Should you suppose 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 observe yoga. Light yoga, for instance, is suitable for nearly anybody, novices and veterans alike.
“Light yoga affords a nurturing and compassionate strategy to the physique,” says Sarah Cummins, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, yoga teacher and authorized private coach. “It’s usually taught in a means that each one individuals can simply take part.”
What Is Light Yoga?
Light yoga is a gradual, tranquil observe by which you sometimes 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 embrace an emphasis on the breath in addition to meditation practices.”
Whereas every class will differ, right here’s what you’ll be able to anticipate in a delicate yoga class in accordance with Cummins:
- Cues on find out how to safely and adequately align your physique.
- Ideas 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’re and depart house in your exploration of poses,” she says.
Forms of light yoga
Some yoga studios provide “gradual movement” courses 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 kinds:
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 purpose is whole consolation so that you simply launch all rigidity out of your muscle tissue.
Yin yoga: Holds fewer poses for longer intervals (three-to-five minutes), however “you’re penetrating to the deepest layers of connective tissue to convey elasticity, mobility, and power again to tight muscle tissue. Most yin poses are accomplished completely on the ground and can most probably really feel more difficult than these in restorative yoga,” Cummins says.
Is Light Yoga Good For Rookies?
Light yoga is a wonderful entry level to yoga for novices. “Light yoga permits college students to maneuver by means of postures slowly and mindfully and observe yoga in a secure and efficient means,” Cummins says.
But it surely’s not solely for newbies.
“It’s a rewarding observe 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 observe 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 house to wind down from a protracted day at work, quiet down after a exercise, or prepare for mattress.
Should you’re seeking to create your individual movement, listed here are some poses to attempt.
1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)
- Begin standing along with your large 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.
- Raise 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 (contemplate holding for one minute).
2. Standing ahead bend (Uttanasana)
- Begin in mountain pose along 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 at the very least three breaths.
- Take a breath and rise again as much as standing. Press down along 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 fingers instantly beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Deliver your large 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 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. 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 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 ahead fold (Paschimottanasana)
- Come to a seated place in your mat.
- Sit tall along with your legs prolonged in entrance of you. Flex your ft. Relaxation your fingers at your sides on the bottom.
- Soften your knees (possibility 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. Certain-angle pose (Baddha konasana)
- Sit in your mat along with your sit bones instantly beneath you (keep away from tucking your tailbone).
- Contact the soles of your ft collectively. Open your knees broad like a e book (possibility to slip two blocks beneath your knees you probably have any knee rigidity).
- Slide your heels as near your groin as snug.
- Relaxation your thumbs on the balls of your ft. 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. 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 just a few deep breaths.
8. Corpse pose (Savasana)
- Lie down in your mat.
- Let your arms relaxation barely away out of your torso, along 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 calm down your total physique as you gradual your respiratory and relaxation for at the very least 5 minutes.
