Fitness review: yin yoga brings restorative calm
Yin yoga might not be as popular or as well known as its cousins, but I think it definitely holds its own as a challenging yet deeply restorative yoga style.
For those new to yoga land, it can seem like a minefield – yep, there are different styles, different poses and that breathing thing they do in every class. Don’t worry, I’ve got all that covered in upcoming posts!
Regardless of the style, I find yoga a great way to de-stress, soothe a tired body and pay attention to what’s really going on physically and emotionally. And the breathing stuff helps. Yin differs from its cousins in that poses (known in yogi language as ‘asanas’) are held for up to 2-5 minutes to really get into those juicy spots (connective tissues) to relieve tension.
The details:
Duration: 60 minutes
Style: Group class
Cost: Casual drop-in $20
Who’s there: predominately women, ranging from 20s to 60s but more males are getting in on the action.
What to wear: 3/4 tights or shorts, loose t-shirt or fitted tank top
What to expect:
It depends on the yoga instructor, their style and the regulars that turn up, but you can expect to work from the top (something neck/shoulder related) down to the bottom (hips, glutes, hamstrings).
In the Yin yoga session I went to, we started with 10 minutes of deep breathing, expelling stale air and with every inhale, checking in with how our body was feeling. Lying on our backs on mats, we then used yoga blocks to hold poses to lengthen our neck, open our shoulder blades and strengthen our lower back.
Up on our feet, we moved to the studio’s walls to support our body weight as we held poses that made our quads and hamstrings quiver, before returning to the mat for chest and hip opening poses. The class ends coming into corpse pose or ‘savasana‘ – that blissful moment when soothing music is played and you get to relax completely on the mat, grateful for your practice. Some poses you’re likely to do throughout class are:
Rag doll – bend from the waist and let your chest hang as close as you can get to your knees. Your legs can be bent or straight and you’re usually against the wall for support.
Toe stretch/kneel – start by sitting upright with your knees tucked under you so you are sitting on the soles of your feet. Tilt forward so you can press your toes onto the mat so that you’re now sitting on your heels, upright again with your weight pushing down onto your toes.
Frog – starting on all fours, slide your knees out on either side of you and rest on your elbows.
Would I recommend this fitness workout to a friend?
Yes. It’s not necessarily a workout, but a chance to really listen to your body and build strength and mental toughness from holding a pose for so long. I went to Yoga Everyday, an awesome studio at 31 Haywood Street, Stafford. Relaxed, fun – these guys know their stuff!
What I liked: challenging, requires inner focus, breathing work
What I didn’t like: can feel a bit sore/awkward coming out of a position
What do I rate this fitness workout out of 5?
Fitness: N/A Strength and toning: 3/5
Weight loss: N/A Wellness (mind, body, soul connection) 5/5
What’s a track on this fitness workouts playlist?
Has this review made you think you’d like to give Yin yoga a go? Let me know in the comments box below!
Don’t forget, if there’s a fitness workout you’d like me to review, email hello@askthatfitgirl.com
Till next time, Maryanne K
Can you believe I have never done yoga, let alone Yin. I may be the only person in the world! Your explanation of what actually goes on in a class, I found great!