5 reasons you should try yin yoga
You may never have heard of yin yoga or you may have seen it on studio schedules but haven’t ventured any further.
Here are five reasons Clare, one of our resident yin yoga teachers, loves yin yoga (this is an excerpt from her
blog):
Yin yoga teaches acceptance
When you’re in a pose for a minimum of five minutes, you can’t push it. If you do, you’ll regret it. So it teaches you to stay where you feel something, but not too much – not trying to inch your forehead closer to your shins in a forward bend. And anyway, over the duration of the pose, your body will open and you’ll naturally go deeper. No pushing, no judgement, just accepting.
Yin yoga cultivates a beginners mind
The postures have different names in yin yoga. For example, pigeon pose is called ‘swan’. This encourages us to approach each pose with no hang-ups about how we’d ‘usually’ do the pose in a yoga class.
Yin yoga creates space
When we sit in a yin pose, we create space in our bodies, in our minds, and in our day-to-day lives. On a physical level, our connective tissue surrounding our joints starts to become more malleable, improving our flexibility.
Yin yoga achieves balance
The weekly grind can get you down. We’re always watching the clock. We’re getting children to school/clubs on time, rushing for the train, keeping our bosses/partners happy, I could go on.
We’re also always on the go when we do finally relax. TV keeps our minds active and we also stay busy when we exercise – going to the gym, running, cycling – or even through more energetic forms of yoga such as ashtanga and vinyasa flow. They all generate heat and get you moving.
This is all great, but we have to make space to be still and surrender.
Yin provides this balance. Being still can be hard but it’s necessary to counter all the busy-ness in our hectic Western lives.
Yin yoga is about awareness
When we practice yin yoga, it’s inward focussed. We start to notice sensations within, and naturally you’ll find that you start to watch your mind. We notice our thoughts – whether they’re positive or negative, linked to the past or the future, and whether they’re recurring. It allows us to connect within.
Clare (one of our resident yin yoga teachers)
P.S. Interested in giving it a go? Clare’s
yin yoga workshop runs the first Saturday of every month.
Want to build your immune system? Shiatsu’s for you.
An imbalanced immune system can inhibit any healing action and deepen or aggravate many existing ‘diseases’. A weak immune system, as a pathological pattern, creates a vicious circle in which the body is more susceptible to the invasion of disease. In turn the immune system gets weaker. Over time, the body becomes progressively more vulnerable and loses its ability to heal.
When bacteria or a virus enters the body, the immune system tries to fight back against the intruder. Shiatsu therapy & bodywork helps strengthen the immune system and its ability to fight back against any internal or external pathogen. It allows a weak immune system to be strengthened and an overactive immune system to be calmed.
General Symptoms of a weakened or imbalanced immune system
- Susceptibility to ‘catching’ colds
- Fatigue (including chronic fatigue syndrome)
- Difficulty recovering from a common cold that may develop into chronic sinusitis, inflammation of the pharynx, commonly known as a sore throat
- Stomach flu, indigestion and lack of appetite
- Chronic ear infections that in turn, may lead to symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, vertigo and fatigue to name but a few
- Injuries that heal slowly and cause repeated problems (especially sports injuries in the extremities that involved tendons and ligaments, scars may not heal completely even after years)
- The body does not seem to respond to treatments for any disease or complaint
Recent research carried out by the University of Leeds on behalf of the European Shiatsu Federation establishes that Shiatsu massage treatment:
- Improves health and wellbeing
- Can benefit specific conditions
- Suggests a role for Shiatsu in public health
As with other forms of bodywork, Shiatsu encourages your blood and lymph to flow around your body, taking oxygen to your organs and skin, helping them to release toxins and stimulating your immune system.
A course of Shiatsu’s would give your health an overall boost, be ready in time for summertime, and for those colds and bugs we, at times acquire
Interested in giving it a go? With our therapist Jan, you’re in good hands.
5 reasons to practice yoga early in the morning
1. Feel good factor
What could be more virtuous than an early start with an invigorating yoga practice? The combination is hard to beat when it comes to feeling good about yourself. And, while getting up early can be challenging on even a good morning, once you’ve finished your yoga practice, you’ll begin the day
with a positive mindset and a spring in your step.
2. A healthy approach to the day
Having kick-started your metabolism with a vitalising yoga practice, you’ll be inspired to continue the day with good habits like healthy eating, tall posture and less of the bad stuff.
3. Energy and focus
It may surprise you to know that, rather than tire you out, an early and active start to your day keeps you energised for longer. So, after a busy session at work or school, you can still enjoy quality time with your family and friends at the end of the day.
4. A better night’s sleep
Yoga calms the nervous system and helps to reduce tension. This sets you up for a less stressful day and increases your chances of a deeper, more restful, more restorative sleep. All the better for another early start!
5. Strength and flexibility
One of the quickly noticeable benefits of yoga is a stronger, more toned, more flexible body. As someone with a background in running and sports, I can honestly tell you that when I first started yoga I couldn’t touch my knees. I can now – and quite a lot more!
Join us for an early morning ashtanga Mysore class at BAYoga. We’re here every Friday from 6am to 8am. Try a class for £5.
In case you’ve never done yoga Mysore style before, it’s a self-practice class with a set sequence of movements that focus on breath, balance, strength and flexibility. Regardless of whether you’re new to yoga or more experienced, you’ll practice at your own pace and at your own level. So, if you’re a total beginner, you’ll start with a sequence of movements called sun salutations, and over time add
more and more poses as your practice develops.
You’re welcome to start the class at whatever time works for you, not necessarily 6am. As long as you arrive an hour before the end of the class, we can fit in a great practice, as the teacher will work with you one to one.
We look forward to seeing you at BAYoga bright and early!
A yoga set to let off steam
Want to try some yoga at home?
Why not practice along with our resident vitality yoga teacher, Suzy in her yoga video to let off steam.
Need more support? Check out her upcoming workshops in 2018.
Book now
Why pilates might be for you
Berkhamsted Pilates
As we wind down from summer and look at getting back into our routines, have you considered Pilates as a new addition?
Our resident pilates teacher comes from an injury rehabiliation background so she can support all bodies and a number of injuries in the class.
Pilates works by strengthening and balancing the core muscles that we don’t use on a daily basis, and the small muscles close to the joints. By activating these small muscles, we keep balance around the joints and can therefore minimise injury and strengthen your body. This strengthening of the small muscles also takes the pressure off your bigger muscles, which don’t have to do as much as a result. This leads to fewer aches and pains.
If you’re someone who finds yourself with pain back or shoulder pain it’s possible you may be putting too much pressure on big muscles and not training smaller muscles. Pilates can be a great way to prevent injury.
People come to Pilates from a range of backgrounds including mums wanting to get back into shape after having a baby, dancers looking to strengthen their muscles, individuals with lower back pain or joint pain, and people who are weight training regularly and therefore need to ensure their core muscles are strong.
We’d say it’s guaranteed to support and strengthen most bodies. So why not pop down and try a class?
Beth Lomax, our Pilates mat class teacher, runs two classes per week (Monday 12.30 PM and Thursday 7AM).
Book yourself in for a taster class today.
