Restorative Yoga Poses for Beginners
Restorative yoga poses are a great way to relax and care for your body. Whether you've had a stressful day or are just looking to relieve muscle tension, restorative yoga for beginners can help you.
We'll explain restorative yoga and go over common poses in this article. You'll be well on your way to a relaxing yoga session!
What Is Restorative Yoga?
Restorative yoga is a rest-based practice that's different from many yoga traditions. A typical Hatha or Vinyasa flow incorporates movement and exercise to increase your heart rate, but restoring yoga seeks to do the opposite. At a restorative yoga class, expect a slow pace and gentle stretches.
Restorative yoga is ideal for beginners because the movements don't require a lot of experience or flexibility. This variation of yoga is also beneficial for older individuals that may have physical limitations and are looking to alleviate pain throughout the body. Also, it can be a great introduction to yoga if the idea of a fast-paced flow feels intimidating.
The practice includes poses from a typical yoga class, but the movements are slower and more relaxing. There are also some poses unique to restorative yoga and deep stretching postures that you can customize to your needs.
Benefits of Restorative Yoga
Yoga has many health benefits, and restorative yoga for beginners is no exception. While restful yoga may seem relaxing, many poses also build strength and muscle tone.
Muscle tension can lead to stress and discomfort, but not everyone feels up for an intensive stretching practice. Restorative yoga is a great way to stretch sore muscles while focusing on relaxation.
If you struggle to get a good night's sleep, consider building a restorative yoga practice. Yoga brings deep relaxation and helps quiet your mind, preparing you for a night of quality sleep.
Restorative yoga can improve your mood. If you suffer from low moods, depression, or anxiety, a restful yoga practice can help you feel more present and content.
Poses
Read on for a list of common restorative yoga poses.
Supported Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Supported Bridge is a relaxing restorative yoga pose that stretches your chest and back. It's a twist on classic Bridge, a posture with more muscle strengthening and toning. The posture mimics the shape of a bridge, and your shoulders, head, and feet are touching the ground.
If you want to learn how to do the supported bridge, follow the below steps.
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
Next, raise your hips slightly and place a cushion or bolster between your lower back and the ground.
Rest your arms by your side and relax into the pose. Face your palms upward if you would like a gentle chest opener.
Stay in the position for five to ten minutes.
Supported Bridge is an inversion pose, which means your heart is higher than your head. Inversions increase blood and lymphatic circulation, calming you down and restoring a steady heart rate. Poses like Supported Bridge may also increase your alertness and energy levels.
Reclined Pigeon (Kapotasana)
Reclined Pigeon is a gentle glute and hip stretch that you can do lying on your back. It looks like a figure-four shape and is a great way to stretch tired leg and hip muscles.
If you want to learn how to do the reclined pigeon, follow the below steps.
Lie on your back with bent knees and feet flat on the floor.
Bend your right leg at a 90-degree angle and rest your outer right ankle on your left knee.
Thread your hands around your left leg and gently pull the leg package to your body. Feel a gentle stretch in your right hip. If you cannot reach through to pull your leg toward your body, you can skip this part and still receive many benefits. You can also put a yoga block under the foot on the ground to get a similar benefit.
Relax into the pose for a few minutes before switching to the other side.
Reclined Pigeon is an ideal posture for people with tight hips. Many people hold emotional tension in their hips, and the soothing nature of this pose encourages you to work through emotions and gain some well-deserved rest.
Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana)
The Sphinx pose is perfect for opening up the shoulders and chest area. It mimics the posture of a sphinx creature, with arms out front and chest puffed out.
To learn how to do the sphinx pose, follow the steps below.
Lie on your stomach with your arms in front of you and your elbows under your shoulders.
Keep your legs together and stretched out behind you with the tops of your feet on the mat.
Rest your forearms parallel to each other on the mat like a number 11.
Roll your shoulders back and feel an opening sensation in your chest.
To come out of the pose, lean forward and relax on the ground before sitting up.
The Sphinx pose is beneficial for people with back pain. It's also a great heart opener that can help you breathe more freely. If you sit at a desk for long hours, the Sphinx pose can alleviate tension in the shoulders and chest. If you have a bolster, placing the bolster under your chest can feel amazing in this pose.
Seated Forward Fold (Pashchimottanasana)
The Seated Forward Fold is a leg stretch that opens up your back muscles and helps hamstring tension. You can add a pillow or bolster to make it even more relaxing. While this posture focuses on the legs, it engages the entire body in a gentle stretch.
