Yin Yoga is something I’ve had plenty of experience with. I believe I was in one of the first pop-up Yin classes at Rhode Island Hot Yoga before it was even added to the regular schedule. Right away, it became a practice I loved and tried to get to as much as I could, because it complimented the Hot Yoga so well.
In a previous post I mentioned that I was adding a new piece to my mission: trying Yin and Restorative yoga at other studios. RIHY adds heat (not hot, about 85 degrees) as an element of our Yin practice, where many other studios do not. I would like to see if there are major differences in the class sequence regarding this difference!
When I arrived at the Bristol Rec Center (Located in Colt State Park), we were shown into their small practice room towards the front of the building, that appears to max out at 15-20 students. We were a very small class of 5 students that Sunday night. Plenty of props were available, even for their max class size.
The room was nice and toasty to start, but I noticed that the temperature dropped in the middle of class. I made the mistake of going in with just a tank top. When I come back, I’ll definitely bring a sweater in with me just in case! Luckily the prop blanket was a good fix for warming me back up.
Class began with arrival in a supported child’s pose with the bolster. This is one of my favorite postures because it’s a hip opener that helps stretch out the areas of my hips and back that regularly pester me.
The rest of the class focused completely on the spine, and I was souped because it was just what I needed. We moved the spine in all six directions, did some supported spine twists, and plenty of child’s poses in between.
Each posture was held for 5-8 minutes, and we were always reminded to focus on the breath to keep our minds from wandering. I found myself very familiar with all of the postures in the sequence, and with the breathing!
If you are someone who gets the Sunday scaries, this is the perfect class for you. The 75 minute class takes place Sunday evenings at 6PM. After class, I went out for a bite to eat, and was 100% relaxed and ready for bed when I got home. My mind was clear and my body was ready for sleep! At only $8 for the drop-in class, there’s no reason not to go.
Bristol Parks and Rec also has a great Chair Yoga program, which I am hoping to check out with some older members of my family who have expressed interest!
This Community Recreation Center is still relatively new – it was acquired in 2013 from the Army Reserve and its programs have been building up since. I’m really impressed with the variety of yoga and fitness programs and can’t wait to see more!
New England Yoga Tour 