Partner yoga for teams

Setup

1. Pair players of similar height and build, especially for counterbalances; groups of three are fine with one person coaching.
2. Each pair has a mat or two towels on a flat, dry surface with space around them.
3. Agree the ground rules first: talk to each other, say 'stop' or 'ease off' at any time, and never pull or push a partner past where they can go on their own.
4. Anyone injured joins as the coach for a pair or does the solo version.

How it runs

1. Pair up and breathe back to back (2 min): sit cross-legged back to back, feel the partner's breath, try to match the rhythm for ten breaths.
2. Mirror game (3 min): stand facing, one leads slow yoga moves (arms up, side bend, tree, warrior arms) and the other mirrors; swap the leader each minute.
3. Double tree (Vrksasana) (2 min): stand side by side, inside arms around each other's waist or hands on shoulders, outside foot up into tree; outside hands meet in front. Five breaths, then swap sides.
4. Counterbalance chair (Utkatasana) (2 min): face each other, hold wrists, feet together a little apart, both sit back slowly into a chair shape at the same time on a count of three; five breaths, rise together.
5. Partner boat (Navasana) (3 min): sit facing, knees bent, hold hands outside the knees, press the soles of the feet together and walk them up towards the ceiling as far as is comfortable; legs can stay bent. Five breaths, three rounds.
6. Close (1 min): back to back again for three breaths, then thank your partner.

Coaching points

• Communication is the skill: count each other in and agree when to go down and come up.
• In counterbalances both lean back the same amount; if one person lets go suddenly, the other falls, so release slowly together.
• Matched sizes for the chair and boat; switch partners if one person is doing all the work.
• Keep it playful but steady; laughing is fine, flailing isn't.

Common mistakes

• Pulling a partner further than they want to go.
• Letting go of hands in the counterbalance without warning.
• Mirror leader moving too fast for the follower.
• Pairs set up too close to each other.