, and lift their legs over their head, touching the floor behind their head. This is the plow pose. If your toes can’t go to the floor behind your head, use locks under your feet.
The second partner will bend backwards into the camel pose, while keeping their knees hip-distance apart. Next, they reach back and grab their partner’s feet.
Hold this pose for 5 deep breaths and switch places with your partner.
Your glute muscles should be engaged to get the full benefits of the camel pose.
10. Partner Temple Pose
The temple pose is called Kaliasana in Sanskrit. This is known to be a very simple couple’s yoga pose. However, it does require solid upper body flexibility in both partners. Your arm, back, and shoulder muscles are the primary muscles used to perform the partner temple pose.
How it’s done: Your neck needs to be aligned with your spine. Next, face each other with your legs hip-width apart. Raise your arms over your head and bend forward using your upper torso, but don’t arch your back.
Once you are in this posture, join your palms. Hold this pose for about a minute.
The goal of the couple temple pose is to open up the chest and shoulders. This yoga pose is great for prepping your upper body for more advanced yoga asanas. Remember, it should feel good.
Conclusion
Now you have 10 couple yoga poses for a stronger bond and connection. You can learn and master these poses. You will find that your body, mind, and spirit become stronger along with your partner’s. That is the ultimate experience for couple yoga poses.
All relationships go through challenging times as much as they do pleasant times. Some couples have more difficulties than others so, but there are ways to get through tough times.
A close, loving connection helps you to get through virtually any problem your life will encounter. Yoga is also a great activity for couples to engage in together for health and fitness.
The bottom line is that couple yoga poses have therapeutic benefits that strengthen your bond at every level of your beings. You may find yourselves getting along better, sleeping better, enjoying better intimacy, and generally enjoying one another.
You can improve your relationship, stay calm and relaxed, lower your stress, and connect at the spiritual level. Remember that yoga isn’t just for fitness; it’s also for balance and connection.
