10 of the best yoga poses for two

Starting off with one of the easy yoga poses for two, seated meditation is just as it sounds.

Start in a seated meditation position, ensuring you’re back to back with one another. Shut your eyes and relax, feeling your partner’s breath and reacting to it. Try breathing in time together (slowly and deeply) or adopt a ying-yang method of alternating breaths (as they breathe out, you breathe in).

And that’s it, one yoga position for two mastered!

As with the seated meditation position, begin in the same seated position with your legs crossed, back-to-back with each other.

Rotate your shoulders to your left sides and stretch your arm so that your left-hand reaches your partner’s right knee. Inhale deeply in this position. When you exhale, you should try to (as comfortably as possible) get into a more thorough twist. Hold this twisted position for a few seconds, remembering to breathe and react to each other. Repeat on the other side.

We’ve stretched the upper part of the body, now it’s time to get the legs in on the action.

Sit facing each other with your toes and upper feet touching. Reach out and grasp your partner’s forearm. Now, ensuring you remain in sync with each other, slowly lift your feet up, drawing your knees to your chest. Keep your spine neutral and, when your legs are as straight as they can go, hold the position and breathe.

Now it’s time to get flexy. Back to back, assume a neutral mountain pose (the foundation of all standing yoga poses). Inhale together and slowly lift your arms in the air. Now concentrate, as this is where it gets interesting. As you both exhale, hinge your hips and fold yourself forwards, keeping your core engaged. As you reach as low as you can go, reach forwards and grasp your partner’s arms or elbows. Hold this position and breathe.

Time to sit down again. Here, both of you need to sit cross-legged, in a meditation position and, you guessed it, back to back. One of you needs to lean forward, exhaling as you do so. As you lean forward, gently hold onto your partner’s arms, pulling your partner gently forward and in an upwards motion. As they enter a gentle backbend, they should exhale. Hold this position and repeat (switching roles).

Sit back to back with your legs stretched out in front of you. One of you needs to take the lead and lower yourself forwards (as you will have done on the seated forward and back bend). As you move forward, your partner should stretch back with you and, as you reach peak movement, drop their arms to the side and focus on opening out the chest. Hold. And repeat.

This one involves stretching. A lot of it. Face each other in a seated position, extending your legs out into a V position (your feet should be touching each other’s). Holding each other’s arms, one of you needs to hinge at the hips, folding forwards. The other should sit back, maintaining a neutral spine. As you ease into the position, breathe deeply. Hold this position. Change roles and repeat.

This is when we start to take things off the ground. With both of you starting in a downward-facing dog position (one of you in front of the other), the partner at the front of the chain now walks his/her feet and hands back until they are near their partner’s hips. Both of you: stabilise your core. Hold this position, mirroring each other’s breathing. Now repeat.

Is it as difficult as it sounds? Absolutely. One of you needs to lie on your back with your knees bent. The other should stand at the base of your feet facing away from you. Now, place your feet on their glutes. Your partner now, with a hint of faith, needs to bend backwards with their arms stretched out behind them. Grab their upper arms and begin lifting your legs into the air – your partner will now be flying (looking like a flying bow, if we’re being precise).

Leaving the hardest yoga position for couples until the very end, this one requires a tonne of core strength. Get your partner to assume the downward-facing dog position. You now need to have your hands behind theirs, with your body gently resting on what should be their neutral spine. Once you’re in this tricky position, start lifting your legs behind you. The more you bend your legs and lift them behind you, the more strength will be required. Hold this position. Oh, and breathe.

This one might take some practice, but it sure looks good.

And that’s it for our yoga poses for two. Get a mat, grab your partner, and start practising some moves!