Phase 2 · The Practice That Was Studied

Part of the 12 Week Yoga Program for Chronic Stress

45 Minute Yoga Sequence for Stress and Recovery

Weeks five to eight. Standing poses, back bends and a long stillness, which is exactly the protocol that was studied.

This is the surprising part of the research. The protocol with the clearest dose evidence was not a gentle restorative one. It was standing poses, back bends, forward bends and inversions, ninety minutes once a week, followed by fifteen minutes of stillness. No breathing techniques at all. And a separate study found that restorative yoga did worse than plain stretching on cortisol, which is a good reason not to assume that softer means more calming. This session is the shorter version of what actually worked.

45 min · Level 1

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When it helps

For weeks five to eight, once a week, with the fifteen minute session on other days. Forty-five minutes. A mat, two blocks, a strap and a wall. This is for the stress you feel, and that is what the research measures. Persistent low mood, sleeplessness that will not shift, or thoughts of harming yourself are a different matter and belong with a doctor.

Perceived stress

In the trial this follows, perceived stress fell by nearly six points against the control group, along with anxiety and mood.

Physical effect

Standing work for the legs, back bends across the front of the body, and forward bends to finish.

The ending

Twelve of the forty-five minutes are spent lying still. That is the protocol, and it is the part with a habit of getting cut.

Standing, and unhurried

Twenty-five minutes of standing work. Long holds rather than quick transitions, which is what the Iyengar protocol this follows actually did.

Tadasana

2 min

Mountain Pose

Feet hip width, standing tall. Notice how you are standing before you change anything.

The reference position, and the one people skip because nothing appears to be happening.

Learn more about Tadasana

Parshva Tadasana

45 sec each side

Mountain Pose with Side Bend

One arm overhead, leaning gently to the side.

The ribs open, which almost nobody does on an ordinary day.

Learn more about Parshva Tadasana

Uttanasana

1 min

Standing Forward Bend

Fold forward, knees soft, head heavy. Come up slowly.

A minute upside down without any effort. Longer than most people would give it.

Learn more about Uttanasana

Trikonasana

1 min each side

Triangle Pose

Triangle with a block under the hand. Both legs straight and working.

A long wide pose, held for a minute. The length is what makes it worth doing.

Learn more about Trikonasana

Virabhadrasana II

1 min each side

Warrior II

Warrior II, front knee bent, arms level, gaze soft.

A minute here is genuinely hard, and that is what makes the ending land.

Learn more about Virabhadrasana II

Utthita Parsvakonasana

45 sec each side

Extended Side Angle Pose

Side Angle, forearm on the thigh or hand on a block.

The same width with more weight in the front leg.

Learn more about Utthita Parsvakonasana

Parshvottanasana

45 sec each side

Pyramid Pose

Pyramid, hips level, hands on blocks.

A standing forward bend with the legs doing real work.

Learn more about Parshvottanasana

Utkatasana

45 sec, twice

Chair Pose

Chair Pose, twice, sitting back.

The last of the leg work, and the one that makes the floor feel like a reward.

Learn more about Utkatasana

Virabhadrasana 1

45 sec each side

Warrior I

Warrior I, back foot flat and turned in, arms up.

The strongest standing pose in the session, and the peak of it.

Learn more about Virabhadrasana 1

Down, and open

Back bends on the floor, then a twist, and then nothing.

Bhujangasana

30 sec, twice

High Cobra Pose

Face down, hands under the shoulders, lifting only as far as the breath stays even.

The front of the body opening after all the standing.

Learn more about Bhujangasana

Dhanurasana

30 sec, twice

Bow Pose

Holding the ankles, lifting chest and thighs. Do two more rounds of Cobra instead if the back would rather.

The biggest back bend in the session, and one with a complete substitute.

Learn more about Dhanurasana

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

1 min, twice

Bridge Pose

On your back, hips lifted, feet pressing.

The last thing with effort in it.

Learn more about Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Jathara Parivartanasana

1 min each side

Reclining Belly Twist

Knees drawn in, then falling to one side. Shoulders stay down.

A twist with the floor doing everything, at the point where that is what you want.

Learn more about Jathara Parivartanasana

Twelve minutes of stillness

The protocol this follows ended with fifteen minutes lying down. This is the version of that, and it is not the cool down.

Supta Kaptasana

1 min each side

Reclining Pigeon Pose

Ankle across the opposite thigh, hands behind the back thigh.

The hips, and the last instruction of the session.

Learn more about Supta Kaptasana

Viparita Karani

4 min

Legs Up the Wall

Legs up the wall.

Four minutes with the legs raised after twenty-five minutes of standing.

Learn more about Viparita Karani

Savasana

8 min

Corpse Pose

Flat, warm, covered, timer set. Eight minutes.

Eight minutes feels like a very long time and it is the closest thing in this program to the thing that was actually tested.

Learn more about Savasana

Phase 2 · Weeks 5 to 8

This practice is part of a program

It belongs to The Practice That Was Studied, the second phase of the 12 Week Yoga Program for Chronic Stress. The program says how often to practise it, what comes before and after, and when to move on.

See the whole program →

Integration

Once a week for weeks five to eight. The trial that compared once against twice a week found no advantage to twice, and better attendance with once. One good session plus short ones between is the shape that worked.

The teacher behind this sequence

Gründer & Autor

Manish Rana

Gründer von Asanaverse.de. Manish schreibt über Yoga, Ayurveda und Meditation und verdankt seine tiefe Verbindung zum Yoga seinen indischen Wurzeln. Mit über 1000 Stunden Yoga Alliance Teacher Training gibt er sein Wissen an die Community weiter.

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Go deeper into the poses

Every asana in this practice has a page of its own. You will find alignment cues, what the shape actually works on, and the energetics behind it.

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