Follow the steps below if you want to know how to do the seated forward fold.
Sit on your yoga mat with your legs stretched out in front of you.
Roll your shoulders back and align your spine over your hips.
Place a pillow or cushion on top of your outstretched legs.
With your spine tall, lean forward to rest on the cushion.
Optionally, remove the support for a deeper stretch.
The Seated Forward Fold is ideal for fatigue reduction. It can help you feel supported and lead to a good night's sleep, and the pose calms down the nervous system.
This pose can also prepare your legs for deeper stretches like the splits. You can engage your legs and flex your toes upward to make the posture more active.
If you’re not able to fold forward very far, it’s ok! Try wrapping a yoga strap around the soles of your feet and holding either side of the strap in your hands. Then hinge forward versus folding forward, bending your knees as much as you need to.
Legs-Up-The-Wall
Legs-Up-The-Wall is an inversion pose that increases blood flow and calms the body. It's a restful yoga posture that only requires a wall and a yoga mat.
To learn how to do legs-up-the-wall pose, follow the steps below.
Sit on your mat with your left side against a wall.
Ensure that your feet are flat on the ground.
Wiggle closer to the wall, lie on your back and rest your legs against the wall. Your sit bones should come in contact with the base of the wall.
Place your hands on your stomach or by your sides.
Legs-Up-The-Wall is beneficial for people who suffer from anxiety and stress. The upside-down position of your legs promotes healthy blood and lymphatic flow, reducing leg swelling and the risk of blood clots.
If you have a bolster, try placing the bolster under your hips in this position for additional support.
Corpse (Savasana)
In a Corpse position, you're flat on your back as if you are asleep. It promotes deep relaxation and muscle release.
The Corpse pose is the ultimate relaxing pose, but it's more complex than you might think. It requires focus and can be tricky for people with intentional problems. Spend just a few minutes in the pose before progressing to longer sessions. Savasana is also the perfect way to end class.
To learn how to do the corpse pose, follow the steps below.
Relax on your back. If you feel a pinching sensation in your lower back, place a cushion between your back and the floor.
Extend your arms to your side with palms facing up.
Allow your legs to splay out to the sides of your mat.
Keeping your spine tall and your face toward the ceiling, relax for a few minutes.
The corpse pose can reduce headaches or fatigue. It may also help with digestion.
Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Reclined Butterfly is a restorative yoga pose that targets your inner thighs. In this pose, your legs appear to be in a butterfly shape.
To learn how to do the reclined butterfly pose, follow the below steps.
Recline on your back on your yoga mat.
Bend your knees and place the palms of your feet flat on the ground.
Touch the palms of your feet together, creating a triangle-like shape with your legs.
Rest your knees on either side of your mat.
You can place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly to feel your body relax.
Reclined Butterfly is a gentle backbend that can alleviate pain in your middle to lower back. It's also helpful for tightness in the hips and groin area. If you struggle with deep breaths, consider using Reclined Butterfly as an opportunity to try out deep belly breaths.
If your knees don’t rest on the ground beside you in this pose, that’s ok! Try placing something supportive under your knees like a yoga block to provide support as needed.
If the position is feeling too intense, move your feet away from you body, making the shape of your legs more of a diamond than a triangle.
Child's Pose (Balasana)
The Child's pose is a foundational yoga pose that's common in nearly every form of yoga. We like it as a restful posture because it helps calm your nervous system.
To learn how to do the child's pose, follow the steps below.
Sit on your mat in a kneeling position.
Stretch your arms out in front of you.
Fold your body over your knees and rest your forehead on the mat. If your forehead doesn’t touch the mat, that’s ok! Try placing a blanket or a yoga block under your forehead for support.
Optionally, spread your knees apart for a deeper hip stretch.
The Child's pose provides a gentle stretch for your ankles, thighs, and hips. It also opens up the back and promotes deep breathing. Consider closing your restorative yoga practice with this pose, or do it before bed.
Conclusion
Restorative yoga is an ideal way to relax and unwind. It's great for beginners or advanced practitioners looking to expand their practice.
Consider signing up for a Yoga for All Humans class if you're interested in restorative yoga. We have many practices to help you unwind, stretch sore muscles, and feel calmer and more peaceful.
Author - Derek Haigler
Founder of Yoga for All Humans