30 Minute Yin Yoga for Beginners | Deep Stretch for Tension & Stress is a deep stretching session from Sara Beth. This workout is done Yin Yoga style, meaning you hold the poses for a very long time. Even though “beginner” is in the title, I felt every stretch–sometimes to the point of mild discomfort by the end of the pose time. And I am relatively flexible. The yin yoga practices I have done all use more equipment than other types of yoga workouts and this one is no exception. I used my bolster, a pillow, a flat yoga block and a regular yoga block. I did everything with the props except the puppy pose. Using the props was very uncomfortable for me so I just did a regular puppy pose. Sara sits on a blanket for many poses but I just sat on my flat yoga block. Also, on the poses where you hinge forward and rest your head on pillows, I used my bolster but it wasn’t as thick as Sara’s multiple pillows so I just put a regular yoga block beneath my bolster to boost it higher.
30 Minute Yin Yoga for Beginners | Deep Stretch for Tension & Stress is 30:49 minutes. Equipment: bolster or pillows and a fitness mat. Optional blanket and yoga block. I also used my flat yoga block. Sara shows modifications to make this workout even more accessible to you if needed.
- Wide leg child’s pose w/ upper body resting on pillow(s)/bolster (2 minutes)
- Puppy pose with head resting on bolster/pillow(s) (1:45 minutes)
- Butterfly pose (Sara is sitting on blanket); place pillow(s)/bolster between legs/on feet and hinge torso forward, resting forehead on pillow(s)/bolster (3 minutes)
- Still seated on mat/blanket, one leg is open and extended straight to side, other knee is bent with insole against opposite inner thigh, place pillow(s)/bolster on floor in front of you, hinge torso forward, resting forehead on pillow(s)/bolster (2:15 minutes)
- Repeat #4 on other side of body (1:45 minutes)
- Lay on back with knees bent and feet resting on pillow(s)/bolster
- Same starting position as #6, but with feet on floor, raise hips into bridge and push pillow(s)/bolster under hips, rest hips on pillow(s)/bolster (one minute); extend one leg straight and rotate foot to side (1:45 minutes); swap leg positions (1:30 minutes)
- Still laying on back with pillow(s)/bolster under hips, pull knees into chest (1:45 minutes)
- Still laying on back, push pillow(s)/bolster under your knees so you are now in corpse pose with hands in cactus (she gives you the option of raising arms higher overhead so hands touch) (4 minutes)
- Sit cross-leg on pillows with hands in prayer and eyes closed
For more info on SaraBethYoga and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
