Sore After Yin Yoga Practice? (Here's what to do)
Yin yoga postures target the connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, and fascia) rather than the muscles which can cause body aches.
As a yoga style primarily consists of passive poses held anywhere from three minutes to over ten minutes while simultaneously focusing on the breathing patterns, Yin yoga can make you feel sore, especially if you are not used to it.
Yin postures can cause soreness because they are held for longer periods. Certain postures will stretch tissues in unfamiliar ways to help them relax afterwards. Since these tissues are not exercised in everyday life, it may lead to soreness. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which can occur 12 to 48 hours after a workout or yoga session.
Although soreness is common, it is essential to ensure whether the soreness you are experiencing is normal or not. If it persists for more than a few days, it might be concerning.
Read on to understand more about the various causes of soreness and how to prevent it.
Is it normal to be sore after yin yoga?
Feeling sore after a few hours of your Yin yoga class is normal and, in some cases, even expected. Stretching and eccentric contractions for a certain period might cause microscopic injuries to the tissues, which usually have an inflammatory response. Soreness is natural, and it indicates that your muscles are healing.
While this is ‘good’ soreness, one should differentiate it from ‘bad’ soreness (pain).
Beginners usually have soreness after a few sessions. The more you practice these postures, the more your body will get used to them, and the pain will subside over time.
Moreover, once your muscles recover, it will improve performance and ultimately make you stronger.
However, if pain is extreme or increases over time, you should consult a physician and physiotherapist.
Talk to your instructor if you are constantly sore in the same spot, because you may be overstretching due to an improper asana alignment.
Should yin yoga hurt?
Yin yoga poses should not hurt. Yogis may use the term ‘comfortable discomfort’ for certain poses to describe the sensation you should be after. Yin yoga requires you to stretch for extended periods which can feel uncomfortable, however, if you feel pain, you may be stretching beyond your flexibility limits which may lead to injuries.
If you think yin yoga poses or stretching for long durations are causing discomfort, you can use props for added support.
Use blocks under your knees while doing a forward fold, or use a bolster or a rolled-up blanket under your seat while doing butterfly poses to help ease tight hips.
What to do if you feel sore after a yin yoga practice?
People who have not practiced for a while or are new to yin yoga can feel sore after their first few sessions.
Even experienced yogis may feel sore from time to time.
But there are a few things that one can do to recover faster and cope with muscle pain in a much better way:
Get Sound Sleep
One should get at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep. It can help accelerate muscle recovery with protein synthesis and human growth hormone release.
Sleep is a regenerative process that allows the body to restore, rebuild, and adapt.
Have a Balanced Diet
Your post-yoga session snack or meal should include the perfect mix of proteins, carbs, fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper.
This will help replenish muscle and ensure a speedy recovery. Providing your body with the proper nutrition will also lessen next-day soreness.
Avoid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
You might be tempted to pop a pill if you feel sore after your yoga session. But this is not the right way to deal with soreness. It would just give you some temporary relief and would disturb your body’s natural healing mechanisms.
If you want your body to recover the right way, you need to endure some soreness and let it recover naturally.
Take a Hot Bath
Hot baths are incredibly relaxing. And there is a reason behind it.
Heat gets your blood moving, which improves blood circulation and also helps with sore or tight muscles.
Warm water can help loosen spasms and release tension from tissues and muscles. You can also use heat packs as they have a similar effect.
Continue Practicing Yoga
People often quit practicing yoga after a few sessions because they feel sore, but the best way to cope with the soreness after yoga is to practice regularly.
Your body will soon get used to the different poses and will become a lot stronger.
You may also like: Is Ashtanga Yoga Bad for Your Back? (All You Need to Know!)
How to avoid being sore after practicing yin yoga?
Although yin yoga is a low-impact exercise, it can still cause some amount of soreness.
These are a few things that can prevent muscle and tissue injuries:
1. Hydrate your body
You need to ensure that your body is well hydrated before your yoga class, or your body will have to put in a lot more effort to maintain homeostasis along with a steady internal temperature.
Other than this, a lack of water in the body can cause the cartilage to lose its sponginess and prevent its ability to absorb shocks, making a dehydrated body more prone to soreness after the session.
2. Use props
Using props in Yin yoga is quite common and it has a lot of benefits as well.
It helps lengthen and open up the body making certain poses easier for you. Moreover, they help increase the duration of your stretch, making yin asanas more effective.
A foam roller, for example, can help in a self-myofascial release, which reduces muscle stress and accelerates the recovery process as well.
3. Do not stretch before your session
People usually stretch before any physical activity. However, yin yoga poses are nothing but stretching.
Warming up the muscles and tissues will make them stretch a lot more, which can cause injuries and lead to soreness.
Moreover, it will take more time for your muscles to heal. So, be sure that you do not perform any warm-up exercises before yin yoga.
4. Don’t overdo it
While yin yoga poses may require you to stretch longer, it is crucial to ensure that you feel comfortable in each pose.
Do not push yourself beyond your flexibility limits, as it will only cause damage to the muscles and tissues.
If you feel that you are stretching more than required or having difficulty breathing, go back to a neutral pose.
Conclusion
Soreness is just one of the ways of your body telling you that you are on the right path. With time, you will manage soreness and focus on all the excellent benefits yoga has to offer for these modern times..
All you need to do is listen to your body and know your limits. As soon as you can master this, you will be left relaxed and rejuvenated after your yoga sessions.
Also, it is suggested to learn yin yoga from a well-versed teacher or yogi. They will help you find the cause of your soreness and will even correct your posture when needed.
They will also be able to suggest an alternate posture if required and ensure correct prop placement, which will help you safely carry out each pose.