Yoga has become a very popular activity over the past five years, but it can be hard to know which type of yoga is the right type of yoga for you.

As an instructor and a marketer I’ve observed yoga trends in studios across the country and the success of the studio has always depended on the market the studio is in. Traditionally, I’ve seen studios that focus on more physical yoga do better then those studios more focused on restorative-based practices. However, I’m also seeing a shift start to occur in the general psyche of yoga practitioners across the board.

Yogis want more restorative yoga practices!

There will be some people who thing yoga that isn’t fast and powerful is boring. And yet, there are plenty of people who are itching for the stress-relief benefits of yoga practice without all the sweat, without all the super hard work, without all the “power.”

Balancing Fast & Slow

Power Vinyasa Yoga is admittedly my first love and how I came to know yoga. At the time in my life when I was introduced to yoga, I needed to move and I needed the energy that power yoga provided for me. But as the years go by, I find my body and mind craving a slower practice, a more conscious practice, a less intense practice.

I’ve fallen in love with restorative-based practices and I know that many of my private students prefer a gentle pace.

There is nothing bad or wrong about restorative yoga. It’s not less than power yoga. In fact, I often think restorative yoga can be harder in many ways because you have to deal with your mind more when your body is in more restful positions for longer periods of time.

Restorative yoga also introduces deep stretches to areas of the body that are often in need of a really good stretch.

How to start a restorative yoga practice

If you’ve never tried a restorative practice, I encourage you to start out with a subtle mind shift. The next time you’re in your normal power yoga class, see if you’re able to really enjoy the last 15 minutes or so of class when you work on “floor poses.”

Then, if you’re able to truly enjoy those poses, look for a restorative class on a schedule at a studio near you and try one out.

Restorative yoga is a wonderful practice for beginner yogis as the class is directed at a much slower pace and there are many, many modifications offered for all levels and injuries.

Restorative yoga is also the go-to class for you if you’re looking for stress relief and relaxation.

Part 4 in my 4-part video series is a restorative-based practice. It is the perfect complement to all the asana you have done in video 1, video 2, and video 3 before this. You can add this practice to the end of any home practice or practice these 10 minutes of restorative poses on their own at the end of a long, busy day.

Enjoy this relaxing video and don’t forget to breathe!

Namaste 🙂