Yin vs. restorative: which slow class is for you?

The two quietest classes on our schedule get mistaken for each other constantly. Both are floor-based and unhurried. They are not the same class.

Yin: useful discomfort

Yin holds simple shapes — a forward fold, a gentle hip opener — for three to five minutes at a time. The length is the point: muscles relax and the stretch moves into deeper connective tissue. There’s sensation; on a scale of ten you’re looking for a steady four. You come out of Yin feeling worked, the way a long walk works you.

Choose Yin if: you sit at a desk all day, you run or cycle, or your flexibility goals have stalled.

Restorative: deliberate nothing

Restorative holds shapes longer — eight, ten minutes — but with the body completely supported by bolsters and blankets. There is no stretch and no effort; the only job is to let weight be held. It is the single best class we offer for exhaustion, anxiety, and recovery from illness or grief. People sleep in restorative. That’s allowed.

Choose Restorative if: you’re depleted rather than stiff, and “lying down in a quiet room for an hour” sounds like medicine.

The logistics

Yin runs Wednesday and Sunday evenings; Restorative runs Friday evenings — exact times are on this week’s schedule. Both count toward the $129 unlimited month and both cap at 14 students so everyone gets a full prop setup. If you’re still torn: come to Yin once and Restorative once in the same week, and you’ll know.