If you are new to yoga and wonder what is the difference between Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga? So We are here to answer your question hoping that the following article helps you find your answer. Before discovering the differences, let us first understand both the terms individually.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is a sluggish, calming, and contemplative technique of yoga. Yin yoga targets your subtle elastic tissues, fascia, bones, ligaments and joints in the body instead of the muscles. This particular yoga also concentrates on extension and the stimulation of several acupressure points from the Meditation of Traditional Chinese.
The positions are carried for an overall duration of 3 to 10 minutes. It is believed that Yin Yoga originally comes from China which is not true because people adopted this idea from the old practice of Classical Hatha Yoga. Later, when trainers like Swami Sivananda inaugurated Hatha Yoga to civil people, they revised the duration to 1 to 3 minutes to make it convenient for all the people.
For further explanation, Yin yoga enhances energy flow by improving the flow of vital energy in your organs and body. To get strong and healthier, we not only require healthy organs but healthy muscles as well.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga is a method of yoga that stimulates physical, emotional and mental pleasure and peace. Restorative yoga is Relevant for all levels and is exercised at a very passive speed, concentrating on big holds, composure and deep breathing.
To define further, restorative yoga is a comfortable practice that holds yoga positions (asanas) for an extended duration with yoga props such as blankets, bolsters and yoga blocks. It is an exercise that helps you in deep relaxation and emphasizes yoga’s contemplative characteristic (union of mind and body). With the support of yoga props, the postures are carried easily.
During the Restorative yoga practice, once the body reaches a state of relief, the mind willfully relaxes as the body and mind tension is released. Paying attention to your breathing and becoming conscious about any feelings or thoughts that occur while practising restorative yoga is very important on your part.
While almost all the other energetic yoga techniques emphasize the muscular meeting, restorative yoga focuses on the relaxation of your muscles by using yoga props to help your body. Restorative yoga postures are carried from 5 to 20 minutes.
Difference Between Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga
When you look at the details, you might find both the practices relatively similar because they both are passive and meditative exercises that mainly focus on extended holds. However, they both are different from one another, which you will know when you read the following comparison we have done for your help.
- Stretching:
In yin-yoga, you need to do active stretching, while in restorative yoga, there is no active stretching, and the main goal is to be 100 per cent aided and gentle.
- Comfort:
While practising Restorative Yoga in a class, the students are guided to be at 100 percent peace comfort. Whereas in a class where yin yoga is practised, distress is mostly welcomed.
- Poses:
The positions in yin yoga are carried for about 3 to 5 minutes, while restorative yoga positions are held for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Focus:
In yin yoga, the main focus is on stretching your connective tissues, while in restorative yoga, all the focus is on the passive dismissal of the tension of mind and body.
- Props:
In Both yin and restorative yoga techniques, you can use props, but the difference is that in yin yoga, if we use props, then they are utilized to either soften or deepen the stretching. While in restorative yoga, props are used to help your body entirely. Typically, restorative yoga uses remotely more props than yin yoga; the props include blocks, straps, sandbags, blankets and mainly bolsters.
If you are willing to learn more about the difference between Yin yoga and Restorative Yoga, Ram Jain the Founding Director of ArhantaYoga has briefly compared and described the difference in an article here – Yin Yoga vs Restorative Yoga.
Conclusion
Both Yin yoga and Restorative yoga are decent and relevant for the students of all levels, from exact beginners to experienced people who practice athletes or even individuals with injuries.
Many people think of these two yoga types to be equivalent because of some similarities they share, but that’s not the case if you study both yoga practices deeply.
Significantly, both Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga allow us to relax and rest, allow us to chill and slow down and give us a break from busy daily schedules.
