Yoga · Flexibility · Relaxation

Long-hold yin-style sequence

Quiet, propped floor poses held for two to four minutes at a mild sensation: butterfly, sphinx, dragon, caterpillar and a twist, then rest.

Butterfly, 3 min, head on a bolsterS1S2S3S4S5S6T
Start / 6
Time
30 min
Players
1–30
Age
U16+
Area
Mat per person
Equipment
matsbolstersblocksfolded blanketsa timer

Setup

  1. Mats an arm's length apart in a warm, quiet room; a bolster, two blocks and a blanket per student.
  2. Holds are long, so the sensation stays mild, about a three out of ten. Anything sharp, pinching or tingling means come out or use more props.
  3. Anyone pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or with a medical condition should check with a health professional and tell the teacher before class. People who are very flexible, pregnant, or have osteoporosis should stay well inside their range.

How it runs

  1. Butterfly (a yin form of Baddha Konasana), 3 minutes: sit on a blanket, soles of the feet together a comfortable distance from the hips, fold forward with the head resting on a block or bolster. Blocks under the knees if the hips are tight.
  2. Rebound, 1 minute: lie on the back, legs long, and notice the breath. Come out of every pose slowly and pause like this between poses.
  3. Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana), 3 minutes: lying on the front, forearms down with elbows a little ahead of the shoulders, or a bolster under the chest. Let the belly soften. Come down slowly and rest the head on the hands.
  4. Dragon (a yin low lunge), 2 minutes each side: back knee on a blanket, hands on blocks inside the front foot. Stay upright or rest forward on a bolster. Come out slowly into tabletop.
  5. Caterpillar (a yin seated forward fold, like Paschimottanasana), 3 minutes: legs out, knees bent over a bolster if needed, folding forward with the head supported. The back is allowed to round gently.
  6. Supine twist (Supta Matsyendrasana), 2 minutes each side: knees drop to one side onto a bolster or blocks, arms wide. Roll back to centre slowly.
  7. Rest in corpse pose (Savasana), 5 minutes, with a bolster under the knees and a blanket over the body.

Coaching points

  • Find the first edge of sensation and stay there; there is no going deeper.
  • Props are generous: the body should feel supported, not hanging.
  • Stillness and a slow, natural breath through the nose.
  • Come out as slowly as you went in, and rest between poses.

Common mistakes

  • Treating it as a stretching contest and pushing deeper over the hold.
  • Coming out of a long hold quickly.
  • Skipping props because they feel like cheating.
  • Staying in a pose that has started to pinch or tingle.

Say it: “Mild sensation, stay still, come out slowly.”

Make it harder

  • Extend holds to 4–5 minutes while the sensation stays mild.
  • Practise with eyes closed and a full minute of rebound between poses.

Make it easier

  • Shorten holds to 1–2 minutes and use more props.
  • Take the poses lying down: reclined butterfly, a strap around the feet lying on the back instead of caterpillar.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.

Long-hold yin-style sequence · Yoga drill | Sportdify