If your whole reason for getting into yoga is to achieve that meditative state of consciousness in every corner of your body, then the idea of a “yoga buddy” might seem counterproductive. That’s exactly why you should go for it. Any beginner’s guide to stretching and mobility will tell you that when it comes to yoga, pain equals success. Perhaps not the most positive mantra for non-yogis, but anyone who’s reaped the benefits of a stretch class will attest to it.
So Where Does A Partner Come In?
At FitEngine, our team loves individuals who see their fitness journey as a perpetual work in progress. Why wouldn’t you? We don’t know our limits if we don’t try to exceed them. Plus, the health benefits of regular fitness classes are to die for (or not die for, rather).
A partner is especially useful if you have a goal for your routine. Whether you’re looking for ways to lose weight fast with exercise or to dance away your troubles with musical workouts, a buddy will keep you loyal to the schedule. If you’re someone who struggles with motivation, do check out our “fitness funnies“—if you find the comic at all relatable, that’s a sure sign you need a strict motivator.
Yoga has more to it than motivation, though. Sure, it can be tough to get up, roll out the mat, and get started, but a yoga buddy will have larger affectations than stretching by yourself.
As a yogi, you’re probably well aware of how yoga can make you aware of how all the muscles in your body work together to support your bones. Yoga for two would be more like working out with equipment, but sentient equipment, with its own movements. If you think it’s hard to support your own body in a shoulder stand, imagine supporting a foreign body.
You’re still made acutely aware of your muscles, but with the added pressure of matching or upholding a person. Along with that, trusting another person and fully relaxing in their presence is its own challenge. If you agree with that, now imagine relaxing while your yoga buddy is the only thing keeping you from hitting the ground. Sound hard? That’s exactly why you need to try it.
Every Yogi’s Dream
Fitness is a moving target if you’re the kind of person who likes to push yourself, but for an avid yogi, fitness is just the bonus of that stretch and restores yoga peace. That and an enviable amount of control over your own body. Inviting another person into your peace and control might seem like a real nightmare, but take it from us; it’s the dream.
Learning to get to that meditative state has proved useful, we bet, so raising the stakes will only fine-tune your ability to get there. Sure, you can be calm when holding up your whole body on one palm, but what if you’re suspended on someone else’s? Instead of making peace with physical discomfort, you’re also making peace with accountability and reliance. Relax in that position, and you can relax anywhere.
A distracted mind will almost always lead to you taking a nasty spill, even during yoga for beginners, so you better ensure you are ready to take this on.
Don’t forget the research-backed benefits. The following are benefits of yoga with a partner:
- Improvements in quality of life
- Reduced depression symptoms
- Fewer sleep disturbances
- Remedied fatigue
- Reduced risk of malnutrition
- Improved social support
- Improved pain tolerance
- Increased flexibility in the extremities
- Better hand grip
In short, a partner will take your yogi abilities to the next level and beyond. You’ll certainly put your stretching class to shame.
So What Do I Need To Do?
We recommend you start slow. As we said, a fall during yoga for two will have twice the consequences (and might cost you a friend). So take it in steps:
Ask a Yogi
Ask someone you know and trust if they’d be interested in partnering up. Here are some criteria for choosing the right yoga mate:
- They should be on the same level as you (flexibility, mobility, and stamina).
- They’ll ideally have similar taste in equipment. If you prefer thicker mats, but they prefer thin ones, that may become a point of contention later on.
- Don’t underestimate the importance of a similar choice of background music or lack of. If musical workoutsaren’t your thing, you probably won’t enjoy a workout with a hip-hop soundtrack.
- If you’re a fan of stretching yoga, it doesn’t make sense to partner with someone looking for a great form of exercise to lose weight. Find a partner who doesn’t have a different direction in mind than you, or every workout will start with a comprehensive comparison between the benefitsof each.
- Since many poses will involve using your body to support your partner’s, or vice versa, you’ll need someone with a similar body type. Even if you can lift someone heavier than you, it wouldn’t be conducive to your balance as a partner.
