Yin Yoga
In Yin Yoga the poses are static. Once in the pose its held anywhere from 2-4 minutes and even longer for the very experienced Yogi. The aim and the focus is to place stress on the joints, ligaments, and bones the deep fascia and connective tissue without going into any pain and without any forcing making them stronger and more flexible. Yin Yoga is also more meditative style , it is slow paced involves mainly sitting or lying in poses rather than standing. Poses are held between 2 and 5 minutes generally speaking, but can be held for longer depending on the students body and experience.
It is believed that emotions and traumas that have been experienced are stored in the body and by releasing tightness we are also releasing emotions that are associated with the tightness in the body. Yin can be quite an emotional experience as well as physical.
Yin May be slow but it is far from easy, sensations form the pose can feel intense and can make you want to pull out of a pose, to stay in the pose with a calm breath and mind is challenging, to keep the mind in the present moment is also challenging. This is the beauty of Yin.
Vinyasa flow
Its style is to put together may different poses and link them all together so that You flow from one pose to the next seamlessly. It is very popular and perhaps the most well known.
It is incorporated in Power Yoga and can often be sequenced around yoga themes.
Hatha Yoga
This is more gentle than Vinyasa and Power Yoga or Yoga for strength, it is slower paced,
focussing on yoga poses and breathing, this can be great for beginners to learn good technique and gain some flexibility and familiarity before starting power or vinyasa yoga
There are many different forms of Yoga, I have mentioned just a few, The important thing is to think about what it is you want to achieve. If its flexibility you want then Yin would be the best option but like most things in life one isn't always so good without the other, a combination of strength and flexibility give our bodies the freedom of movement and strength to carry out daily tasks.
Restorative Yoga
It's very similar to Yin Yoga in the sense that part of the aim is to bring calmness to the body and mind. Yin focuses on getting deep into the connective tissues peops may be used under the thigh, in dragon splits or under the buttock in sleeping swan but in restorative Yoga the whole body is supported and often the person is wrapped up in a blanket to keep warmth in the body and to create a cocoon like feeling to help the person relax. Stillness and long holds can mean a person may fall asleep.
As I understand it the poses are held for longer in Restorative Yoga, it is a calming practice much like Yin Yoga, there is use of props such as sandbags, blocks, bolsters and blankets to create a comfortable position to bring about calmness of the mind and body.
Poses are held from 5 to 20 minutes.
Try a few different styles of Yoga and see which one you like the most. Think about what it is you want to achieve by attending Yoga, Is it a faster paced strength and fitness type of Yoga you're looking for to improve strength and fitness or do you already do your fair share of cardio and strength and you're looking for something that will balance things out a bit more, something more calming. Or Perhaps you suffer from anxiety and would like a space that has a calming influence on your mind and body.
If you are interested in trying a Yin Yoga class, I teach two classes in Glasshouses on Wednesdays at 2:30pm and Thursday's at 9:00am. I also teach one to one sessions in my home Studio as well as teaching small groups or one to one sessions in people's homes.
Get in touch for a chat and find out more.
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