Fitness class: Yin Yoga: Acton, Erin, Ballinfad, Belfountain ...

Yin yoga works with fewer  postures but are held for a longer period of time.  Passive postures are held under the force of gravity to release connective tissues, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints.  These are the deep yin tissues of the body, relative to the more superficial yang tissues of muscle and skin.  Yin does not focus on the muscle but other things restricting them like scar tissue or deep fascia. 

Yin yoga follows the Ahimsa, Ashtanga or Ayengar  theory of alignment of do no harm. 
Suitable for almost all levels of students, Yin Yoga is a perfect complement to the dynamic and muscular (yang) styles of yoga that emphasize internal heat, and the lengthening and contracting of our muscles. Yin Yoga generally targets the connective tissues of the hips, pelvis, and lower spine.

While initially this style of yoga can seem quite boring, passive, or soft, yin practice can be quite challenging due to the long duration of the poses. Yin and yang tissues respond quite differently to being exercised. You need to experience this to really know what Yin Yoga is all about.

Recently Yin Yoga has been "re-discovered", and more and more students of yoga are adding this challenging form of practice to their regular practice. Years of a dedicated asana practice will make anyone healthier, stronger, and more flexible, but at some point the muscles will have reached their limit of flexibility. New depths in postures, deeper ranges of motion, or an increased flow of energy may only be achievable by focusing on the deeper tissues of the body. This is why so many students are finding Yin Yoga to be the perfect compliment and balance to their more active, yang practices.

In practice Iyengar yoga focuses particularly on three aspects. Correct body alignment allows the body to develop harmoniously in an anatomically correct way so that the student suffers no injury or pain when practising correctly. As all bodies are different and people have different weaknesses and strengths.

An added benefit is that although the therapeutic aspects of asanas and pranayama have been known for centuries,Iyengar's unrelenting emphasis on correct anatomical alignment and methods of working have refined the therapeutic aspects of Yoga. Thus practice of Iyengar yoga will often result in eliminating aches and pains, and improve posture.  The other two key aspects of asana practice in the Iyengar system are correct sequencing in which there is a powerful cumulative effect achieved by practicing asanas in particular sequences. The concept of timings means postures are held for considerable lengths of time to let the effects of the poses penetrate deeper within the individual.

 

Samantha Reed
Proprietor of Body Mechanics

Samantha has a Bachelor of physical and health education and graduate studies in biomechanics, U of T, focusing on knee mechanics, rate of recovery and functional analysis. She Has worked with physiotherapists, chiropractors, sports medicine doctors, orthopaedic surgeons, and osteopaths.

6 week session $90.00
6 week session $72.00 (if taken with a Pilates sessions)
Drop-in classes are also available for $20/class - book ahead

Missed classes may be made up any time during the session. NO REFUNDS. Classes are non transferable.

Minimum 6 participants

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