When you suppose yoga is all about handstands and contorting your physique into near-impossible poses, you need to know that there are a number of alternative ways to apply yoga. Light yoga, for instance, is acceptable for almost anybody, newcomers and veterans alike.
“Light yoga gives a nurturing and compassionate method to the physique,” says Sarah Cummins, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, yoga teacher and licensed private coach. “It’s typically taught in a method that each one folks can simply take part.”
What Is Light Yoga?
Light yoga is a gradual, tranquil apply wherein you sometimes maintain poses for prolonged intervals of time.
“Light yoga may be taught in quite a lot of methods, based mostly in your teacher’s yoga fashion or lineage and expertise,” Cummins says. “Light yoga might mix a gradual move with longer-held restorative positions that always embody an emphasis on the breath in addition to meditation practices.”
Whereas every class will range, right here’s what you’ll be able to count on in a delicate yoga class in response to Cummins:
- Cues on the way to safely and adequately align your physique.
- Ideas to make use of props equivalent to blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters to assist with alignment and rest.
- Fewer transitions from sitting to standing or kneeling to mendacity down for a smoother, extra relaxed expertise.
- Plenty of choices and modifications to “meet you the place you might be and depart area in your exploration of poses,” she says.
Varieties of light yoga
Some yoga studios supply “gradual move” lessons which might be a gentler type of vinyasa yoga. And restorative yoga and yin yoga are each thought of “light” yoga practices.
Whereas each restorative yoga and yin yoga are light on the physique, there are some variations between the 2 types:
Restorative yoga: Incorporates roughly 5 – 6 postures which might be meant to decelerate and restore the physique. Every pose is held for a pair minutes, utilizing a number of props for assist. The aim is whole consolation so that you simply launch all pressure out of your muscular tissues.
Yin yoga: Holds fewer poses for longer intervals (three-to-five minutes), however “you might be penetrating to the deepest layers of connective tissue to convey elasticity, mobility, and power again to tight muscular tissues. Most yin poses are accomplished fully on the ground and can probably really feel more difficult than these in restorative yoga,” Cummins says.
Is Light Yoga Good For Novices?
Light yoga is a superb entry level to yoga for newcomers. “Light yoga permits college students to maneuver via postures slowly and mindfully and apply yoga in a secure and efficient method,” Cummins says.
Nevertheless it’s not solely for newbies.
“It’s a rewarding apply for the younger and previous, the versatile and rigid. It’s additionally nice for pregnant ladies and people recovering from damage,” she provides.
Light Yoga Sequence
Light yoga might embody a mix of reclining, seated, and even standing or balancing poses. It’s easy to make any yoga apply gentler by including props, not going as “deep” right into a pose, or transferring extra slowly.
Together with extra intense flows, Yoga52 and Beachbody Yoga Studio on BODi each supply soothing practices that you are able to do at residence to wind down from a protracted day at work, quiet down after a exercise, or prepare for mattress.
When you’re trying to create your individual move, listed below are some poses to attempt.
1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)
- Begin standing together with your massive toes touching and your heels barely aside. Your arms ought to relaxation by your sides, palms going through ahead.
- Have interaction your thighs and lengthen your tailbone right down to create a protracted backbone.
- Elevate your chest and draw your shoulder blades again and down.
- Hold your ears over your shoulders and your pelvis over your ankles.
- Take a number of deep breaths (think about holding for one minute).
2. Standing ahead bend (Uttanasana)
- Begin in mountain pose together with your toes hip-distance aside (or barely wider). Place yoga blocks on the mat in entrance of your toes. Take a deep breath.
- Exhale, bend your knees barely, hinge at your hips, and relaxation your palms on the blocks.
- Look towards your legs and bend your knees as a lot as you need or want.
- Shift your weight ahead to align your hips over your heels.
- Keep right here for at the very least three breaths.
- Take a breath and rise again as much as standing. Press down together with your toes and pull your low stomach in to assist your decrease again as you unfold.
3. Little one’s pose (Balasana)
- Begin in your mat on all fours. Place your palms immediately under your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Convey your massive toes collectively.
- Sink your hips again towards your heels. Relaxation your stomach between your thighs and contact your brow to your mat.
- Lengthen your arms in entrance of you. Choice to succeed in your arms behind you and cup your heels.
- Keep for a number of breaths/minutes.
4. Cat-cow stretch (Bitilasana and marjaryasana)
Inhale: Cow pose
- From little one’s pose, come again to all fours. Hold your again flat, your neck lengthy, and your gaze towards the ground.
- As you inhale, elevate your tailbone and chest towards the ceiling whereas dropping your stomach towards the mat.
- Draw your shoulders away out of your ears. Squeeze your shoulder blades, and elevate your head according to your torso.
- Exhale into cat pose.
Exhale: Cat pose
- From cow pose, exhale, spherical your backbone, tuck your tailbone, and curl your chin towards your chest.
- Inhale into cow pose.
- Repeat this move for as much as 10 breaths, or longer if desired.
5. Seated ahead fold (Paschimottanasana)
- Come to a seated place in your mat.
- Sit tall together with your legs prolonged in entrance of you. Flex your toes. Relaxation your palms at your sides on the bottom.
- Soften your knees (choice to position a blanket beneath your knees).
- Draw your abs in and hinge at your hips to fold over your thighs. Stroll your palms down your legs towards your toes. Keep away from rounding your again or utilizing your arms to drag your self into the pose.
- Maintain for 5 or extra breaths. With every exhale, attempt to loosen up into the posture to get a deeper stretch. Come again up on an inhale.
6. Sure-angle pose (Baddha konasana)
- Sit in your mat together with your sit bones immediately beneath you (keep away from tucking your tailbone).
- Contact the soles of your toes collectively. Open your knees extensive like a e book (choice to slip two blocks below your knees you probably have any knee pressure).
- Slide your heels as near your groin as comfy.
- Relaxation your thumbs on the balls of your toes. Wrap the remainder of your fingers across the tops of your toes.
- Sit up tall. Hold your gaze ahead, and your chest open.
- If you wish to deepen the stretch, hinge ahead at your hips with out rounding your again.
- Maintain for at the very least 5 breaths or one minute.
7. Joyful child pose (Ananda balasana)
- Lie down in your mat. Bend your knees and flatten your toes on the mat.
- Hug your knees to your chest. Convey your knees to your chest and seize the outer edges of your toes.
- Pull your knees towards your armpits.
- Compress your tailbone to the mat (choice to rock side-to-side).
- Keep for a number of deep breaths.
8. Corpse pose (Savasana)
- Lie down in your mat.
- Let your arms relaxation barely away out of your torso, together with your palms going through up. Chill out your shoulders away out of your ears.
- Separate your legs till your heels attain the corners of your mat.
- Shut your eyes, and loosen up your total physique as you gradual your respiratory and relaxation for at the very least 5 minutes.
