Understanding the Various Types of Yoga
Yoga is becoming a more and more popular activity in the Western world now. The number of places holding Yoga classes is on the increase and there’s plenty of different types of Yoga. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and many more it can be easy to get confused
The guide can allow you to understand the distinction between the most popular varieties of Yoga so it is possible to select which kind is ideal for you.
Understanding the Various Types of Yoga
Table of Contents
Hatha Yoga
At Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India)”Ha” means”sun” and”the” means”moon”. This sort of Yoga is a relatively slow-paced, gentle kind of Yoga, and Meditation is a fantastic place to start if you are entirely new to Yoga and also do not know any of the asanas (poses).
Ashtanga Yoga
This is the type of Yoga that I exercise on a regular basis and means”eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It’s a fast-moving, intense kind of Yoga practice and is based on an innovative set sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga could be quite physically demanding since you always move from one asana from the order to another, which means you’ll find that it will improve your endurance as well as your flexibility and strength.
A Power Yoga course may not necessarily stick to the exact sequence of poses such as Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a set of poses without even stopping and starting.
Iyengar Yoga
This type of Yoga is based on teachings by B.K.S Iyengar and concentrates on the correct alignment and shape of the human body. Contrary to Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a very long time period instead of moving continuously from one pose to another. Iyengar Yoga utilizes props such as blocks and straps to help align the body to the different poses.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa means breath-synchronized movement and is just another fast-paced type of Yoga, with a focus on breathing. A practice normally starts with sun salutations and moves to more extreme stretching. Throughout the clinic, every pose is balanced with a counterpose.
Bikram Yoga
otherwise known as“Hot Yoga”, is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, with a humidity of around 40%. Normally a sequence of 26 different poses is practiced during a Bikram Yoga class along with the hot temperatures helps loosen muscles. Due to the high fever, most men and women sweat a lot during the class and this helps to cleanse the body of toxins.
If you are just starting out or have never done any Yoga before, I suggest trying a few distinct types of yoga to learn what you like best.
Bear in mind, there is no rule that states you have to stick to a single kind of Yoga. I like Ashtanga Yoga best, but I go to occasional Iyengar and Hatha Yoga classes for a bit of variety.
Enjoy!