What is gentle yoga? Gentle yoga is a type of yoga designed to be as low impact as possible, making it ideal for new yogis or those with mobility issues.
Gentle yoga classes were one of the first types of yoga to become popular. While many people may think of all yoga as “gentle” or low-impact, there are actually many different forms of yoga. Some of these can be quite intense and are ideal for building a large amount of muscle or losing weight.
So, what is gentle yoga? Gentle yoga is a term used for any type of yoga routine that is designed to be low-impact. These routines are meant to greatly reduce the likelihood of injury, and they are perfect for the elderly and people with mobility issues. These classes are also an ideal way to try out yoga, especially for people who are unfamiliar with this type of exercise.
Who Is Gentle Yoga For?
Every year, plenty of people are drawn to yoga because of its promise to improve flexibility, muscle strength, and overall fitness. Many yoga moves, however, are just too difficult for some people to complete. This may be because of issues with joint pain, such as arthritis, or previous injuries that make a regular yoga class too challenging.
Of course, people with these types of issues are often the ones that could benefit the most from a yoga class. Yoga is a routine that utilizes both large and small movements, but the movements are done slowly. There is rarely any additional weight added to the movements, making it an ideal way for people who have a low muscle tone to get into a fitness routine.
Most gentle yoga classes tend to be calm, making them a great choice for people who are put off by loud and fast-paced cardio classes. These classes are designed for people who may have never taken a yoga or any fitness class before. Movements are introduced slowly, and there is plenty of time given to everyone to master the move.
Gentle yoga classes can include chair yoga, water or pool yoga, and slow yoga. If you cannot find gentle yoga near you, it is often possible for a fitness instructor to modify moves in a class to make them more gentle or low impact. You might be interested in our rocket yoga explainer.
Benefits Of Gentle Yoga
Gentle yoga is meant to increase mobility, flexibility, and muscle strength for people who would otherwise be unable to participate in a “standard” yoga class. The classes are meant to slowly introduce the concepts and movements of yoga. The result is that many class participants will reap a lot of the benefits of a yoga class, but “results” may occur at a much slower pace.
In fact, despite the fact that gentle yoga has been designed to be as low impact as possible, many people have reported gaining a better sense of balance and wellness from participating in these types of classes. Many gentle yoga movements have become incorporated by personal trainers and physical therapists into other types of fitness routines to help improve balance and muscle tone.
When Is it Time To Move On From Gentle Yoga?
Participating in gentle yoga is a great way to start on the path to fitness, but it will not give a non-disabled person a lot of results. These classes are just not ideal for losing weight or building a large amount of muscle quickly. While it is possible to see these results, be aware that it may take years to achieve goals like this if a person does not continue to improve their fitness routine.
This means that once the movements in a gentle yoga class no longer seem challenging, it may be time to move to a harder class. While no fitness routine should be causing a person a great deal of pain, if none of the movements in a gentle yoga class seem like they are at all hard to complete, it’s probably time to ask your instructor about moving to a new class. Make sure to check out our guide on how to warm up before yoga.
