Couples Yoga for a Romantic Night In - Partner Yoga - Doing It Together

On your next anniversary, her birthday, or just a special Friday night, give a gift that will make a difference in your relationship: a couple's night at a yoga studio.

Some yoga studios have special workshops for couples which include soft lights, music and sensual massage. No prior yoga experience is usually required. Try a date-night class, and you both will probably enjoy it so much you will want to sign up for a series of couple's classes.

Benefits of Couples Yoga

Partner or couple's yoga where two people work together in various yoga postures, is not a new concept, but it is a growing trend of the past few years. The majority of yoga students in the U.S. are women. Couple's yoga is the perfect invitation for men to enjoy the amazing benefits of Hatha Yoga on the body as well as on the relationship. Men find that couple's yoga gives them an opportunity to be sensitive without embarrassment. Men will also find that the combination of muscle-toning and stretching has a terrific effect on their sex life.

As a couple practices yoga together, they will at times alternate assisting each other and supporting the other's yoga postures and vice versa. At other times they will work together with equal input to juxatopose or mirror poses that feel uplifting and bonding as well are often aesthetically wondrous.

Yoga postures can be enjoyably developed and extended using the support and guidance of a partner. Doing yoga with a partner's support can be especially helpful when there are restrictions because of injury or individual capability. The contact and assistance of a partner can enhance and develop the posture within individual ability. There is also the advantage of promoting an atmosphere of greater relaxation because you are practicing it with a person you trust and are confident about.

The benefits of couple's yoga classes are that they can help you reconnect or find a new level of intimacy. They are revitilizing way to spend time with your beloved. The result can be a deeper connection with the building of more trust. As each participant learns to let go and trust, the couple begins to explore spiritual levels of the practice together. They build on the energy of each other and create a better understanding of their relationship as well as the practice of yoga.

It removes distractions that keep a couple from focusing on each other. According to Jasmine Kaloudis, Couples Yoga Teacher in Philadelphia, “ At times the poses are strengthening and other times deeply serene and restorative. You might have a range of emotions from silliness, fear to profound peace. Because you are often completely trusting another person to be there for you, there is often fear of not being supported that comes up, even with couples that have been together a long time. “ The work that couples do is often transformative since working together on a completely kinesthetic level on issues of trust, support and encouragement can reveal interpersonal dynamics about the couples that lead to inner growth and intimacy. Learning how to become really attune to your inner world while simultaneously being totally present to your partner is not a gift we often receive. The new energy that comes from both the poses and from the breathing exercises can be effectively used in the bedroom. It eliminates problems that can get in the way of sex like tight hips, back pain or or anxiety.

Beginner Couples Yoga Poses

Standing Forward Fold - You are advised to gently reach for the floor. When you experience stretching at the back of the legs, reach forward and clasp your partner's wrists. With arms fully extended lean back. For 10 seconds hold on breathing deeply. Exhale and squat while keeping feet flat on the floor. Relax and stay in this position for 10 seconds. Stand upright slowly, but keep holding your partner; then, gradually release the grip and gently fold the body down towards the floor.

Double Boat Pose - Sit opposite your partner with your legs outstretched and wide apart. Raise your legs and bring your feet together. Hold each other’s hands around the outside of your legs. On the inhalation, pull back away from each other and straighten your legs until they are fully extended. You can also come up one leg at a time. Draw your lower back in and activate your core to help balance.

Variations - Hold onto each other right arm (or forearm or hand) diagonally and lean back with the outstretched left arm. Change and rotate the other arm in.

Benefits - Tones the spinal nerves. Strengthens the abdominal, legs, arms, massages the internal organs and stimulates healthy digestion. Promotes balance, coordination and focus in a playful and creative way.

