If you happen to suppose yoga is all about handstands and contorting your physique into near-impossible posesit is best to know that there are a number of alternative ways to observe yoga. Light yoga, for instance, is acceptable for nearly anybody, learners and veterans alike.
“Light yoga presents a nurturing and compassionate strategy to the physique,” says Sarah CumminsRYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, yoga teacher and licensed private coach. “It’s typically taught in a manner that every one individuals can simply take part.”
What Is Light Yoga?
Light yoga is a sluggish, tranquil observe during which you sometimes maintain poses for prolonged intervals of time.
“Light yoga will be taught in a wide range of methods, based mostly in your teacher’s yoga type or lineage and expertise,” Cummins says. “Light yoga might mix a sluggish move with longer-held restorative positions that always embody an emphasis on the breath in addition to meditation practices.”
Whereas every class will differ, right here’s what you may anticipate in a mild yoga class in response to Cummins:
- Cues on the way to safely and adequately align your physique.
- Suggestions to make use of props corresponding 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.
- Numerous choices and modifications to “meet you the place you might be and go away house to your exploration of poses,” she says.
Sorts of light yoga
Some yoga studios provide “sluggish 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 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 assist. The purpose is complete 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 convey elasticity, mobilityand power again to tight muscular tissues. Most yin poses are accomplished solely on the ground and can almost certainly really feel more difficult than these in restorative yoga,” Cummins says.
Is Light Yoga Good For Novices?
Light yoga is a wonderful entry level to yoga for learners. “Light yoga permits college students to maneuver by way of postures slowly and mindfully and observe yoga in a secure and efficient manner,” Cummins says.
Nevertheless it’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 harm,” 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 observe 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 provide soothing practices that you are able to do at dwelling to wind down from an extended day at work, settle down after a exercise, or prepare for mattress.
If you happen to’re seeking to create your individual move, listed below are some poses to attempt.
1. Mountain pose (Tadasana)
- Begin standing together with your huge 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 an extended 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 (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 hipsand relaxation your arms 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 not 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 assist your decrease again as you unfold.
3. Youngster’s pose (Balasana)
- Begin in your mat on all fours. Place your arms straight under your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Deliver your huge 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 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, 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 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 ft. Relaxation your arms at your sides on the bottom.
- Soften your knees (possibility to put a blanket beneath your knees).
- Draw your abs in and hinge at your hips to fold over your thighs. Stroll your arms 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 together with your sit bones straight beneath you (keep away from tucking your tailbone).
- Contact the soles of your ft collectively. Open your knees vast like a e book (possibility to slip two blocks below your knees when you’ve got 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. 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 not less than 5 breaths or one minute.
7. Glad 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, 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 calm down your complete physique as you sluggish your respiratory and relaxation for not less than 5 minutes.
