What’s the Difference Between Gentle, Yin, and Restorative Yoga?

If you have explored the softer side of yoga, you have probably encountered gentle, yin, and restorative yoga. But there’s often confusion around the differences between these three approaches, and not just for students, for teachers as well! While they can be combined in one class to great effect, understanding their goals and the differences between the three styles will help students and teachers alike.

In this video, I break down the three using a trio of terms from exercise physiology: frequency, duration, and intensity.

I’m teaching in-person continuing education workshops for yoga teachers on how to lead these three styles. Gentle Yoga has already been covered—and I’m currently working on creating an asynchronous online course on that subject with lectures similar to the video here, plus full-length follow-along classes, shorter lesson-plan demos, and written lesson plans.

There will also be similar offerings for Yin and Restorative, but first, they will happen live! Join me for one or both of these at Carrboro Yoga in North Carolina:

  • Fundamentals of Teaching Yin Yoga, January 28–29, 2023
  • Fundamentals of Restorative Yoga, February 18–19, 2023

Read more on both and register here.