Which yoga styles to practice during your female cycle

Hi Jose, many thanks for your reply. That is really helpful, I feel like I need some yin for my hips now so I will try. Thanks again for your guidance.

Dear Deena, At this stage for sure you can do yin/yang. I did yin mostly for the upper body which felt great as that area tends to tense up due to breastfeeding and holding my baby. But for the hips keep on doing yang. Personally I felt ready for yin for the whole body after 6 months. But I couldn't breastfeed for that long, so that makes a difference. I would say if you your strength is coming back and you don't feel soft anymore you can start yin. Hope this helps.

Also interesting!

Dear Donna, I am sorry but my knowledge does not (yet) extend to that part of life. I will check this out with the acupucturist I work with.

Dear Donna, my collegue wrote me this answer: No you don't follow the 4 phases anymore. But nevertheless is circulation in the lower belly very important. Even more important than before, due to the fact that the bloodcirculation in that region stagnates easier. So you need to do a lot of hip opening poses. Furthermor: practice heart opening poses (all backbends), because in the menopause energetically the blood doesn't flow down anymore. It gets a in this new phase a new function: the energy goes upwards to the heart to feed the spirit. This is why women in ancient cultures had a high status: they are wise, due to this extra chi/food for the heart. So no, don't follow the phases anymore, but your constitution becomes more important: do you need more yin or yang? I hope this helps, if not consult an acupuncturist in your neighbourhood.

Super laurel!

Dear Laura, Especially yin yoga makes the connection between TCM and yoga. Because it targets the fascia more in which the meridians lie. Check out books from Bernie Clark, Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers. Namaste

Dear Evelyn, When you no longer menstruate you don't follow the 4 phases anymore. But nevertheless is circulation in the lower belly very important. Even more important than before, due to the fact that the blood circulation in that region stagnates easier. So you need to do a lot of hip opening poses. Furthermore: practice heart opening poses (all backbends), because in the menopause energetically the blood doesn't flow down anymore. It gets a in this new phase a new function: the energy goes upwards to the heart to feed the spirit. This is why women in ancient cultures had a high status: they are wise, due to this extra chi/food for the heart. So no, don't follow the phases anymore, but your constitution becomes more important: do you need more yin or yang? I hope this helps, if not consult an acupuncturist in your neighborhood. Namaste José

Dear Lindsay, great you want to experiment and see what the effect might be. Remember every woman is different. If you feel very energetic in the first phase then do the warming up more intensive or repeat it more often. But remember you are losing blood, which is equivalent to losing chi/energy. So take care of yourself, feel it out. Enjoy! :)

Dear Esther, I would experiment with yang yang in that phase. As each women is different observe how you react to it. Only then I could give some further advise. Please let me know the progress. The acupuncturist I work with is Martine Cornelissen, she lives and works in Amsterdam. Her practice is: http://www.ziyuanting.nl/ Good luck!

Great Ceren!

Thank you José 🙏

Yang-yang refers to vigorous yoga practices, it is the most dynamic phase of the cycle. It is not to be understood as a yoga style more the intensity of it. So it can be Vinyasa Yoga or Ashtanga or any sweaty yoga style. Yin-Yang is the phase where we go form more quiet practices to more yang (dynamic movement). So it means you can combine yin yoga or restorative yoga with gradually building up the intensity (more yang like yoga styles). So you can add more movement and standing poses for example. Example can be Yin & Hatha Yoga combination. Yang-Yin is form dynamic phase to more quiet inward phase. So again dynamic yoga combined with more passive yoga Yin-Yin is connected to the most restorative, inwards and quiet practices, like yin yoga, restorative yoga, Yoga Nidra, meditation etc.. I hope this helps.

Apologies. TTC = Trying to conceive :)

Dear Laura, what do you mean with TTC? Sorry not familiar with that abbreviation.

ah thanks :) If you are trying to get pregnant then don't do too vigorous practices in Phase 4. Continue like you were doing in Phase 3 yin and mild yang style.

Dear Maria, Yang styles are anything that is dynamic, where you move a lot and get sweaty. Examples are: ashtanga, vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar, Bikram etc Yin styles are: yin yoga, restorative, Nidra, meditation etc. This is what I don't do, no forwardbending, nor downward dogs. Check out the menstruation video I made and the adapted sun salutation. Hope this helps!

Dear Natalia, it is a yin-yang practice during menstruation. A gentle yang, in order to help the blood flow go out. Phase 3&4 is a more intense yang practice.

Great Peter, unfortunately I have no knowledge of the Male cycle, but I do know that they have a cycle. I will check it with the acupuncturist with whom I work.

Dear Peter, the acupuncturist I work with is specialised in women, so she won't say anything about men. So I googled it. I found a couple of articles: https://www.myhormonology.com/male-hormone-cycle/ or http://mentalfloss.com/article/82275/do-men-have-monthly-hormone-cycle. There is more out there, but as you will read nothing is conclusive. I think you as a man van better judge it. Let me know.

Your welcome! ??

Dear Jessica, as everybody is different I would say experiment with it. After my menstruation my legs feel totally heavy, so when I run I feel exhausted afterwards. So for me that was a sign that I should take it easy after I’ve had my period for a couple of days - till day 12 more or less. I hope this helps. 🙏🏻

Super Catalina! Let's see what you will find out about your cycle and your energies. :)