Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/885423
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 73 great way to connect with yoga practitioners and instructors, and give them a firsthand experience of your work (pun intended!). Looking back at the 2016 Yoga in America Study, we see that over half of yoga practitioners who were surveyed reported donating time to community service activities. Consider partnering with a yoga studio to sponsor and donate time to a community service activity that you organize. Partnerships built on service run deep. A contemporary approach to marketing, called lifestyle marketing, suggests that consumers prefer to align with businesses that align with their values, activities, opinions, and aspirations. Attending events that draw health-conscious individuals and involving yourself in community service activities where you can meet prospective clients with similar interests are invaluable. START THE CONVERSATION It's important when you start the conversation that you have a foundation to build on. Following is a small list of common yoga styles taught in mainstream yoga classes in America and their specialized benefits. I recommend trying them all! Talk to each instructor, meet practitioners in the classes, and experience the benefits for yourself. Hatha Yoga Although hatha yoga is a very broad term that encompasses many styles, it is defined as the active, physical practice of asana, or postures, designed to awaken and strengthen the body in connection with the breath. Historically, it is designed to prepare the practitioner for the meditative aspect of yoga. Today's hatha yoga classes are gentle, slower-paced classes that are great for beginners and helpful for correcting common postural habits. Vinyasa Yoga Vinyasa is a vigorous practice designed to increase heart rate, muscle tone, and range of motion. It is supportive for clients who can't perform high-impact exercise, but want to build heat, detoxify through sweat, strengthen weak areas, and stretch shortened areas. It's a perfect complement to other forms of exercise, in addition to offering a total-body workout on its own. Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga Both yin and restorative yoga styles are very slow-paced and include postures that are held for long periods of time. There are, however, differences between them. Yin focuses on taking the student to the edge of their range of motion in a gentle, supported fashion, and then allowing the connective tissue to unwind and release. People with chronic tension in the hips, psoas, neck, and lower, middle, and upper back benefit significantly from this approach. Restorative yoga poses are completely surrendering and restful. Participants are supported with bolsters and guided through body-centered meditations to calm the nervous system and consciously unlock tension patterns, such as releasing a clenched jaw, opening pectoral muscles that hold shoulders forward, and dropping those shoulders that unconsciously creep up when stress creeps in. Both are great options for clients who suffer from high stress and anxiety or chronic pain, or are recovering from an injury that limits them from an active yoga practice. Prenatal Yoga Prenatal yoga is essentially hatha yoga with modifications. It is gentle and aims to assist with the physical changes that occur with pregnancy. Research has shown that prenatal yoga improves sleep and reduces anxiety, as well as increases strength, flexibility, and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth. Senior Yoga Senior yoga is also a modified form of hatha yoga. Modifications include holding poses for short periods of time, making very slow transitions, and using props like blocks, straps, or chairs for support. Poses that place body weight on weaker joints, such as wrists, are avoided. The idea behind senior yoga is to keep individuals active when they might otherwise be sedentary. Studies have shown that senior yoga reduces the effects of diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, and chronic pain. It also elevates mood and improves sleep. COMING FULL CIRCLE Should there be a stronger union between the worlds of yoga and massage therapy? Would developing purposeful partnerships support the well-being of our clients in a more holistic fashion and deepen the healing effects of our work? Would these partnerships aid the success of massage practices, as well as increase yoga class sizes and individualized yoga sessions? Aren't we, after all, supporting the same people? I say yes. Notes 1. Yoga Alliance, "2016 Yoga in America Study," January 13, 2016, accessed September 2017, www.yogaalliance.org/2016yogainamericastudy. 2. This is a broad characterization of massage and yoga in general. There are certainly active aspects to some styles of massage therapy, and passive aspects to some styles of yoga. We have focused on the broader definitions of these terms for the purposes of this article. Since 2000, Cindy Williams, LMT, has been actively involved in the massage profession as a practitioner, school administrator, instructor, curriculum developer, and mentor. She maintains a private practice as a massage and yoga instructor. Contact her at cynthialynn@massagetherapy.com.