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This week I'm excited to share a yin-style practice for the first time. If you're not familiar with yin yoga, it's the same poses only done more slowly. Instead of shorter holds (typically 5-10 breaths) or flowing through the poses, yin yoga holds poses for up to 3-5 minutes. It is more relaxing, though also challenging in surprising ways. Holding a pose for several minutes can get difficult! It's just as much about training the mind as conditioning the body.
Today's sequence was inspired by the currently strength/skill cycle at the gym we attend. The barbell movement we're working on right now is deadlifts, and tightness in the hips while deadlifting frequently manifests itself as lower back pain. Tight hips also create back pain for people who sit frequently (so, basically everyone in the Western world), so this sequence is definitely not just for athletes! We like to reduce the body into bits and pieces, but it's all interconnected and what happens in one part of the body can travel down the kinetic chain and manifest itself elsewhere in the body. That is why this class is designed to really help the lower back but focuses more on the hips.
Needless to say, this class was quite relaxing to sequence and film. =) My camera and audio even mostly cooperated, so that was a great plus! I've just kind of given up on my yellow walls. They're yellow, they're here, and there's nothing I can do about them, so time it was time to stop stressing!
I really hope you enjoy this yin yoga sequence for the hips and back. It is a highly accessible practice and includes modification suggestions for virtually every pose, including staples like child's pose, so even if you're experiencing a great deal of hamstring and hip tightness you should be able to do this sequence!
Do you have any particular areas of tightness you're working through or spiritual/mental goals you're focusing on right now?
More free yoga practices
Lori
I was so pleasantly surprised and really amazed at how effective yet gentle these poses her I just turned 63 and I'm bit tighter than I thought so thank you Natasha
Natashalh
I'm so glad you found them accessible and effective! Thank you so much for leaving a comment - you put a smile on my face this morning. =)
Marieken
Thanks for sharing! I've been thinking about trying out some yoga videos, but didn't know where to start (there are so many!). Hope to try it out next weekend.
Natashalh
There are a zillion choices out there, aren't there? I really hope you enjoy mine if you decide to give it a try!