Day 4 - Yin Yoga

Let's start with last night's meditation.  10 minutes of profound thoughts about how much I really don't want to go back to work.  Not much of a meditation, but was still nice to lay on the ground for 10 minutes.

Today's practice - Yin Yoga.  Wikipedia describes Yin Yoga as "a slow-paced style of yoga with postures or asanas that are held for comparatively long periods of time."  

Finally, a chance to take it easy. I'll take this Yin with a side of Yang please. I also notice that the cast of characters seems slightly shaken up. Tattoo scar chest seems to have been replaced by a guy that looks like a mildly bearded Otaku who left the computer to try and get in shape...just like me! Cool, I can do this. Cute Asian girl has also been replaced with cute South East Asian girl. One of the brunettes looks like a much prettier Mila Kunis, but is wearing a conspicuously low cut tank top. I like Yin Yoga.


First pose of the day is

 

- courtesy of www.fitknitchick.com @ here

What the funk? My body doesn't bend like that. Travis says "we're going to hold this for 3 minutes". Seriously?

Turns out each pose is held for 3-5 minutes to allow you to really work into the poses and release all the fascia or something like that in your connective tissue. I'm just thinking "ow". Apparently this will make me feel rejuvenated, but right now I just feel "ow".

Then the truth comes out. "Some of you might be thinking this is the hardest practice". Well to be honest, I don't think it is harder or easier. It is harder in some ways, but easier athletically. Some poses are really difficult, but others feel really good. Nevertheless, I find it remarkable how each of the poses manages to work into and release some area where I've had a pre-existing injury. Of course I'm careful not to overdue it so as not to hurt those places. Travis mentions that this practice is designed to help heal those injuries. Huh, just what the doctor ordered. Still I'm amazed how much of my weaknesses this practice targets and it overall feels really good..."like a good massage" to quote Bryan Kest. My injuries are a large part of the reason why I fell back into yoga, but that is another story for another time.

I never enjoyed slow paced yoga before, but I would highly recommend Yin Yoga to anyone looking for a change of pace and a chance to work on some problem spots.