Yin Yoga

Restorative yoga for injury prevention and healthy joints


Martial arts expert and Taoist yoga teacher Paulie Zink in the late 1970s developed Yin Yoga. Zink’s yoga was initially called “Yin and Yang Yoga” but was later shortened to “Yin Yoga.” It consisted of a mix of Hatha Yoga postures (asanas), Taoist Yoga disciplines, and insights from his own experiences. This yoga was not solely yin (restorative) focused, and Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers further developed Yin Yoga.

Paul Grilley studied yoga under Paulie Zink and was also influenced by his anatomy studies and the Japanese scholar and yogi Hiroshi Motoyama. Motoyama had done extensive research on the physiology of traditional Chinese medicine and was especially interested in the passage of qi (the life force) through the body’s meridians (pathways of qi).

Grilley incorporated the meridian teachings into his type of Yin Yoga, focusing on body relaxing yin postures to open these meridians. Then Sarah Powers, a yoga teacher and Grilley’s student, started incorporating Buddhist psychology in her Yin Yoga classes, which Grilley considered a good idea. We teach Grilley’s and Powers’ Yin Yoga at Yogateket.

Yin Yoga is thus a blend of Taoist, Chinese medicine, and Buddhist psychology. 

Yin Yoga aims to surrender to the body postures and “rest into shape” to open and restore the flow of energy in your body. With aging and physical activity, the elasticity of the connective tissue decreases. Keeping it subtle is essential to avoid injuries and improve joint health, making Yin Yoga great for injury prevention. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to practice mindfulness and to be relaxed and calm. It is energy restoration for both body and mind.

To do this, you need to release tension in your muscles and make supple that which is tight. Therefore, Yin Yoga focuses on postures that lengthen the muscles and the connective tissue, especially around the hips, pelvis, and lower back. All poses are performed sitting up or lying down and are held for 3-5 minutes. The length of time in the postures is necessary to properly lengthen and increase the elasticity of the connective tissue surrounding the joints.

1 Program, 1 Challenge, 8 Classes

Customize Your Class

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Bodyparts
Abdomen Ankles Arms Back Calves Chest Elbows Eyes Feet Glutes Hamstrings Hands Head Heart Hip flexors Hips IT band Knees Legs Lower back Lungs Neck Nose Psoas Quadriceps Shoulders Side body Spine Stomach Thighs Thoracic Spine Upper back Wrists
Level
Level 1 Level 1-2 Level 2 Level 2-3 Level 3
Teacher
Amaranta Aguilar Catalina Palma Clare Nicholls Daniel Scott Guy Powiecki Itziar Donezar Jaime White Kathleen Anderson Lauren Matters Lily Seyfi Linnea Ahlgren Lizette Pompa Sofia Soori Vinay Jesta
Duration
10 min 15 min 20 min 25 min 30 min 35 min 45 min 5 min 50 min 60 min 70 min 75 min 90 min

1 Program

5 weeks
Whole30 yoga program at yogateket

Whole30 Yoga Practice Program

Are you looking to incorporate healthy movement into your lifestyle this 2020? 

We have made a special program for you who are following the Whole30 timeline. But of course, anyone can start this 30 days of yoga classes, movement, breathing, and mindfulness. 

Enjoy the classes.
Various Styles with Lizette Pompa
Level 1-2
5 weeks

1 Challenge

1 week
Ashtanga-vinyasa meditation

Step Out Of Your Yoga Comfort Zone

This one-week long yoga challenge is meant to be a tool to grow and transform and help you to step out of your "yoga" comfort zone. 
If you are not a yogi that is trying out new classes and teachers regularly, this might be challenging but at the same time super rewarding. 
In seven days you will try six teachers and five different styles of yoga.

“When was the last time you did something for the first time.” Anonymous

 
Various Styles with Various Teachers
Level 1-2
1 week

8 Classes

15 min

Tight on Time

If you don’t have much time and would like to do a short Yin Yoga practice, this sequence is for you. It targets most areas of the hips, thighs and low back. Perfect if you’ve been sitting all day or in-between appointments.
Yin yoga with Kathleen Anderson
Level 1-2
7
15 min
50 min
screenshot from online yoga class at Yogateket yoga studio in Uppsala sweden

Yin Flow

In this Yin yoga practice, we will focus from one yin posture to another while holding each posture for a few minutes and we the flow is completed on the side then we live into the other side, allowing us to stay longer on one side in different forms. Enjoy your practice!
Yin yoga with Vinay Jesta
Level 1-2
8
50 min
45 min

Happy Yin Hamstrings

In this yin yoga practice, we will focus mostly on lengthening the hamstrings by long holds and releasing tension through the whole back of the leg. As we work through this practice remember to not experience any sharp or painful sensation in the lower back.


If you do allow yourself to modify the posture by keeping the back flat and still enjoy all the benefits from the practice as our main focus in this class is the hamstrings, calves and the Achilles tendon, use the props as needed and remember feeling is more important than form in this practice. enjoy your practice


Yin yoga with Vinay Jesta
Level 1-2
7
45 min
45 min
lowlungebolster

Yin Yoga Practice for Psoas

In this Yin yoga practice, we will focus on the postures that stimulate and lengthen the psoas. It's important to keep this muscle healthy and long to have a pain free back. Make sure to avoid any discomfort in the lower back in this practice and use props as shown in the video.


Yin yoga with Vinay Jesta
Level 1-2
4
45 min
35 min
Supta baddha konasana

Yin Yoga for A Supple Spine

In today’s gentle Yin practice we will focus on lengthening through the spine by releasing any tension through the different connective tissue surrounding it. As we float through a series of Yin asanas that allows us to do the same and leaving us relaxed and restored by the end of the practice.


Don’t be shy to use the props as and when necessary to allow yourself to completely relax and find ease in the pose and yet looking for sensations to focus on that allow is to stay in the present moment.


Enjoy your practice!


Yin yoga with Vinay Jesta
Level 1-2
7
35 min
45 min
Vinay jesta yoga yin for hips

Yin Yoga Practice for Supple Hips

During this practice, we will focus on moving through a series of Yin yoga postures that will focus on opening up our hips. Long holds allow us to release tension and tightness through the deep connective that is not often affected in Yang like practices, allowing us to access the passive flexibility of our hips.


Hips are the area of the body where a lot of emotions from the past are stored unconsciously. Move through this practice and if feelings from the past arise just notice them and let them go, allow yourself to use props as showed to surrender more at times.


Enjoy your practice!


Yin yoga with Vinay Jesta
Level 2
7
45 min
30 min
screenshot from online yoga class with yoga teacher Sofia Soori at Yogateket yoga studio in Uppsala Sweden

Yin Hips Practice

 Need some time for your hips? Then this short but intense yin class is for you. It's said that we store a lot of emotions in our hips, take 30 minutes to open up and relax this area.
Yin yoga with Sofia Soori
Level 1-2
20
30 min
30 min
Lauren matters is practising yoga on a green yoga mat

4 Essential Yoga Poses For Sleep

Mind running around like a hamster in a wheel, on repeat but with no substantial outcome? Or perhaps it has just been a really long day and you need to hug a bolster and chill? Whatever the reason, welcome to your asana bedtime story. 
Yin yoga with Linnea Ahlgren
Level 1-2
5
30 min