New yoga comes

By Xu Xiaomin (Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2007-04-17 10:49

New yoga comesYoga is no longer an exclusive topic in the city, as trends suggest it is now being taken up by more and more locals. But one thing may still be fresh to you, and that is a new type of yoga -yin yoga -which is now coming to Shanghai.

How can yoga be divided into yin and yang, and what is the difference between them?

"In short, in yin yoga classes, postures should be held longer, and postures should be held with muscles relaxed," said yoga expert Alex Atherton, general manager of Y+ Yoga.

Compared with yang, or energetic styles of yoga which mainly include hot, flow and Ashtanga, the yin style of Yoga demands that people move less quickly and that their muscles are more relaxed. So after having a yin yoga class, one's breath will not be panting as quickly as that of the yang style classes. Sometimes, the breathe may even be slower than usual.

"Just like a dentist, if you want to have beautiful teeth, he wouldn't pull out all the bad teeth, but give you a brace or retainer to change the structure gradually," said Atherton.

Actually, the traditional yoga, which was born thousands years ago, is more of a yin style and puts more focus on mental balance and "inward looking" of the body. Yoga turned more towards the physical improvement of muscle strength only in the past 200 years. But these days, some yoga teachers have begun to reach back to the traditional way and yin yoga has gradually become popular again.

"We introduce yin yoga classes into the now existing yang yoga to make the class structure more balanced, because balance is the truth of yoga," said Harry Yu, who founded Y+ Yoga studio in Shanghai.

So now the yoga classes in Y+ can be divided into two types which combine with each other very closely: Yin yoga focuses mainly on relaxation and meditation, making it balanced to more yang styles, whose focus is on strength.

"Shanghai is a busy city, so yoga is a good way to help busy people relax," said Atherton, who comes from the West Coast of Canada, where he spent his youth skiing, swimming, sailing, camping and playing sports.

"Being an athlete, I was devastated when, at 20-years-old, a severe back injury forced me to quit playing sports and drop most of my university courses."

After five years of chronic back pain, headaches and unsuccessful visits to chiropractors, doctors and physio therapists, he discovered the wonders of yoga. Hot yoga, with its ability to heal chronic injury, became his passion. He has practiced and learned from amazing teachers in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Ashland, Koh Phangan and Bangkok.

"I have met so many people who have had their lives improved through yoga practice. It is a beautiful thing, and an inspiration to me as a teacher."

Y+ Yoga
Location: 299-2 Fuxingxi Lu, near Huashan Lu
Tel: 021-64333646



Feature  

Pilgrimage to Tibet
If you want to get a detailed Travel Handbook to Tibet and know more interesting tour routes leading to this divine place. Please click here!

Yunnan New Film Project
Ten female directors from China! Ten unique sights from mysterious Yunnan Province!Yunnan New Film Project,Travel with the film.Wanna know more? Please click here!
Editors' Picks  
Beijing Guide  
Eating out: Arriba arrives in the Wu
Bars&Cafes: Mare's milk a-go-go
Weekend&Holiday: Ancient sites re-open after renovation
Shopping: Jimmy Choo comes
What's on: New shows on stage
Shanghai Guide  
Eating out: Moroccan roll
Bars&Cafes: A boonna in training
Weekend&Holiday: Pop power
Shopping: LV boutique in E. China closed for disqualification
What's on: Jazz-infused journey through Kunqu Opera