Partner yoga is yoga practised with one or more other people, using each other for balance, support and a gentle stretch. It is a playful way to practise with a partner, a friend or your children, and most poses are suitable for beginners. You do not need to be flexible or strong: the person next to you does half the work.
This guide covers ten poses for two people and five poses for three people, starting with the easiest. Each one builds on a pose you can also practise on your own, so you will find links to the solo guides along the way.
Before you start
- Talk first, and keep talking. Agree on a simple word such as "stop" or "release" that means come out straight away.
- Warm up. Spend a few minutes on Cat–Cow, gentle lunges and shoulder rolls before you lean on each other.
- Move slowly and together. Count down ("3, 2, 1, fold") so that nobody is pulled by surprise.
- Pull and push gently. You should feel a stretch, never a strain. Hold forearms or wrists rather than fingers so grips do not slip.
- Use a non-slip surface. Yoga mats side by side or a carpeted floor work well. Practise barefoot.
- Mind height and size differences. Bend the knees, sit on a cushion or shorten your reach so that both of you are comfortable.
Easy yoga poses for two people
1. Back-to-back breathing
Sit cross-legged in Easy Seat, back to back, with your spines touching from the hips to the shoulders. Close your eyes and breathe slowly. After a few breaths, try to match your partner's rhythm: feel their back expand on the inhale and soften on the exhale. Stay for one to two minutes. It is a calm way to begin and end any partner practice.
2. Seated partner twist
Stay back to back. As you both inhale, sit tall. As you exhale, turn to the right: place your right hand on your partner's left knee and your left hand on your own right knee. Stay for five breaths, then come back to centre and twist to the left. Keep the twist gentle and lengthen the spine each time you inhale.
3. Seesaw forward fold
Sit facing each other with your legs wide and the soles of your feet touching your partner's feet. Reach forward and hold each other's forearms. One person leans back slowly, gently drawing the other into a forward fold. Hold for five breaths, then swap. Bend the knees if the hamstrings are tight, and never pull further than your partner asks.
4. Double tree pose
Stand side by side, hip to hip. Wrap your inside arms around each other's waist or press your inside palms together overhead. Each person lifts the outside foot into Tree Pose, resting it on the calf or inner thigh, never on the knee. Bring your outside hands together in front of you to make one shared prayer. Hold for five to eight breaths, then turn around and swap sides.
5. Partner chair
Stand back to back and link arms at the elbows. Press your backs firmly together and walk your feet forward. Slowly bend the knees together until you are both sitting in an invisible Chair, with the knees over the ankles. Hold for three to five breaths, then press back to standing together. The secret is to lean into each other evenly.
6. Partner forward bend (standing)
Stand facing each other, about an arm's length apart. Place your hands on each other's shoulders, then step back and hinge forward from the hips until your backs are flat and your arms are long. Let your heads sit between your arms. Hold for five breaths and enjoy the stretch through the shoulders and back. Walk back towards each other to come up.
7. Partner boat pose
Sit facing each other with your knees bent and feet on the floor, toes touching. Hold hands outside your knees. Lift one foot and press its sole against your partner's, then lift the other. Slowly straighten your legs together so your bodies make a W shape. Keep the chest lifted and the knees bent if you need to. Hold for three to five breaths. It builds on Boat Pose and is a fun core challenge.
8. Partner warrior three
Stand facing each other, a little more than an arm's length apart, and hold each other's shoulders or forearms. Both shift your weight onto the right foot, then hinge forward as you lift your left legs behind you into Warrior Three. Use each other for balance and aim for a long line from head to heel. Hold for three to five breaths, then switch legs.
9. Double downward dog
This one is for partners who are comfortable in Downward-Facing Dog. The base comes into Downward Dog. The second person stands at the base's hands, facing away, and places their own hands on the mat about a foot in front. Then they walk their feet up, one at a time, to rest on the base's lower back, at the top of the hips rather than the middle of the spine. Hold for a few breaths and come down one foot at a time. Skip this pose if either of you has a wrist, shoulder or back problem.
10. Heart-to-heart rest
End the practice lying side by side on your backs in Corpse Pose, holding hands if you like, or sit facing each other with one hand on your own heart and one on your partner's. Rest for a few minutes and breathe slowly together.
Yoga poses for three people
Three-person poses work best in a triangle or a line, so that everyone can see each other and share the weight evenly. They are a great choice for friends, siblings or a small class.
1. Triple back-to-back breathing
Sit cross-legged in a small triangle with your backs touching your neighbours' shoulders. Link arms at the elbows and breathe slowly together for a minute. It is a calm way to start and to agree on your signals.
2. Triple tree pose
Stand in a line, hip to hip, with the tallest person in the middle. Wrap your arms around each other's waists or shoulders. The two people on the outside lift their outside feet into Tree Pose; the person in the middle can choose either foot. Press the outside hands together in front of the group and hold for five breaths before swapping places.
3. Circle forward fold
Sit in a circle with your legs wide, so your feet touch your neighbours' feet. Hold hands around the circle. Inhale to sit tall, then exhale and fold forward together as far as is comfortable. Hold for five breaths and come up slowly together.
4. Group chair
Stand in a small circle facing outwards, with your backs together, and link arms at the elbows. Walk your feet forward a little and bend your knees together into Chair. Lean back evenly into the group. Hold for three to five breaths and stand up together on a count of three.
5. Three-person pyramid
This is the classic three-person yoga challenge, so practise it on a soft surface and only if everyone feels confident. Two people kneel side by side on all fours in Tabletop, shoulders and hips stacked over hands and knees. The third person gently places their knees on the bases' lower backs, near the top of the hips, and their hands on the bases' upper backs, near the shoulder blades. Never put weight on the middle of the spine. Hold for a breath or two, smile for the photo, then the top person climbs down carefully.
Who should take care
Partner poses are gentle, but they still involve shared weight and balance. Skip balances and any pose that puts weight on your back if you have a back, knee, wrist or shoulder injury, and talk to your doctor or midwife before trying partner poses in pregnancy. Children can enjoy the seated and standing poses with an adult, but should not be used as a base for weight-bearing poses.
Partner yoga is different from AcroYoga, in which one person lifts another into the air. AcroYoga needs a spotter and proper instruction, so learn it with a qualified teacher.
Frequently asked questions
Is partner yoga good for beginners?
Yes. Most partner poses are adaptations of simple beginner poses such as Tree, Chair and Boat, and your partner helps you balance. Start with the seated and standing poses and leave the weight-bearing ones for later.
What is the easiest yoga pose for two people?
Back-to-back breathing is the easiest: you simply sit with your backs together and breathe. The seated partner twist and double tree pose are also good first poses.
What are good yoga poses for couples?
Back-to-back breathing, the seesaw forward fold, partner boat and heart-to-heart rest are popular with couples because they rely on trust and communication more than strength or flexibility.
What are easy yoga poses for three people?
Triple tree pose, the circle forward fold and group chair are the easiest three-person poses. They need no lifting and work for most ages and sizes.
How long should we hold each partner pose?
Hold most poses for three to eight breaths, and the calm seated poses for one to two minutes. Come out as soon as anyone feels pain or loses balance.
Updated 27 October 2026 by the YogiSoul editorial team. Read our editorial policy and wellness policy.