Double Tree Pose - Stand beside your partner with one foot apart. With your inside hand hold onto your partner’s hand in the middle. Have your inside leg be strong and firm like a tree trunk. Engage your core. Engage your muscles of inside leg. Raise your outside leg and press it into your standing leg in the calf or on the thigh. (Avoid the knee) Raise your outside arm out high to the side at a 45 degree angle. Inhale and exhale with united breath. Find a non-moving object in front of you to focus your gaze on. Hold 5-10 breaths. With control come out of the pose slowly so you don’t knock each other off balance.

Benefits - Stretches and flexes the knee and hip joints. Develops balance and mental focus. Increases cooperation and trust between partners.

Seated Forward Fold - Supported Seated Backbend Pose - Both partners sit back to back in cross-legged. One partner bends forward deeply in a forward seated fold, dropping the neck and head completely. The other partner slowly comes in a backbend resting their head, neck and shoulders on the forward folding partner’s back while opening the arms out wide to the side in order to open up the chest and heart. Hold for 2 minutes. When you come up, be very slow and mindful so to not jar your partner. Come back to center, collect yourself for 5 breaths and then change roles.

Benefits - Stretches and elongates the spine, massage the abdominal organs and stimulates digestion. Promotes trust, open-ness and surrender, with one partner inward journeying while the other opens outward.

Seated Back to Back Twist Pose - Sit in a cross-legged posture back to back with your partner. Inhale and lift out of your waist. Exhale and place you left hand on your right knee and stretch your right hand around your back to hold your partner’s left knee. Look over your shoulder. Spine is straight. Shoulders are soft. Unwrinkle the forehead. Stay here for 1-2 minutes. Exhale and float back to center. Repeat other side.

Benefits - Stimulates healthy digestion. Tones the spinal cord and nervous system, stimulates blood flow to the pelvis and hips. Enhances cooperation and teamwork.

Double Dog Pose - One partner goes into down dog. The top dog places their hands flat on the floor about one foot in front of the bottom dog. Coming from the side, the top dog raises one leg at a time and rest the balls of their feet on the bottom dog’s sacral area. The top dog locks their legs and rolls the shoulders out. The top dog look like an L shape and the bottom dog is a V shape. The top dog moves their feet upward to lengthen the bottom dog’s spine. When you come out of the pose, the top dog always come off to the side.

Benefits - Elongates the spine, stretches the hamstrings, tones the legs and arms, stimulates the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and the top dog is giving an adjustment with their legs to the bottom dog. Develops confidence, teamwork and concentration.

Triangle - Standing back to back with your partner, feet one legs length apart, interlink little fingers. On exhalation, slowly tilt sideways towards pointed feet until maximum stretching is achieved. Make sure your feet remain flat on the floor and keep breathing deeply for 10 seconds. On inhalation, slowly stand up straight and repeat; this time, on the other side.

Benefits - This is said to release spinal tension on the triangular base of the legs.

Seated Spinal Binded Twist - Sit cross-legged facing your partner, extend your right arm to the right side of your partner's body, place your left hand behind your back so as to clasp hands. On exhalation, gently pull on the arms so as to rotate the body as far as comfortable to the left. Hold for 10 seconds and recover slowly. Repeat to the other side.

Modification - For a slightly stronger rotation of the spine sit directly behind your partner while he crosses his right foot to the left side of his body and steadies himself with his left hand. Hold your partner's right hand, extend the arm and gently rotate the body. Place your foot so as to support the spine and on exhalation, continue rotation as far as comfortable. Hold for 10 seconds breathing deeply. Unwind from this posture very gradually and repeat to the other side.

Benefits - Doing the Matsyendrasana helps you overcome an aching back.

Summary

Some couples feel that after practicing yoga together they have more of an ability to communicate clearly and with more sensitivity with each other. Others say it has sparked a new romance in their relationship and sparked things up in the bedroom. You will begin to find one another more attractive. It can only help matters along to do your yoga by candlelight and soft music. Remember to use plenty of touch--massage is good too. Celebrate your relationship as you do your poses together.

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