Restorative Yoga Classes at Evolve Yoga Studio
Restorative Yoga class Overview
Restorative yoga is a form of yoga that seeks to achieve physical, mental and emotional relaxation with the aid of props. The use of props makes it easier for you to maintain balance while you are stimulating and relaxing your body.
What is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a form of yoga that seeks to achieve physical, mental and emotional relaxation with the aid of props. The use of props makes it easier for you to maintain balance while you are stimulating and relaxing your body. While some restorative yoga poses are beneficial to the entire body, others target specific parts of the body, such as the heart or the lungs.
Restorative yoga could just as easily be called “mindful yoga” due to the expanded awareness of self and body that comes through the practice. Slower movements cultivate space for a deeper experience of the poses and the breath. Awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment, can all take on a much more profound significance in the depth of the restorative practice. Simply put, you’re able to notice and feel more of the world through your yoga experience.
The slower pace and deep breathing that you get in a restorative yoga class triggers the parasympathetic nervous system from the very first pose. This activation helps to mitigate the effects of the regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology and well-being. The overall calming effect on the nervous system sets a deeply relaxing tone for the class that comforts your mind and body down to the cellular level.
What Poses are Performed in Restorative Yoga?
Many restorative yoga poses are similar to normal yoga poses, except that they are performed with the support of props. Before you start doing the poses, you have to do a warm-up first, which can be the sun salutation or the gentle vinyasa. Each restorative yoga pose has to be held for a few minutes, and it can even be as long as 10 to 15 minutes. Some of the commonly practiced poses include:
- Legs against Wall – Performed with bolster under your legs, hips or back.
- Child’s Pose – Tuck your heels under your hips and cradle a bolster or pillow with your upper body.
- Reclining Bound Angle – Performed with props under head, arms and legs.
- Savasana (Relaxation) – Rest your head on a pillow, legs on bolster and feet on blanket.
While you are practicing restorative yoga poses, your instructor may suggest that you use a blanket to cover your body, so that you will feel more comfortable.
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Restorative Yoga FAQ's
How long to hold Restorative Yoga poses?
Most Restorative yoga postures are held for between five and ten minutes. The time will vary based on the posture and the students ability to feel comfortable and supported in it. The restorative yoga teacher will have a sequence prepared that may require more time in a pose in one class than doing the same pose for a different sequence. For example, legs up the wall can be held for ten minutes comfortably for most students. Sometimes the posture is combined with additional hip opening, so variations on the posture may require more or less time to achieve the desired results. Be sure to let your restorative teacher know if a posture is not comfortable for you. Adding additional props or creating a variation on the pose will help you stay in it longer to receive the benefits of the pose.
How many calories does Restorative Yoga burn?
Restorative yoga is not a cardio workout, so burning calories in this class is not a priority. In each posture the students are encouraged to find comfort and stillness, thus little to no calorie burn is happening. Consider restorative yoga the antidote to an active, or stressful activity. Take the time for yourself to relax, let go and receive the wonderful benefits of restoration that restorative yoga has to offer you.
How often should i do Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a wonderful yoga to do every day if you can carve out the time. Restorative yoga will help you relax for a good night’s sleep, or release stress for a less intense day when done in the morning or afternoon. Doing restorative yoga anytime will help to improve your performance in other sports, in work and in life. Restorative postures done daily help students to really connect to their body for increased awareness and improved health. Enjoy restorative yoga as often as you can.
What are the benefits of Restorative Yoga?
There are many benefits of restorative yoga. Just to share a few of the benefits, restorative yoga is a healing style of yoga where students feel rejuvenated. Restorative yoga helps to reduce stress. Restorative yoga will help you find greater flexibility and improved state of mind. Restorative yoga can help students let go of physical, emotional and mental pain through the passive supportive postures and the help of a restorative yoga teacher. Try restorative yoga and discover even more benefits of this healing style of yoga.
What is the definition of Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is all about slowing down, letting go and relaxation. This is done with passive stretches to help open up your body. During restorative yoga postures you hold the postures for a long time, sometimes as long as ten minutes. During this time, your muscles are allowed to relax deeply. This unique style of yoga makes the deep stretching possible with the use of supportive props like blankets, blocks and bolsters. This allows your muscles to relax deeper into the various restorative postures.
What are Restorative Yoga poses?
There are many restorative postures and variations of the postures. Many of the postures look like the more active version of the pose such as seated forward fold. The difference is the body is supported by blankets, blocks and/or bolsters. This allows the body to stay in the posture for as long as ten minutes. Back bending postures can be particularly challenging for most yoga students. By supporting the body with props, and taking time in the posture, the yoga student can experience deep back bends with confidence. A combination of restorative postures is healing for the body, and the benefits of the postures can be notices in other yoga classes as well as in life off the mat. Â
What are Restorative Yoga sequences?
Restorative sequences are designed to help release a specific area of the body such as hip openers or forward folding. The order in which the postures are done will help the yoga student get the most benefit from the restorative yoga class. Some sequences are designed to help heal a specific area of the body, mind and spirit such as back bends which help us open up to love and life more easily. To get the most from your restorative yoga class experience be sure to tell the teacher if you have any injuries to your body or if you are going through a difficult time such as the loss of a loved one or fear, anger or stress. Restorative yoga is a healing practice which when done mindfully will help each student grow and be more present in life and happier in spirit.
Should I do Restorative Yoga when sick?
Restorative yoga is a healing style of yoga. If you would like to do a restorative yoga class and you are sick, be sure to check with your doctor before taking class to get the ok to practice. If you are contagious it would be best to do your restorative yoga postures at home so as not to infect your fellow yoga students or your restorative yoga teacher. If the doctor gives you the ok to practice, and you are not contagious, restorative yoga is an excellent style of yoga for healing you; body, mind and spirit. Enjoy and be well.
What props are needed for Restorative Yoga?
Yoga props are an important part of the restorative yoga experience. Various props help support the student’s body in the restorative yoga postures. The props can include, blankets, blocks, bolsters, a wall, a chair or more. The restorative yoga teacher will help you use the various props to get the most support and positive outcome from your restorative yoga class.