10 Couples Yoga Poses to Build Intimacy & Trust

It’s impossible to not know about yoga. Everyone can engage in this meditative form of exercise that helps establish a better mind/body connection. Yoga dates back to about 400 BCE, when it was traditionally transmitted on a one-to-one basis.

In today’s day and age, however, many people enjoy practicing yoga in pairs, especially as a couple, to help strengthen the bond they have with one another. 

Certain yoga poses aim to build intimacy and trust with your partner better than others. Just like a traditional yoga practice, practicing with your partner should be an enjoyable experience that helps relieve stress.

When you can both release mental stress from the body, you can better connect with each other. It helps you establish a more peaceful connection that may both deepen and strengthen your relationship.  

Yoga Benefits For You and Your Partner

There are many benefits to practicing yoga with a partner, one of the primary being that you may develop a healthier body image. When you can see yourself and your partner through a less judgmental lens, you can eat more mindfully, improve your fitness level, and even lose weight easier.

Couples yoga poses also aim to deepen your trust with each other. The poses in this article require both verbal and non-verbal communication, and this helps you know, trust, and motivate your partner.

As you progress through the poses, you may notice that you become more vulnerable because you both have to embrace all strengths and weaknesses. Continue reading to learn how to practice yoga poses that build intimacy and trust. 

10 Yoga Poses for Couples

Whether you're doing simple stretches with a partner or a detailed yoga sequence, here are ten yoga poses that you can start doing today to improve your sessions with your partner. 

10. Temple Pose

This is first on our list because it is a simpler pose that helps you open up the chest and shoulder region. It is great for individuals who also want to stretch their hamstrings; however, it may be more difficult for those with balance problems or neck or back issues. 

How to Do Temple Pose With Your Partner

1. Face your partner while standing up straight, keeping your feet hip-distance apart and resting your arms by your side. 
2. Extend your arms above and bring them forward until you and your partner touch hands. 
3. Together, hinge at the hips to bend forward slowly until you and your pattern’s forearms and elbows are touching. Both of your bodies should be angled about 90 degrees with the chest parallel to the floor.
4. Place equal weight on your partner as this is the apex of temple position. Hold this position for five to seven breaths and then slowly walk towards each other to straighten up your torso.

9. Partner Breathing

During this pose you will face away from each other, but you’ll sit back-to-back and breathe together. The idea behind this pose is that you rest on each other, aiming to share one breath. Alternatively, you can alternate your breathing, representing the give and take that is a natural part of relationships.

How to Do Partner Breathing With Your Partner

1. Sit up straight on your Yoga Strong Mat in a cross-legged position with your back against your partner’s back. Rest against one another, rest your hands on the tops of your knees, and allow yourself to feel connected for a moment. 
2. Try to synchronize your breathing, feeling each inhale and exhale. Take notice of how your rib cage feels against your partner’s while breathing. 
3. Consider alternative breathing, where you inhale as your partner exhales, and vice versa.
4. Whichever method you decide to practice, engage in partner breathing for about five minutes, as this is the most gentle way to feel connected and open up your heart. 

8. Seated Centering/Grounding

Although this yoga sequence didn’t start with this position, grounding and centering are great ways to begin your yoga practice. Similar to partner breathing, centering/grounding helps you connect on a spiritual level. Mindset and meditation are integral aspects of any yoga practice, which is why this is a great place to begin.

How to Do Seated Centering With Your Partner

1. Sit down in a cross-legged position facing your partner, who should also sit in a cross-legged position. If you find this position to be uncomfortable, sit on a folded towel or pillow for more support.
2. Keep your back straight, look into your partner’s eyes, and take a few moments to see each other. Take 10 deep breaths to allow a deeper connection to develop. 
3. If you feel like it, reach out and hold hands with your partner. Take 10 more deep breaths to complete the practice. 

7. Forward Fold Pose

This pose should be a more intense stretch for your legs. Because it can be a bit challenging, especially if one person is more flexible than the other, communication is paramount. Take care of each other and take it slow, so as not to over-stretch or injure your partner. This pose aims to cultivate physical connection as you release into the support of each other. 

How to Do Forward Fold Pose With Your Partner

1. Sit back-to-back with your partner. Extend your legs out in front of you and have your partner bend your knees and place the soles of their feet flat on the ground. 
2. Begin to lean forward, hinging at the hips as you reach your hands towards your ankles.
3. As you lean forward, your partner will lean backward, using your back as support. This is where communication comes into play, as you have to let your partner know when you have reached your limit. 
4. Hold for five or six deep breaths and then return to the starting position. Switch positions so that the other person can stretch. 

6. Partner Warrior I Pose

Requiring an equal amount of energy to be distributed between the front and back legs, warrior poses help you hone your power. In the case of warrior I, it helps you create your own forcefield of energy from your feet to your fingertips. Doing this pose as a couple helps you connect this energy, deepening your connection as you inhale and exhale. 

