Yin Yoga

Teacher
Starter Kit
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO TEACH YOUR FIRST
YIN YOGA CLASS

BY KATE LOMBARDO
Yoga Director + Lead Teacher Trainer
It's Time to Get Inspired!
This starter kit will give you everything you need to
know to start leading Yin classes that will leave your
students feeling grounded, balanced + oh-so-good.

Hello, hello!
If you’re here, then I think it’s safe to
assume that we have something in
common - a serious love for yin
yoga.
I was (and still am) an avid Vinyasa
yoga teacher + student and, at the
time, Yin seemed like the “easy” yoga
class to me.

My love affair with Yin started pretty Well, after my first long hold in
early on in my yoga teaching career dragon pose during my first yin class,
and I have to admit, it caught me by I realized how wrong I was.
surprise.
Yin presented challenges for my body
and mind in ways vinyasa didn’t.
I found it to be exactly what I was
craving to bring more balance to my
yoga practice + my life.
A few months later I took my first yin
training and started adding yin classes
into my teaching schedule immediately
after and came to realize that my
students needed + enjoyed that
balance just as much as I did.
I’ve loved being able to see this
practice continue to grow in
popularity as more and more
teachers + students seek to share
this healing practice.
Whether you’re a student who’s
looking to learn more, a yoga teacher
who’s been asked to step in and sub
a few yin classes, or someone who’s
ready to go all-in and add a yin yoga
certification to your teaching
toolbelt...

this guide is going to give you everything you need to get

started with the basics of yin right away.

L E T ' S D I V E I N !

- Kate
YIN YOGA
Philosophy Overview

Yin – A Modern Practice

with Ancient Roots

One of the most fascinating things about yin yoga

is that it’s a relatively new practice but is rooted in
ancient philosophies that are thousands of years
old.

It’s this intersection of old and new that I think

helps this practice to feel familiar and grounding
but also refreshing and relatable at the same
time.

The full philosophy of Yin Yoga can get pretty in-

depth. But, this cliff-notes version will prep you
with the basics you’ll need to honor where this
practice comes from.
YIN + YANG
it's all about balance.
Yin and Yang is a concept from Taoist
philosophy dating back to nearly 1600
BCE that focuses on the harmony that
exists. between the balance of
opposing forces.
Light/dark, masculine/feminine,
open/closed, hard/soft, quiet/loud–
we live in a world that presents us
with both sides of the spectrum on a
daily basis and each needs the other in
order to be fully realized and
appreciated.
For example, walking into a sauna
after standing outside for 2 hours in
the middle of a heatwave is not so
enjoyable. But, walking into that same
sauna after spending 2 hours skiing
through a snowy mountain? Now we’re
talking.
It’s the balance of hot and cold here
that makes the experience enjoyable.
And this is exactly what the concept of
Yin Yoga is founded on. It’s a practice
that’s meant to balance out the yang.

Let’s break down the basic properties of Yin + Yang…

Qualities of Yin Qualities of Yang

Feminine Receiving Masculine Giving

Moon Dark Sun Bright
Passive Small Active Big
Internal static Superficial Loose
Stillness Tight Movement Flexible
Cols Negative Warmth Positive
Secretive Earth Elastic Space
Reserved Water Expensive Fire

Something to keep in mind…

The concepts of Yin + Yang are relative… not fixed. Meaning, there’s a sliding scale. For example,
vinyasa yoga compared to yin yoga would be a “yang” activity. But, vinyasa yoga is more “yin” than
boxing. One thing isn’t all yin or all yang… everything has an element of both depending on the
context. Make sense?
 HOW TO
Yin Yoga Practice + Poses
Leading a yin class has some fundamental differences than leading other styles
of yoga and that’s exactly what we’re going to review here.

Now, remember that each yin teacher is going to develop their own style based on
their personality and the things they’re drawn to during the practice. This is so
important and is such a beautiful part of sharing any type of yoga.

The number one thing you need to do is to be yourself.

Show up as you are with the intention to share from your heart. And give yourself
permission to know that may mean that not every single person will love your class
— that’s ok! They’ll find their teacher. But when you show up unapologetically as
yourself, you’ll attract the students that were meant to find you and they’ll become
lifelong fans.

