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 different ways to apply yoga. Light yoga, for instance, is suitable for nearly anybody, learners and veterans alike.
“Light yoga presents a nurturing and compassionate method to the physique,” says Sarah Cummins, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, yoga teacher and authorized private coach. “It’s typically taught in a manner that each one individuals can simply take part.”
What Is Light Yoga?
Light yoga is a gradual, tranquil apply during which you usually maintain poses for prolonged intervals of time.
“Light yoga could be taught in a wide range of methods, primarily based in your teacher’s yoga fashion or lineage and expertise,” Cummins says. “Light yoga could mix a gradual movement with longer-held restorative positions that usually embody an emphasis on the breath in addition to meditation practices.”
Whereas every class will fluctuate, right here’s what you possibly can anticipate in a delicate yoga class in line with Cummins:
- Cues on the way to safely and adequately align your physique.
- Suggestions to make use of props akin 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.
- A number of choices and modifications to “meet you the place you might be and depart area to your exploration of poses,” she says.
Forms of mild yoga
Some yoga studios supply “gradual movement” courses which can be a gentler type of vinyasa yoga. And restorative yoga and yin yoga are each thought of “mild” yoga practices.
Whereas each restorative yoga and yin yoga are mild on the physique, there are some variations between the 2 types:
Restorative yoga: Incorporates roughly 5 or 6 postures which can be supposed to decelerate and restore the physique. Every pose is held for a pair minutes, utilizing a number of props for assist. The purpose is whole consolation so that you just launch all rigidity out of your muscle groups.
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 carry elasticity, mobility, and vitality again to tight muscle groups. Most yin poses are accomplished totally on the ground and can almost certainly really feel tougher than these in restorative yoga,” Cummins says.
Is Light Yoga Good For Freshmen?
Light yoga is a superb entry level to yoga for learners. “Light yoga permits college students to maneuver by way of postures slowly and mindfully and apply yoga in a secure and efficient manner,” Cummins says.
But it surely’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 could 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 shifting 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 an extended day at work, calm down after a exercise, or prepare for mattress.
When you’re seeking to create your personal movement, listed here are some poses to strive.
1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)
- Begin standing together with your large toes touching and your heels barely aside. Your arms ought to relaxation by your sides, palms dealing with ahead.
- Interact your thighs and lengthen your tailbone all the way down to create an extended backbone.
- Raise your chest and draw your shoulder blades again and down.
- Preserve your ears over your shoulders and your pelvis over your ankles.
- Take a number of deep breaths (contemplate holding for one minute).
2. Standing forward bend (Uttanasana)
- Begin in mountain pose together with your ft hip-distance aside (or barely wider). Place yoga blocks on the mat in entrance of your ft. Take a deep breath.
- Exhale, bend your knees barely, hinge at your hips, and relaxation your fingers 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 a minimum of three breaths.
- Take a breath and rise again as much as standing. Press down together with your ft and pull your low stomach in to assist your decrease again as you unfold.
3. Child’s pose (Balasana)
- Begin in your mat on all fours. Place your fingers straight beneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Convey your large toes collectively.
- Sink your hips again towards your heels. Relaxation your stomach between your thighs and contact your brow to your mat.
- Prolong your arms in entrance of you. Possibility to succeed in your arms behind you and cup your heels.
- Keep for just a few breaths/minutes.
4. Cat-cow stretch (Bitilasana and marjaryasana)
Inhale: Cow pose
- From baby’s pose, come again to all fours. Preserve your again flat, your neck lengthy, and your gaze towards the ground.
- As you inhale, raise 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 raise your head in keeping with 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 movement for as much as 10 breaths, or longer if desired.
5. Seated forward fold (Paschimottanasana)
- Come to a seated place in your mat.
- Sit tall together with your legs prolonged in entrance of you. Flex your ft. Relaxation your fingers 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 fingers down your legs towards your ft. Keep away from rounding your again or utilizing your arms to tug your self into the pose.
- Maintain for 5 or extra breaths. With every exhale, attempt to calm down into the posture to get a deeper stretch. Come again up on an inhale.
6. Bound-angle pose (Baddha konasana)
- Sit in your mat together with your sit bones straight beneath you (keep away from tucking your tailbone).
- Contact the soles of your ft collectively. Open your knees extensive like a e book (choice to slip two blocks underneath your knees in case you have any knee rigidity).
- Slide your heels as near your groin as comfy.
- Relaxation your thumbs on the balls of your ft. Wrap the remainder of your fingers across the tops of your toes.
- Sit up tall. Preserve 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 a minimum of 5 breaths or one minute.
7. Happy baby pose (Ananda balasana)
- Lie down in your mat. Bend your knees and flatten your ft on the mat.
- Hug your knees to your chest. Convey your knees to your chest and seize the outer edges of your ft.
- Pull your knees towards your armpits.
- Compress your tailbone to the mat (choice to rock side-to-side).
- Keep for just a few 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 dealing with up. Calm down your shoulders away out of your ears.
- Separate your legs till your heels attain the corners of your mat.
- Shut your eyes, and calm down your complete physique as you gradual your respiratory and relaxation for a minimum of 5 minutes.
