{"id":1849,"date":"2026-03-12T21:10:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T04:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nykdanu.com\/teachers\/?p=1849"},"modified":"2026-03-12T21:10:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T04:10:39","slug":"combine-yin-and-restorative-yoga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nykdanu.com\/teachers\/yin-yoga-podcast\/combine-yin-and-restorative-yoga\/","title":{"rendered":"Should We Combine Yin and Restorative Yoga?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should You Mix Yin and Restorative Yoga? My Hot Take<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Today I’m diving into a question that keeps popping up in my DMs: ‘should we be combining Yin and restorative yoga in one class?”<\/em><\/p>\n

Short answer? I’m not a fan. Here’s why.<\/p>\n

First, let’s get clear on what these practices actually are. Restorative Yoga, as defined by the queen herself Judith Hanson Lasater, is all about using props to support your body in positions of comfort and ease. We’re talking multiple bolsters, blankets, sandbags, the works. The goal? Zero stretch. You’re trying to feel so supported that your nervous system can completely let go.<\/p>\n

Yin yoga is different. In Yin, we’re actually looking for sensation in the body. We hold poses for 2.5 to 5 minutes, and yes, we might use props, but the intention is different. Sometimes props make poses accessible, sometimes they deepen sensation. The practice is meditative, we’re working with our minds, and we’re definitely feeling something in our tissues.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s my issue with mixing them: it confuses students. When you’re lying in a shape, how are you supposed to know if you should be feeling a stretch (Yin) or feeling nothing (restorative)? Most teachers are already confused about the difference, so imagine how the students feel.<\/p>\n

If someone held a gun to my head and forced me to combine them, here’s how I’d do it: Start with Yin poses first, then clearly transition to restorative. I’d educate students at the beginning about the differences and make a clear line in the sand when we switch from one to the other.<\/p>\n

But honestly? Both practices are so beautiful and valid on their own. They don’t need to be mixed. Give them their own space to shine.<\/p>\n

And if you’re teaching “Restorative” with just one bolster and a blanket, let’s be real, that’s not true Restorative Yoga. Maybe call it “rest and repair” or “supported stillness” instead. Save the word restorative for when you’re actually teaching the real deal.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Get proper training in whatever you’re teaching.<\/p>\n

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After all Your 200 hour certification is just the beginning, not the end.<\/p>\n

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Should We Combine Yin and Restorative Yoga? – Listen<\/h3>\n