Partner Yoga can be a unique experience and addition to your normal Yoga routine. Just remember, partner Yoga requires touching and trust with your partner. So choose your partner wisely for the best experience.
Partner tree pose
This simple-looking posture brings a bounty of benefits. It creates stability and balance, improves concentration, opens the hips, and strengthens the ankles.
Stand side to side with your partner, facing the same way, about 1 to 2 feet from each another.
Bring your inside arms straight up, with your hands extended, and touch your partner’s palms (or anywhere on the inside of the arms, depending on your size matchup).
Bend your outside leg and bring your outside heel into your groin, or to a comfortable spot between your groin and your knee.
If you can’t reach that high, place your heel between your ankle and your knee — but not on the knee joint, which can cause injury.
Bring your outside arms to the middle, and touch palms in the prayer, or Namaste, position.
If you’re feeling unstable, entwine your inside extended arms.
Focus on a spot on the floor about 6 to 8 feet in front of you, to help your balance.
Stay for 6 to 8 breaths; then get out of the pose by first taking down the outside bent leg and placing that foot on the floor, then releasing the inside palms that are touching, and finally, releasing the outside arms and hands that are touching or entwined.
Switch places, and repeat on the other side.
The partner tree pose makes a great photograph of you and your partner for your next holiday card!
Yoga Miracle pose
This pose gives a deep stretch to the hamstring muscles, which helps you with the rest of your practice. After all, the hamstrings are the most influential muscle group for all Yoga postures.
Start with one partner lying face up, with one leg bent and the other leg straight up.
The other partner kneels in a lunge position, with the forward leg bent and close to the extended leg of the partner on the floor.
The kneeling partner places a hand at the back of the extended leg and provides resistance; the lying partner pushes steadily and comfortably for 10 seconds.
Just a steady medium push of your heel against your partner’s hand is fine. This pose isn’t competitive!
At the end of 10 seconds, the lying partner releases the push and allows the kneeling partner to push the extended leg to a new flexibility point; do both legs.
Switch positions, and repeat Steps 1 through 4.
