Couples Yoga: What Is It and Should You Try It?

What is couples yoga?

Couples yoga, or partner yoga is a practice in which two people support each other in poses in a way that enhances posture and builds trust and communication. Working with a partner provides balance in a pose while establishing and maintaining proper body alignment. In this article we’ll talk about the benefits of practicing partner yoga with a romantic partner, but partner yoga can be done with anyone – a friend, sibling, parent or even the person in class next to you. Below are some benefits to practicing partner yoga with your significant other.

It’s a creative way to connect and spend time together.

It can be easy to get caught up in the hustle of daily life. Before you know it, you and your partner are like ships passing in the night. Only communicating with one another about the necessities of daily life; who is bringing home dinner, which one of you is working late this week, what chores need to be done on the weekend. Our relationships require constant work. If we aren’t intentional about caring for our relationships, we can become detached from our significant others, feeling more like roommates or colleagues than romantic partners.

Couples yoga is a fun and healthy way to spend time together. Schedule a date night around a yoga class rather doing something sedentary like going to a movie. You’ll have fun building memories together while also relieving stress, working up a sweat and doing good for your body. And if you want to make a whole night of it, grab a drink afterwards or treat yourselves to dinner at your favorite restaurant.

Couples yoga allows you to expand your practice and try new things.

Couples yoga will give you access to assisted poses that you wouldn’t normally do on your own. You have the advantage of using your own body as well as your partner’s to increase balance and strength. You’ll leverage the strength of your partner to increase stability and try new stretches and poses.

Simple poses like partner breathing or a partner twist can help cleanse and open up your body. More complex poses like a double-down dog help with balance, inversion practice and stability. As you get more comfortable with partner yoga you can push your limits with more advanced poses like an assisted backbend.

You’ll increase communication and intimacy with your partner.

Healthy communication in a romantic relationship goes beyond spoken communication. Understanding the non-verbal cues of your partner can help strengthen your bond and increase your understanding of one another. Working on poses together will bring you in sync with one another and improve both your awareness of your own needs as well as those of your partner.

Of course, physical touch is key for a healthy intimate relationship. Bringing your bodies together through couples yoga will add healthy physical touch will allow you to connect and deepen your bond with one another. If you’d like to give couples yoga a try, be sure and join us for our special couple’s yoga workshop on Friday, February 14th. We hope to see you there!