What is Yin Yoga ? is a form of exercise that focuses on stretching and relaxing muscles. It was developed in China over 2,500 years ago and has since spread around the globe.
Yin Yoga is often practiced alongside other forms of exercise such as cardio or strength training. The goal is to balance out the body’s yang energy (or positive) with its yin energy (or negative). Yin Yoga is Commonly use in 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training This helps to promote overall health and well-being.
Yin Yoga is similar to other types of yoga in that it involves slow movements and deep breathing. Unlike other styles of yoga, however, Yin Yoga emphasizes relaxation rather than concentration.
What is Yin yoga?
This practice is designed to aid you to sit longer & more comfortably, in meditation by stretching connective tissue around your joints like knees, pelvis, sacrum & spine. Yin yoga involves variations of supine poses & seated held for 3-5 minutes, accessing deeper layers of fascia. This yoga was originally introduced by Paulik Zink. Paulie teaches a practice informed by hid background of martial arts, which over the years has been called Yin and Yong yoga. It was Paul Grilley who developed Yin yoga as we know it today. While Yang yoga practices physically target the superficial muscles, in yin yoga, we target the ligaments, bones, joints and deep fascia networks. A yin class usually consists of a series of passive floor poses held for up to 5 minutes or more and it mainly works the lower part of the body i.e. The hips, inner thighs, lower spine. These areas are rich in connective tissues.
Is it safe? How does it benefit me?
Yin yoga is a form of yoga that focuses on stretching and relaxing muscles. The practice originated in China over 2,500 years ago and was brought to America in the 1970s. Today, it has become very popular worldwide.
Yin yoga is a great way to stretch and relax your body. It helps improve flexibility, balance, and posture. It also reduces stress and anxiety. If you want to try it out, check out these benefits of yin yoga.
Who is yin yoga for?
Our world bombards us with the spur, 24/7, keeping the minds constantly busy with processing all the information which is thrown at it. Whether the information is rubbish or valuable, it does not matter. The mind still needs to deal with this. Eventually, we get used to that level of stimulus & start to crave it if things become quiet. So we end up browsing it does not matter what as long as we fill the gaps. Any form of dynamic yoga caters to this aspect of keeping ourselves engaged, although the mind can calm down as a result of active exercise, we are still feeding the part of us which carves intensity & wants to be stimulated. I am not saying or encouraging you to cut out the dynamic yoga, just try to balance all the occupied aspects of life. And a wonderful way to do that is by practicing Yin yoga.
Yin yoga and your body
Yin yoga works on the yin tissues also called the connective tissues. These tissues respond best to a steady and slow load which is why we hold the poses for longer. If you gently stretch yin tissues by holding a yin pose for longer in this way, your body will respond by making it a bit longer & stronger that is exactly what you want. Different yin yoga poses stimulate & remove the blockage to the myofascial meridians in your body, which in turn balances the internal organs of body and system. Yin yoga requires the muscles to relax around the yin tissue to get a stretch, so not every yoga pose can be done effectively or safely when practicing yin style yoga.
Tips for practicing yin yoga
Find the appropriate edge
- Move slowly & gently into the pose. Do not go straight to a maximum in the pose & never stretch so far as to cause pain.
- Stillness
- Consciously try to release into the pose, & to remain still, without fidgeting or shifting position very much
- Hold the position
- with holding a pose for 1-2 minutes and progressing to 5 minutes or more
To know deeply about Yin Yoga, join yoga teacher training at World Yogashala, Rishikesh, India.