How to Do Partner Warrior 1 With Your Partner

1. Stand up straight, shoulder-to-shoulder with your partner. You both will face different directions, so your left shoulder should touch your partner’s right shoulder. 
2. Step your right foot forward into a lunge position, ensuring your knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes. Keep both feet flat on the mat, angling your left foot out to the side. 
3. Your partner should step their left foot forward into a lunge position, ensuring not to extend the knee beyond the toes. 
4. Both of you should extend your arms up toward the ceiling to enter warrior 1 pose. 
5. To deepen the connection, arch your back gently and look up towards the sky. Aim to lock hands with your partner’s hands and remain in this position for five deep breaths. 
6. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other leg. 

5. Seated Twist

Aiming to stretch your hips, knees and the area between your spine and shoulders, seated twist is meant to be a unified movement. You connect with your partner as they mirror your position, but you use each other to deepen the stretch, similar to forward fold pose. 

How to Do Seated Twist With Your Partner

1. Sit back-to-back in a cross-legged position and keep your back straight. 
2. One of you should turn towards your left, aiming to face the direction that your partner is facing. 
3. Let your partner do the opposite of what you are doing, aiming to face your direction.
4. Hold this position for five deep breaths and then repeat on the other side. 

4. Seated Cat Cow

Two poses that you often see together in yoga sequences are cat and cow. They work together to stretch the spine, hip, and core. The great thing about seated cat cows is that you can help expand your lungs and chest, so be sure to focus on breathing during this position. Additionally, develop trust in your partner as you use their support to find space in your chest and upper back.

How to Do Seated Cat Cow With Your Partner

1. Sit down in a cross-legged position facing each other. Your knees should touch your partner’s knees. 
2. Reach forward to grab each other’s forearms and maintain a firm grip as you release your shoulders down and back. 
3. As you inhale, lift your chest up to the ceiling and arch your upper middle back gently. Hold this position for a couple seconds.
4. During your exhale, draw your chin into your chest and round through your upper middle back. Spread your shoulder blades wide to come into the cow portion of the pose. 
5. Continue alternating between both of these positions for 10-12 rounds. 

3. Standing Forward Fold

Another easy move in yoga, the forward fold is a gentle position that helps to elongate the muscles in the lower back and back of the legs. During your forward fold with your partner, take the time to experience the relief of tension together. This is a great pose to help relieve stress and help you focus on the things that really matter in the relationship.

How to Do Standing Forward Fold With Your Partner

1. Stand up straight with your backs facing each other, leaving a few inches of room between the two of you. Keep your feet hip-distance apart. 
2. Raise your arms above your head and take a deep inhale. Release that breath as you hinge at the hips to fold forward, attempting to bring your chest to your thighs. 
3. Drop your arms to rest your hands on the floor if you can. If this is not possible, then rest your hands on your shins. 
4. Relax your neck and look between your legs to lock eyes with your partner. At this point, You can remain here, or you can reach your arms toward your partner to see how much of their arms you can grab. 
5. Remain in this position until you are ready to let go, and then you can return to the starting position.

2. Revolved Chair

Helping to open your chest and feet to the ground, revolved chair is a great yoga pose to do with a partner. The reason for this is because you can push the stress much more than you could in a solo version of the pose. It involves trust and security with your partner, as you are holding on as you essentially twist apart. Stay connected with every movement and focus on your breath as much as possible. Ideally, breath as one life force. 

How to Do Revolved Chair With Your Partner

1. Stand up straight facing each other and keep one arm’s distance between you both.
2. Cross your arms, right over left, and clasp each other’s right hands, standing tall with your feet hip-distance apart. 
3. Maintain a tight grip and slowly bend your knees and lower yourself into chair pose. Keep the shoulders straight and stacked above your hips. 
4. In this position, rely on your partner for support to keep balance. At this point, extend both of your left arms back, opening towards the left into a twist position.
5. Hold this position for about five deep breaths, return to the starting position, and then repeat on the other side. 

1. Boat Pose

This pose may prove to be a bit difficult, as it requires a lot of grip and core strength. If you work together, however, you may find that your trust in each other makes the pose a lot easier. The goal of this pose: Don’t let go and stay strong.

How to Do Boat Pose With Your Partner

1. Sit across from your partner and keep some distance between the two of you. 
2. Aim to bend your knees and put your feet on the floor in front of you, touching toes with your partner. 
3. Bring the soles of your feet together with your partner’s feet and extend your hands towards each other, taking hold of each other’s wrists. 
4. Raise your feet up to form an A-frame with your partner’s legs. Hold this position for a few breaths and then slowly bring your legs back down.

Do Yoga as a Couple Today

So, there you have it: our ten favorite yoga poses for two people. As we mentioned before, yoga for couples can help build intimacy and trust as well as provide physical benefits like increased flexibility.

If you're ready to start doing couples yoga today, then get your favorite yoga mat, call up your significant other, and get started today!