- Make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to a yoga budget. If your partner wants to spend more time or money on your workout, it’ll only become a bigger problem down the line.
Set a Schedule
Create a yoga workout regimen that suits both of you. Having that commitment and expectation will only help you be more diligent in your fitness and workout routine.
Start Simple
Try some joint yoga poses to ease you into the shared spiritual space. Keep in mind that it wouldn’t be unusual for them to be difficult to get used to. Think of this as a dress rehearsal, expressly for troubleshooting. Nail down what you need to work on individually and your weaknesses as a team of two.
Working out these kinks is part of the joint yoga journey. As a yogi, you’re used to listening to what your own body tells you, but you need to compromise as a yoga partner.
Pro tip: take twenty minutes at the start of every session to do synchronized breathing sessions.
Create a Custom Routine
Once you’ve figured out what’s doable and what needs practice, create a routine just for you.
Joint Yoga Poses?
That’s right. There’s a whole selection of yoga poses made especially for two. Here are some that you should try:
Beginner
1. The Partner Fold Forward
Sitting across from your yoga mate, stretch your legs out in front of you, feet far apart. Put the bottoms of your feet against your partner’s feet and get to a position where you both feel your hamstrings stretching, but not uncomfortably so.
Then hold each other’s wrists, not hands, and take turns leaning forward. Beware not to pull too hard when your partner leans forward, but do pull gently.
Hold each position for at least five breaths.
2. The Seated Cat Cow
The cat and the cow are surely familiar to both of you. But don’t get on your hands and knees just yet; this version is seated. Sit cross-legged in front of your buddy and hold onto their forearms. Next, you and your partner should pull your shoulders backward and downward. Breathe in deeply and lift your heads upward as if a string is pulling your skull up to the ceiling, pushing your chest outward.
Hold this position for ten breaths (synced), and then exhale. Breathe out and shift into the seated cat pose. Tuck your chin into your chest like you’re trying to hold the paper in between. Curve your back so you’re forming an o almost with your partner, except that your arms should be straight. Hold it for two breaths, and then repeat from the top.
Not a Novice, but Not a Pro
1. The Chair(s)
Stand with your back to your partner, shoulder to shoulder, and link both arms. So one of you will hold their arms out straight, and the other will loop theirs around. Then both lower your still linked arms so that your elbows hang loosely, but your forearms hold you together.
Then, carefully maintain your balance and bend your knees until they’re at a right angle. As you bend, your partner will have to come down at the same pace, and to the same position, so you’ll have to ensure you’re supporting them and leaning on them.
This pose will show you how to accommodate another body and shift your sense of balance. It’s easy to balance your body weight, which you’re fully in control of, but you’ll have to relinquish that control to get this right.
2. Double Downward Dog
Unlike the others, this pose is more than mirroring each other. Let’s say partner A will start in the regular downward dog. The other, partner B, will then face in the same direction and place their hands on the mat in front of partner A’s hands.
Then partner B will raise their legs and place them on partner A’s hips. Partner B’s body weight will then be distributed between their hands and Partner B’s hips. Hold this pose for at least thirty seconds before alternating.
Master Yogi
1. The Wheel
Not for the faint of heart, or the dizzy, the wheel shouldn’t be attempted by anyone less than an expert yogi.
Partner A will start by lying on their belly and getting into the cobra position. Partner B will then lie on partner A’s back, and partner B will reach upward and grip partner B’s ankles. Partner B will bend their arms backward, holding onto their partner’s ankles, pushing upward with their arms.
So what are you waiting for? Buddy up and head on over to a New York Pilates academy for a yoga studio and request a mat for two. Your stretching classes will put any hip-hop dance classes to shame if you’re willing to put in the work and build up the master yogi level.
At FitEngine, we’re geared toward helping ambitious fitness lovers find the best yoga classes or Pilates classes. We can also answer any questions you may have. If you’ve never understood how yoga and Pilates differ, and if you can do pilates and yoga on the same day, then follow this link to browse our collection of expert opinions and takeaways.
