In case you assume yoga is all about handstands and contorting your physique into near-impossible poses, you must know that there are a number of other ways to apply yoga. Light yoga, for instance, is suitable for almost anybody, newcomers and veterans alike.
“Light yoga presents a nurturing and compassionate strategy to the physique,” says Sarah Cummins, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, yoga teacher and licensed private coach. “It’s typically taught in a approach that every one individuals can simply take part.”
What Is Light Yoga?
Light yoga is a sluggish, tranquil apply wherein you usually maintain poses for prolonged intervals of time.
“Light yoga will be taught in quite a lot of methods, based mostly in your teacher’s yoga type or lineage and expertise,” Cummins says. “Light yoga could mix a sluggish movement with longer-held restorative positions that always embrace an emphasis on the breath in addition to meditation practices.”
Whereas every class will fluctuate, right here’s what you’ll be able to 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 similar to blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters to assist with alignment and leisure.
- Fewer transitions from sitting to standing or kneeling to mendacity down for a smoother, extra relaxed expertise.
- Numerous choices and modifications to “meet you the place you might be and go away house on your exploration of poses,” she says.
Varieties of mild yoga
Some yoga studios provide “sluggish movement” lessons which might 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 might be meant to decelerate and restore the physique. Every pose is held for a pair minutes, utilizing a number of props for help. The aim is whole consolation so that you just 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 deliver elasticity, mobility, and vitality again to tight muscular tissues. Most yin poses are accomplished completely on the ground and can probably really feel tougher than these in restorative yoga,” Cummins says.
Is Light Yoga Good For Newbies?
Light yoga is a wonderful entry level to yoga for newcomers. “Light yoga permits college students to maneuver by means of postures slowly and mindfully and apply yoga in a protected and efficient approach,” Cummins says.
However it’s not solely for newbies.
“It’s a rewarding apply for the younger and outdated, the versatile and rigid. It’s additionally nice for pregnant ladies and people recovering from damage,” she provides.
Light Yoga Sequence
Light yoga could embrace 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 provide soothing practices that you are able to do at dwelling to wind down from a protracted day at work, settle down after a exercise, or prepare for mattress.
In case you’re seeking to create your personal movement, 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 all the way down to create a protracted backbone.
- Elevate your chest and draw your shoulder blades again and down.
- Maintain your ears over your shoulders and your pelvis over your ankles.
- Take a number of deep breaths (take into account holding for one minute).
2. Standing ahead 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 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 no less than 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 help your decrease again as you unfold.
3. Little one’s pose (Balasana)
- Begin in your mat on all fours. Place your palms instantly beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Deliver 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. Possibility to achieve your arms behind you and cup your heels.
- Keep for a couple of breaths/minutes.
4. Cat-cow stretch (Bitilasana and marjaryasana)
Inhale: Cow pose
- From baby’s pose, come again to all fours. Maintain 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 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 movement 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 ft. Relaxation your palms at your sides on the bottom.
- Soften your knees (choice to put 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 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 chill out 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 instantly beneath you (keep away from tucking your tailbone).
- Contact the soles of your ft collectively. Open your knees extensive like a guide (choice to slip two blocks beneath your knees if in case you have any knee pressure).
- 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. Maintain 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 no less than 5 breaths or one minute.
7. Completely happy child pose (Ananda balasana)
- Lie down in your mat. Bend your knees and flatten your ft on the mat.
- Hug your knees to your chest. Deliver 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 a couple 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. Loosen up your shoulders away out of your ears.
- Separate your legs till your heels attain the corners of your mat.
- Shut your eyes, and chill out your complete physique as you sluggish your respiratory and relaxation for no less than 5 minutes.
