Restorative Yoga Versus Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga and Restorative yoga are not the same. They are, actually, very different. In this article, we will figure out the differences between these two types of yoga are and how to find out which style may be best for you to practice.

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin yoga is focalized on extending your connective tissues (particularly the fascia) in order to enforce and stretch them.

Postures are held for 3-5 minutes each and work with the vitality meridians in your body just as developing dynamic stretch in your connective tissues to raise quality and adaptability, improve joint versatility, improve the posture, and heal injury in the body.

For more details about yin yoga, check out these resources:

Yin is In: Why Slowing Down is Gaining Momentum
Yoga Journal: Yin Yoga 101
Yin Yoga: Stretch the Mindful Way by Kassandra Reinhardt

Check also this Youtube video:

Yin yoga is good for:

Improving your posture
Keeping your joints healthy
Bringing your negative thoughts so that you can adapt with them and discharge them
Healing injuries and emotion stored in the connective tissues of your body
Raising strength and flexibility levels

What is Restorative Yoga?

Restorative yoga is a reflective practice that uses props like blocks, straps, sandbags, bolsters, and blankets to encourage a passive release of mind and body tension. This style works to release deep tension passively, without active stretch.

Itis a reflective practice that uses props like squares, lashes, sandbags, supports, and covers to empower a detached arrival of brain and body pressure. This style attempts to discharge profound pressure inactively, without dynamic stretch.

For additional insights about this practice, here are some useful resources:

Restorative Yoga May Be Slow And Still. But It Is Not Always “Easy”
Yoga Journal: Restorative Yoga 101

Restorative is good for:

Breath-work
Meditation
Developing contentment
Getting a feeling of safety in the mind and body
Stress discharge
Profound relaxation
Reaching a state of careful rest (Like Nidra Yoga, check our article on Yoga Nidra Scripts)

The Difference Between Yin and Restorative Yoga

Yin and Restorative Yoga are two practices that are similar when it comes to being slow, moderate, thoughtful practices concentrated on long holds. However, they contrast in the following aspects:

• Stretch: In Yin Yoga, there is a functioning stretch. However, in Restorative style, the objective is to be 100% upheld and detached with no dynamic stretch.
• Focus: In Yin Yoga, the attention is on extending your connective tissues. But in Restorative Yoga, the emphasis is on the inactive arrival of brain-body pressure.
• Props: Both styles may utilize props. However, in Yin Yoga, if props are used, they are utilized to either extend or mollify the stretch. In Restorative style, props are utilized to totally bolster your body. In general, it uses unquestionably more props than Yin, which may include blocks, blankets, sandbags, straps, and particularly bolsters.
• Postures: Yin postures are held for around 3-5 minutes, while Restorative Yoga postures are held for somewhere in the range of 5-10 minutes.

Yin Restorative Yoga: What to choose?

Few questions to ask before deciding to practice Yin Yoga:

Do you lead an exceptionally dynamic lifestyle?
Are you living in stories from the past that are no longer serving you?
Do you sit at a desk at work during the vast majority of the day?
Are you over 60 years old?

Few questions to ask before deciding to practice Restorative Yoga:

Do you deal with an unusual measure of pressure and tension regularly?
It is hard for you to unwind up following a typical day of work?
Do you find difficulties to make time for yourself?

Now you have an overview about these two types and you can start practice right now ! But we recommend trying both of these two types of Yoga, because they are both beautiful to practice.

Explore other types of Yoga in our article.