The Benefits of Gentle Yoga
There are many styles of yoga, and each style has its own benefits. Yoga Sculpt (the HIIT of yoga) and Vinyasa Yoga (cardio movement based) aim to give you a great workout while bringing in cardio and strength training. Yin Yoga (holding deep stretches for several minutes) and Restorative Yoga (finding comfortable relaxation in poses) aim to create stillness in the body and mind. Gentle Yoga is a style of yoga that sits in the middle.
Gentle Yoga uses slow moving low-impact poses to stretch muscles and build strength. It is a perfect style for beginners and is great for all ages. Don’t let the name fool you, while the movements are gentle, you will be stretching and strengthening your whole body.
There are many benefits of doing yoga of all styles including stress reduction, improved mobility, enhanced balance, and calming the mind. In addition to the well-known yoga benefits, here’s why I love Gentle Yoga:
It is for Every Body
Whether you haven’t worked out in 10 years or work out every day, Gentle Yoga will help you to feel better. This style of yoga can be modified for all needs including doing yoga while seated in a chair (Chair Yoga), doing all seated or all standing poses to avoid getting up and down from the mat.
It is Slow Moving
Slow movements allow you to safely get into your pose while protecting & nurturing your joints, muscles & connective tissues. This can be especially helpful if you are new to yoga or are recovering from an injury.
It allows for Deep Stretching
Poses are typically held for 3-5 breaths in Gentle Yoga. Holding the poses a little longer give you time to feel how the stretch feels in your body. It gives you time to adjust and experiment with the pose to find what works for you. Holding the pose helps you to stretch deeply and loosen up tight muscles.
Give Gentle Yoga a try and see how it feels for you.
True North Yoga offers private 1:1 and small group yoga and wellness classes at your home, neighborhood or office. Learn more or schedule your own private class at www.truenorthyogamn.com or contact Nikki at hello@truenorthyogamn.com.