After showing up as you, there’s a few other things you’ll need to get start. Let’s
take a look at those now.
Yin Practice Basics
USE PROPS AS NEEDED
While there are a few yin poses that can be done without props, many yin poses
require props in order to actually do the postures. And even if they don’t require
props, often times students need them in order for the poses to be accessible and for
your students to feel fully supported in the poses.

Make sure you have a basic setup of 2 blocks, 1 blanket, and 1 bolster per student.
If you have the ability to add more props– go for it. It’s always better to have too
many than not enough.

As you lead your class look around the room and see if there are students that could
use an extra prop here and there. If so, grab them and help them find the ideal
setup. It’s a great opportunity to remind your students that you’re fully present with
them and paying attention to their needs.

TAKE A PASSIVE APPROACH

When it comes to teaching yin, the biggest difference from other forms of yoga is the
approach to the poses. In yin, we tell students not to engage their muscles at all in
the poses but rather to just fully relax into the pose.

For example, the caterpillar pose in yin is like paschimottanasana in an active class.
But, whereas in an active class you would tell students to flex their feet and point
their toes towards the ceiling to help engage the legs, in yin you’d cue your students
to just allow the feet and ankles to fully release wherever they naturally land.

The reason for this is that yin is seeking to target the connective tissues of the
body– mainly the fascia – and in order to do that we have to let go of muscular
engagement.

This means that every student will look a little different in each pose because every
person’s anatomy is unique. Know that that’s totally normal and expected and
reminding your students to just be with their body how it is that day is the magic of a
yin class.
Yin Practice Basics
3 MINUTES, MINIMUM
In order to target and unravel the tension in the fascia of the body, yin poses should
be held for a minimum of three minutes. If you have the time, five to seven minutes
is ideal.

Here’s the thing to remember though… this is not easy! Not only can this be
physically challenging, but it’s a huge mental challenge as well. Hold space for your
students through this and remind them to keep breathing. In time, as they practice
more, it will get better.

NO HANDS ON ADJUSTMENTS
Do not give hands on adjustments to your students in a yin class. Hands on
adjustments are safe in an active class because students are engaging their muscles,
which helps protect them from injuries in the joints.

In yin that safety net is removed because we’re focused on the connective tissue.
You don’t want to end up doing hands on and forcing a student more deeply into a
pose than they should be going.

You can, of course, go around and help your students get situated with their props as
they enter poses, but once a students is there– let them be.

LET STUDENTS LEAD THE WAY

There is no “right” way to do a yin pose. These poses feel different in everyone’s
body and a pose can feel different in the same body from day to day.

Let your students be the true guides in their practice. If they need to back out of a
pose, let them. If they want to go deeper, that’s great. Encourage them to take
ownership of their practice and their body. Doing so empowers them to honor what
they need in the present moment.
 LET'S PRACTICE
Yin Yoga for Beginners
Now that you understand that logistical basics of what’s needed to teach a yin
class, there’s one part you’ll still need– some poses!

Gaining a full understanding of all the yin poses requires diving deeper into this
practice by doing a Yin Yoga Teacher Training (spoiler alert-- I have an online
course for this!) But– the 5 yin poses on the next pages are all shapes that are
probably familiar to you already if you are a yoga teacher or have an established
practice.

So, I’m going to walk you through how to set them up for a yin class so you can
get started teaching them right away. Remember, the key in differentiating them
from their active pose counterparts is the approach to the pose– no muscular
engagement and just letting the body work with gravity to melt into each
position.

Let’s take a look!

 BEGINNER YIN YOGA POSES

1. Heart Bench

How-to:
Bring one block to the highest setting and place it towards the back of the
mat.
Bring a second block to the medium setting, closer to you, and place it
longways facing the upright block
Sit in front of the medium block and lay back as you bring the bottom edge
just beneath your shoulder blades.
Allow the top block to catch the back of your head at the base of the skull so
your chin points slightly towards your chest.
Relax your arms by your sides and extend your legs out long.

MODIFICATIONS

For students with low back pain, they can keep their knees bent
The blocks can be lowered to the lowest height to lessen the intensity of the backbend
 BEGINNER YIN YOGA POSES

2. Child's Pose

How-to:
From a tabletop position, bring your big toes to touch and open your knees
out wide.
Send your hips backwards and sit back onto your heels.
Extend your arms out in front of you with your palms facing down.
Release your forehead down towards the mat.

