Yin Yoga Poses For Beginners – Yin yoga is a gentle yoga style known for liberal use of props such as pillows, cushions, blocks, and straps. It targets the soft tissues that are stretched and detoxified as the large muscles above relax.

Although this is a slower paced class than a dynamic vinyasa style, it can still be challenging for any level of yoga practitioner.

Yin Yoga Poses For Beginners

Because the flow of energy through the meridians and organs taught in Traditional Chinese Medicine is part of this practice, it is known to restore and recharge your system without the energy like other styles of modern postural yoga classes. .

Yin Yoga Sequence: Ease And Compassion

Yin Yoga as it is known today was developed by Paul Grilli. He was inspired by the style of his teacher Bali Jing, who called it Taoist yoga. Grilli was a student of Taoism and spent many years studying the subtle and energetic anatomy of the body, meditation and yoga in various countries of Asia.

What distinguishes yin yoga is that it focuses on keeping the body relaxed and passive (or better yet receptive), and while some of the asanas are difficult, they are not meant to bring heat into your body. Grilli’s own student, Sarah Powers, came up with the idea of ​​calling this style of yoga “yin,” to distinguish it from other popular styles of yoga that are more energetic, warm, and “yang.”

Yin yoga combines the philosophies of the Indian Vedic tradition with traditional Chinese medicine. Classes usually have a meridian or organ theme and how that energy affects overall health and well-being.

A Yin yoga class is all about the approach to asana. It’s not about pushing yourself to the max or achieving a certain form in every pose. We encourage you to use as many props as you feel comfortable in each asana.

Yin Yoga For The Elements

You may notice that Yin Yoga does not use Sanskrit names for poses, and sometimes does not use commonly used English names. It is related to the approach of Yin Yoga. Many commonly used names for asana focus on the muscle groups to be activated. However, in yin yoga practice you want your body to be passive and receptive, so the names were changed to reflect this objective.

Focus on keeping your breath long and deep as you hold each position for three to ten minutes. Don’t worry about counting breaths or seconds. Allow yourself to close in on your own breath and let gravity do the work of pulling you deeper into the stretch for you.

Yin yoga consists of seven archetypal poses that target the ten myofascial groups and the body’s 14 skeletal divisions.

These poses primarily target the legs: hamstrings, glutes, adductors, hips, quads, and flexors. They also give a good stretch to the trunk, rectus abdominis, obliques, thoracolumbar group, quadratus lumborum and upper body.

Yin Sequence For Tired Days

From these archetypal poses, you can explore other variations that can restore and recharge your body through yin yoga.

Paul Grilli teaches that every body is unique and that anatomy in general cannot be used in all positions, especially in yoga classes. Props are used liberally in yin yoga to support your body and relieve unnecessary tension, but also to increase stress and pressure on specific target areas when desired.

Properly placed props help create length and space, make poses approachable and accessible, provide support so your bones feel firmer, muscles roll out, and most importantly, increase comfort so you can stay in one position longer without distraction. Periods

There are two types of props used in Yin Yoga. Standard props that most yoga studios stock include:

Restorative Yoga Practices To Relax Your Mind And Body

The other category is called esoteric props, which are creative uses for other items you might use in your yoga practice:

Accessories like anatomy aren’t all one-size-fits-all deals. Use accessories creatively to give your body what it needs in each pose. Since the poses are held for a long time, make sure you use enough props to help you, but not do all the work for you.

A single yin yoga class doesn’t have as many asanas as another type of yoga, so use the asanas in sequence to quickly gain flexibility and stability through regular practice.

This is a quick yin yoga sequence of postures that are restorative and recharging. If you’re a beginner, hold each position (for asymmetrical poses on each side) for 45 seconds to 2 minutes at a time. And intermediate experts can hold positions for 3 to 5 minutes at a time.

Essential Yin Yoga Poses

Try to stop counting seconds or breathing. If you’re in class, wait until the teacher says it’s time for the next pose. If you’re practicing at home, don’t worry about time, just set a timer.

Always allow enough time to rest between poses in a neutral recovery pose before moving on to the next pose in the sequence.

This pose is great for starting any yoga practice. Help bring your mood to life in this meditative, slow and gentle yoga practice. Keeping your knees wide gives you more room to relax between your legs and sink deeper into the ground. If necessary, place a pillow and/or pillows under your body to position yourself at a comfortable angle. Relax your arms overhead or sideways. While you’re here, remember to keep your breathing long and deep throughout the exercise.

This seated pose helps open your hips and release your lower back. Place blocks, pillows, cushions, or folded blankets and towels under your knees, and place your feet beyond your hips to create more space if needed. Hold your spine as you begin to fold forward, but before going up, relax your spine, shoulders, and neck. Place more pillows and cushions under your torso for support if needed. Gently push the soles of your feet together for minimal support to protect your knees without straining your leg muscles.

Reasons To Try Yin Yoga

This type of passive back bend pose that allows your shoulders to roll toward your ears can only be found in yoga. Lie face down on your mat and place your elbows under your shoulders. Relax your neck so your head hangs down or keep your gaze a few inches in front of the mat to avoid cervical spine compression.

Anahadanasana is another backbend pose that expands the chest and helps increase breathing and blood flow. Similar to a cross pose between Child’s Pose and Downward Dog. In some styles this is called downward dog. People with knee problems can use this asana as an alternative to Balasana. This pose is also good for your shoulders, especially if you usually work with a computer or laptop all day.

This is a deep hip opener that targets the hip flexors of the back leg. This is similar to a deep, low lunge. Continue to push the top of your back foot into the floor to maintain the lift and stability of this pose, especially if you can’t reach the floor, use the blocks under your hands to hold yourself up. To come out of the pose, slowly step the front leg back and recover in child’s pose for one minute.

This yin yoga version of Eka Pada Rajakapodhanasana compresses the lumbar spine and targets the glutes and hip flexors. Although you want to maintain this passive and receptive posture, bend your front leg to protect your knees while you hold this posture. Place a blanket under your hips to help stabilize this pose if you’re lying on your side, and if you can’t reach the floor, use blocks under your arms to hold yourself up. Just like coming out of Dragon Pose, carefully pull your front leg back and allow yourself to rest and recover for at least a minute in Child’s Pose, Savasana, or a modified constructive rest pose before continuing.

Yin Yoga Poses That Will Leave You Restored And Recharged

This pose requires hip and ankle mobility, so it’s usually sequenced after Dragon, Swan, and other preparatory poses. Target your quads and, depending on your foot placement, contract your lumbar spine. To increase quadriceps stimulation, sit between your legs. If you want a deep back arch, sit on your heels. To make this pose comfortable, you can place a blanket behind your knees before you begin the stretch. You can lie on a support if your quads feel too tight.

The funny name of this pose comes from the shape you create with your body. This is a simple stretch pose

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