YIN YOGA

YIN YOGA

YIN YOGA Yin Yoga was founded in the late 1970s by a martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher called Paulie Zink. It is a complementary practice to more active forms of yoga and exercise. Yin Yoga is a practice of mindful meditation whilst holding long, slow, passive, supported stretches which has a positive impact on our fascia. Fascia is a network with long routes travelling throughout the whole body. It encases and intertwines through every part of our body including the organs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and even nerves. It needs a special kind of training to stimulate it and needs to be exercised, stretched and hydrated to keep it supple, As we age we dry out! Our fascial network becomes less hydrated and from our 40s we generally become less flexible. Yin Yoga, along with movement and a healthy diet can help to reduce the impact of ageing.

YIN YOGA

In Yin Yoga the long held stretches not only increase our joint range but also affect our biochemistry in our body by reducing chronic inflammation. Holding a slow mild stretch has an anti-inflammatory effect. As we age, more silent inflammation appears in our body and our joints swell if we exercise too much and then we have to wait for our body to recover. Yin Yoga is anti fibrotic and helps to break up adhesions. Adhesions can be caused by underuse, overuse, repetitive movements and chronic use. Trauma and injury cause fibrous tissues to be increased in the area of injury to protect it. Yin Yoga poses which are usually held between 3- 5 minutes using props to support us, apply moderate stress to the connective tissues, increasing circulation and flexibility and healing into the joints. Being a more meditative approach to yoga it aims to bring inner silence and an inner connection to our bodies. It is sometimes called the fountain of youth.

There are three main principles of Yin Yoga

1. PLAYING WITH AND FINDING YOUR EDGE
Where the pose is not too much (no pain or tingling) or too little (if you don’t feel anything) The edges will move

2. BECOMING STILL
So the muscles can soften allowing the pose to work into the deeper connective tissues. When the muscles are still that allows for stillness/quietness of the breath which allows for stillness of the mind. Once you arrive at your edge you remain still. Unless or until the body starts to open up and then you can go deeper. If you have gone to deep then come out a little.

3. HOLDING FOR TIME
Time is what stresses the tissues and applies traction here. The longer you can stay in the pose (without pain) the more benefits you will get from the practice. Slowly come out of the pose and enjoy the sense of release and feel the flow of chi moving around your body.

YIN YOGA

Long, slow held stretches have a calming effect on the nervous system. It goes from over stimulation due to the consequence of our busy lives to a state of calm and relaxation. The state of calm reached during Yin Yoga reduces blood pressure, improves digestion and increases our lung capacity. In Yin Yoga we are encouraged to breathe through our nose which will activate the diaphragm which will improve our sleep and brain and heart function. Yin Yoga takes our bodies out of the state of Fight or Flight and brings our bodies into a state of Rest and Digest or Homeostasis.



CALL ME NOW ON

07455 222252