MODIFICATIONS
For students with serious knee issues, do not do this pose or practice mindfully with
caution.
For students with mild knee issues, instruct them to bring a folded blanket(s)
underneath their knees to help lessen the bend in the knee.
If the forehead cannot reach the ground, students can place a block or folded
blanket underneath their forehead.
If there are any shoulder issues, you can offer the modification to keep the arms by
the sides instead of stretching in out in front of the body.
 BEGINNER YIN YOGA POSES

3. Butterfly

How-to:
Begin in a seated position with your knees bent and both feet out in front of
you.
Bring the soles of your feet to touch and open your knees out wide.
Bend forward from the creases of your hips, any amount, and release your
head towards your feet.
Allow your head to softly hang in a comfortable position or bring a block
underneath the forehead.

MODIFICATIONS
If students have low back pain, encourage them to sit up on a blanket or bolster
before folding forward.
In yin, it’s ok if the knees are far away from the ground. But if this is uncomfortable,
you can have students use folded blankets or blocks underneath their knees for
support.
 BEGINNER YIN YOGA POSES

4. Caterpillar

How-to:
Begin in a position and extend your legs out long in front of you.
Allow your legs to fully release and your ankles to fall to their natural
position.
Fold forward any amount from the creases of your hips and release your
belly and chest towards your thighs.
Allow your arms to rest by your sides or in front of you– wherever is most
comfortable.

MODIFICATIONS
For students with tightness in the low back and/or hamstrings, have them place a
folded blanket or bolster underneath their sitting bones to provide more space in the
pelvis to fold forward.
Students can also place a folded blanket or bolster underneath their knees for
cushion.
A block or bolster can used in the lap to rest the head on.
 BEGINNER YIN YOGA POSES

4. Savasana

How-to:
Lay down on your back with your legs out long and arms by your sides.
Let your feet fall comfortably open to their natural position.
Allow your shoulders to relax down to your mat and soften the muscles in
your face.
Close your eyes.
Allow your breath to flow naturally and softly.

MODIFICATIONS

For students with low back sensitivity, they can place a blanket or bolster under
their knees or keep their knees bent with their feet as wide as their mat and allow
their knees to knock in towards center to support each other.
A folded blanket underneath the head to release the chin slightly towards the chest
will encourage deeper relaxation for most students.
Your Turn
Build your yin class!
Use the outline below and the poses and basic principles above to put together your
own yin class. Take time to practice it yourself too!

1. Props needed:

2. Music: What playlist or songs do you plan to use for your class?
Think - slow, quiet & meditative.

Class theme: What inspiring idea can you share with your students? Is

3.
there a quote, poem, story, or concept you can talk to them about that
will help them connect to something important in their own life?
 Poses: What poses will you use in your class? What order will you

4. teach them in? How long will you hold each pose?

Closing Meditation: What can you say to help guide your students

5.
into relaxation during savasana? Bonus points if you tie this back to
your class inspiration theme.
Class Reflection
After you teach your class, use this area to take notes on how it
went. What went great? What can you improve for next time?
You can do this!
For real!
If you’ve made it this far then there are a few
things I want to say to you – First,
Congratulations! Taking the time to expand
your knowledge about this practice is a huge
accomplishment and I’m super excited for
you.

Second- You’ve got this! By following the

steps + basic principles laid out in this
Starter Kit, you’ve got what you need to step
in and put together your first yin class.
Teaching yin yoga allows you to show up
and serve your students in a whole new
way. I truly believe there is magic within this
practice and it comes from taking the time
to go into the depths of ourselves– both
physically and energetically– that are often
forgotten.
Being a guide for your students along that
journey enables you to offer them a chance
to deepen their relationship with themselves
and create greater feelings of love and
acceptance for who they are.
But– with great privilege comes a huge
responsibility. Make sure you do the work to
hold space for your students and support
them as needed.
This starter kit just scratches the surface for
all there is to learn about this practice. There
is so much more history, so many more
poses, and so many other teaching
methodologies + explorations of its ties to
Eastern medicines to explore.
If you’re ready to keep on learning, I’d love
for you to join my for my Yin Yoga Teacher
Training where we have many more hours
to continue this journey together.

Ready for more yin?

You can click here or head to bit.ly/yogarenewyin
to learn more about my training– see you there!
- Kate