Butterfly pose is one of my favorite hip openers, and there are many Partner Yoga moves that involve this pose. There's the
Butterfly Pull,
Butterfly Supported Forward Bend, and
Seated Butterfly Lounge is great way to stretch. If you have tight hips then you will appreciate trying Back-to-Back Butterfly with a partner since this variation deepens the stretch and it is only slightly hands-on compared to a couple of other partner poses.
To give it a try read more.
- Partner #1 and Partner #2 sit with their backs touching and their legs out in front of them.
I'm all for stretches that increase flexibility in my spine, so if you're the same way, grab a friend and give this pose a try. Not only will you feel like you're weightless, but your partner on the floor will feel a nice release in her lower back.
If you want to know how to get into it read more.
- Partner #1 (on the floor) lies on the ground with her legs straight up towards the ceiling and her feet flexed.
- Partner #2 (on top) stands on either side of Partner #1's torso, with her back facing Partner #1's legs.
- Partner #2 bends her knees and leans her back onto Partner #1's shins.
- Then Partner #1 bends her knees with control, guiding Partner #2 towards the ground.
- Once they are stable, Partner #1 grabs Partner #2's ankles and brings them behind her head by extending her arms.
- Partner #1 wants to support the weight of Partner #2 by keeping her feet flexed.
- They stay like this for five breaths or more and then they switch positions.
Source
Keeping your
hips flexible helps prevent injury, and here's a great hip stretch you can do with a partner. It's similar to the
Seated Straddle Lounge, but for this one, the person on the bottom is in
Butterfly pose with her feet together and her knees out wide.
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Music: "Shiva Shambho" by Namaste
To see a detailed description of how to do this hip-opening partner pose read more.
- Partner #1 sits on the ground, bends her knees, and places the soles of her feet together in Butterfly.
- Partner #2 gently sits down on Partner #1's sacrum at the base of her spine (aka back of pelvis), and begins to lie down on Partner #1's back.
If your back is feeling sore or tight, you need to find someone to lean on and I mean that literally. Find a willing partner and give this double yoga pose a try. To be honest, when I first saw this pose, I thought it looked boring, but trust me – it feels amazing.
If you're suffering from back pain or just general tightness, this series of partner yoga poses is sure to leave your spine feeling long and flexible.
