Yin

• Almost everything on the floor
• Holds of two to five minutes, often timed aloud
• Sensation that builds over a hold
• A strong urge to come out early

A fine first class — just know that “gentle” here means slow, not comfortable.

All levels welcome. Every class here is open to every body. Teachers offer options throughout, resting whenever you want to is always fine, and no studio expects you to know the poses on your first visit. Tell the teacher it is your first time — they would rather know.

Yin should feel dull and tolerable. Come out of anything sharp or electric — that is a nerve, not a stretch.

• People who sit all day and feel it
• Runners and athletes wanting something complementary
• Anyone who finds restorative too passive

• Sustained loading a flowing class moves past
• Practice at staying with discomfort calmly
• A slow class that still feels like something

Wear warm layers, and take the blocks and bolsters when they’re offered.

On heat — Heat makes tissue feel more pliable, so a hot yin makes it easy to go further than you should. Go shallower, not deeper.