Couples yoga

Why and how to practice these moves with your partner

RICHA SHARMA

Every year, millions say “om” to each other after yoga practice. The relaxing, toning exercise can be a fantastic refuge from stress, while also developing flexibility and strength.

Practicing it with another person, whether a friend, partner or significant other, may offer its own advantages.

Couples yoga, or partner yoga, allows bonding through supported postures. Couple yoga poses may also have a positive impact on your relationship.

PURPOSE OF PARTNER YOGA

Couples yoga helps you deepen and broaden your yoga practice. As your muscles relax and stretch, your partner’s resistance keeps your limbs in place. You’ll be able to explore new poses and find deeper expressions of old ones. Putting your body in the hands of another person will push you both physically and emotionally. Working together fosters connection and tests your trustworthiness.

BENEFITS OF COUPLES YOGA 1. Enhances Your Relationship Satisfaction

Even thinking about going to a couples yoga class can make you feel better about your relationship. Yoga also cultivates mindfulness, which has been related to happier relationships in various research and studies.

2. Pumps up the Intimacy

Yoga for couples can help with both arousal and sexual satisfaction. Partner yoga, according to a Loyola University Health System research, can help couples with sexual dysfunction.

3. Builds Trust and Improves Communication You rely on and lean on your partner the entire time, and communicate verbally and nonverbally. This necessitates trust, support, and vulnerability.

4. Decrease Anxiety and Stress

While most yoga practices can help you relax and destress, touch is an added benefit. According to a study in Psychological Science, married couples who hold hands experience immediate stress alleviation.

5. Bring Playfulness to Your Relationship

Partner yoga is lively and enjoyable, allowing people to not take themselves too seriously, and allowing them to enjoy themselves.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING

HERE ARE A FEW EASY COUPLE YOGA POSES THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW AT YOUR HOUSE.

1. Prepare to Get Comfortable

Working with a partner entails getting really close to one another physically. While this should not be a problem for couples, it may be different with others.

2. Try to Be jn Sync With Your Partner

When your partner moves, try to move with them, and feel what they feel. Consider what would feel good to you in a pose, and then assist them stretch deeper in that way.

3. Don’t Forget To Keep Communicating

In partner yoga, both verbal and nonverbal communication is essential. Say if anything feels nice, or if something doesn’t work for you. Inquire what works for them.

4. Maintain Trust

This cannot be overstated. How often do we raise our guard, limiting our ability to move further? Don’t be frightened to place your faith in your yoga partner.

1. Adho Mukha Vrikasana

This pose enhances the strength in your chest, shoulders and arms. It also stretches your abdominal muscles. • Stand straight with your partner, then bend forward and place your hands your the floor • Take a deep breath, bend one leg on the floor and swing both your legs, wherein your partner needs to support your body to stay in that position • Take a deep breath in that position and slowly release your body • Switch with your partner and follow the same steps

2. Baddha Konasana

A popular beginner couple yoga pose, this activates your sexual drive, which makes it a perfect couples yoga pose. • Sit with your partner back-to-back with the soles of your feet together • Your partner bends down towards their toes, as far as

they can reach • Release your head and shoulders onto your partner’s back • Stay in this position for a couple of breaths, release, switch positions, and repeat

3. Urdhva Dhanurasana

It improves flexibility and leave you rejuvenated. It’s also known as the flying bow or the wheel pose. • Lie back and place your legs on your partner’s lower back, while your heels rest on their buttocks • Your partner bends back and tries to grab onto your shoulders • If you’re flexible enough, raise your partner off the ground using your legs • Stay in the pose for a couple of seconds, slowly release, reverse the position and repeat the process

4. Adho Mukha Svānāsana

Also known as the downward double dog, it strengthens bones and muscles. • Both you and your partner go into the downward dog position, with you in front of your partner • Slowly move back with your hands and feet, while climbing on top of your partner, till you reach their lower back • Ask your partner to keep guiding you to avoid an unfortunate accident • Wait in the pose for a couple of seconds, slowly release, switch positions, and repeat the steps

5. Ardha Uttanasana

It is perfect if you want to strengthen your pelvic area or groin. Also known as the partner forward fold, it is an easy couples yoga pose. • Sit wide-legged before your partner, with

your soles and that of your partner together • Hold your partner’s forearm in your arm, while they hold your forearm in theirs • Take a deep breath and bend backwards while pulling your partner forward from the hips.

Make sure your spine and arms are straight • Stay in that position for a few moments and then switch for the other side

6. Dvi Vrksasana

The Dvi Vrksasana pose, aka the partner double tree, is good for posture and balance. How to Do It: • Stand straight next to each other, your arms touching • Lean on your partner gently, placing your arms around each other’s waist and pressing the other palm against your partner • Take a deep break and try to replicate the double tree

CONCLUSION Share the gift of yoga by doing deeper stretches with your partner, both giving and receiving the benefits. Have fun experimenting with different postures and methods.