Are you wondering what to do on Valentine’s day? A yoga class might not seem like the most romantic thing to do on Valentine’s Day, but couples yoga (also known as partner yoga) offers something a little different.
Couples yoga turns individual practice into something that can be shared, making it a beautiful bonding experience. Both you can your partner can help improve eachother’s practice and provide that motivation, encouragement and assistance needed. Partner yoga isn’t exclusively for couples. Although there are some classes that will solely cater to this, other classes will simply incorporate partnering techniques meaning it’s not necessary for you to bring someone along. Instead, you can make a new friend in your class and perform these postures with them.
Here’s a taste of what you might experience during couples yoga or partner yoga:
Warrior 2
This is exactly the same as the traditional pose. Get some distance between both legs. Extend the arms and stretch from the fingers. Bend the right leg so the knee comes just above the ankle. The back leg should be straight and the foot, on a slight angle with the mat. The other partner can then come in, face the opposite direction and stand side by side to partner one. They can place their foot against partner one’s back foot and enter the pose. Each of the partners can then grab hold of the others extended arm and use this to gain stability and further then stretch . You can almost feel the energy flowing between both partners here.
Boat pose
The boat pose can be practised with both partners sitting facing each other. Sit on the floor in dandasana with the feet extended in front of you. Bend both knees. Grab hold of the toes or back of the legs and slowly unbend the legs and raise both up. In partner yoga, the participants can perform the pose with the soles of their feet touching. The hands can also be released from the feet and lowered so the arms are roughly at hip distance. The partners can then grab hold of eachother’s hands.
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend
Begin in dandasana again. Ensure the back is tall and straight and get as much distance between your legs as possible. Raise the arms up over the head. Bend from the waist. Keep the back straight and slowly bring the hands to the floor. Your partner can now come in. The partner can standing behind can gently press down on your hand with both hands. This will help you become more aware of your spine in the pose and will help keep it straight. They can also sit in front of you and gently pull your arms forward. This will help you extend the stretch and further lengthen the spine.
So partner yoga doesn’t just have to be on your list of things to do on Valentine’s Day. It can be enjoyed by all, any time of the year! Partnering can give you that assistance needed to make you more aware of your body and alignment. So even if you’re not really into the concept of couples yoga, partnering techniques are still beneficial to try.
