Relieve stress with these 8 gentle yoga poses

If you think yoga is a handstand and distorts your body into a near-impossible pose, you need to know that there are several different ways to practice yoga. For example, gentle yoga is also suitable for almost everyone, beginners, and veterans.

“Calm yoga offers a nurturing and caring approach to the body,” says Sarah Cummins, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, YACEP, YOGA instructor and certified personal trainer. “We are often taught to make it easy for everyone to participate.”

What is gentle yoga?

Gentle yoga is usually a slow, quiet practice that holds the pose for a long period of time.

“Calm yoga can be taught in a variety of ways based on the instructor’s yoga style, systematics and experience,” says Cummins. “Calm yoga can combine slow flow with a long held recovery position, which often focuses on breathing as well as breathing.”

Although each class is different, according to Cummins, here are some things you can expect from a gentle yoga class:

Clues on how to safely and properly align your body.
Tips for helping with alignment and relaxation using props such as blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters.
It reduces the transition from sitting to standing or kneeling, lying down, or lying down for a more relaxed experience.
She says there are many options and modifications to “leave space to meet where you are and explore the pose.”

Kind of yoga

Some yoga studios offer “slow flow” classes in gentle shapes of Vinyasa yoga. Both restorative yoga and yin yoga are considered “calm” yoga practices.

Both recovery and yin yoga are gentle on the body, but there are several differences between the two styles.

Repair yoga: It incorporates approximately five or six postures aimed at slowing down and restoring the body. Each pose is held for several minutes, using several props for support. The goal is to be total comfort and release all tension from the muscles.

Yin Yoga: It holds fewer poses for a long period (3-5 minutes), but “it penetrates the deepest layers of connective tissue to bring elasticity, mobility and energy back to tight muscles. Most negatives are fully complete and are more likely to be more difficult than people who do recovery yoga,” says Cummins.

Is gentle yoga good for beginners?

Gentle yoga is a great entry point for beginners to yoga. “Calm yoga allows students to slowly and carefully overcome their posture and practice yoga in a safe and effective way,” says Cummins.

But it’s not only For beginners.

“It’s a rewarding habit for both young and old, flexible and inflexible people. It’s also great for pregnant women and women recovering from injuries,” she adds.

Gentle yoga sequence

Gentle yoga can include reclining, seating, and even blending of standing or balanced poses. It’s easy to calm your yoga practice by adding props without becoming “deep” to the pose or moving more slowly.

In addition to the more intense flow, Yoga 52 and Bodi’s Beachbody Yoga Studio offer soothing practices you can do at home to collapse from a long day at work, chill after workouts, or prepare your bed.

If you want to create your own flow, there are a few poses to try.

1. Mountain pose (Tadasana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkpuvlwzfho

Your big toes touch and your heels start to stand, slightly apart. Your arms should rest at your side, and your palms are facing forward.
The thighs are wrapped around and the tailbone is extended to create a long spine.
Lift your chest and pull your shoulder blades back.
Place your ears on your shoulders and pelvis on your ankles.
Take some deep breaths (consider holding for 1 minute).

2. The advanced bend (Uttanasana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6p23o822s

Get away from your feet and start with a mountain pose with your feet hugging (or a little wider). Place the yoga block on the mat in front of your feet. Take a deep breath.
Exhale, bend your knees slightly, bend your hips to your hips, and place your hands on the block.
Look towards your feet and you just need your knees.
Transfer your weight forward and align your hips with your heels.
Stay here for at least three breaths.
Inhale and stand up and get up. Push down with your feet and pull your low belly to support your lower back while unfolding.

3. Children’s pose (Balasana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohdmbnojnc4

Start with all four mats. Place your hands under your hips. Put your big toes together.
Sink your hips towards your heels. Stop your stomach between your thighs and touch your forehead with the mat.
Stretch your arms in front of you. An option to reach your arm behind you and cup your heels.
Stay for a few breaths/min.

4. Catcow stretch (Vitirasana and Marjalisana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa4zms5m7xa

Inhalation: Cow Pose

Go back to all four from the child’s pose. Flat your back, lengthen your neck, and turn your gaze towards the floor.
When inhaling, lift your tailbone and chest towards the ceiling while dropping your belly towards the mat.
Pull your ears away from your ears. Tighten the shoulder blades and raise the head to your torso.
Exhale into the cat’s pose.

Exhale: Cat Pose

From the cow pose, spit out, circumference around the spine, push your coccyx in, curl your chin towards your chest.
You’ll be sucked into the cow’s pose.
Repeat this flow up to 10 times or long as needed.

5. I’m sitting in front of me (Pasimotanasana))

Sit on the mat.
Stretch your feet forward and turn your back. Bend your legs. Place your hands on your side on the ground.
Soften your knees (optional to place a blanket under your knees).
Draw your abs, hing it on your lower back and fold it onto your thighs. Walk your feet towards your feet. Avoid balding your back or using your arms to pose.
Holds 5 or more breaths. Try to relax in your posture for a deeper stretch with each exhale. Inhale and come back.

6. Bound angle pose (Badakonasana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vawm7rh8yga

Sit on your mat with the bone sitting directly below you (avoid pushing your tailbone).
Touch the soles of your feet together. Spread your knees like in a book (optional to slide two blocks below the knee if you have knee tension).
Slide the heel comfortably near the gro diameter.
Place your thumb on the ball on your feet. Wrap the remaining fingers around the toes.
Sit tall. Keep your gaze forward and open your chest.
If you want to deepen your stretch, hinge forward on your lower back without shaking your back.
Hold for at least 5 breaths or for 1 minute.

7. Happy baby pose (Ananda Balasana))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e0jwl8yyde

Lie down on the mat. Bend your knees and flatten your legs on the mat.
Hold your knees to your chest. Bring your knees to your chest and grab the outer edge of your foot.
Pull your knees towards your armpits.
Compress the tailbone into a matte (lock left and right option).
Stay for some deep breaths.

8. Corpse pose (Sabasana))

Lie down on the mat.
Keep your arms apart from the torso, palms up and rest. Relax your shoulders from your ears.
Separate your feet until the heel reaches the corner of the mat.
Close your eyes, slow breathing, and allow your whole body to relax for at least 5 minutes.