Friday, June 29, 2012
Which Type of Yoga is Right for You?
Yoga became an activity more and more popular in the Western world today. The number of places to teach Yoga classes of various kinds continue to increase. With a choice of Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, bikram yoga san antonio, Vinyasa Yoga and many more can be easy to get confused. This article will help you to understand the difference between the most popular types of Yoga so you can select the right type for you.
Hatha Yoga - in Sanskrit (an ancient classical language of India) "Ha" means "sun" and "tha" means "moon". This type of Yoga is relatively slow paced, gentle type of Yoga and is a good place to start if you are completely new to Yoga and do not know any of the asanas (poses). As with all types of Yoga, Hatha Yoga aims to unite mind, body and soul.
Ashtanga Yoga - Ashtanga means "eight limbs" in Sanskrit. This is a fast-paced, intense style of Yoga is based on a progressive sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. Ashtanga Yoga can be quite physically demanding as you constantly move from one asana to the next in sequence, so you'll find that it will increase stamina and flexibility and strength ..
Power Yoga - This is a western interpretation of Yoga and is based on Ashtanga Yoga. A Power Yoga class may not be fixed by the exact sequence of poses like Ashtanga Yoga does, but it does involve practicing a series of poses without stopping and starting.
Iyengar Yoga - This type of yoga is based on teachings by BKS Igengar and concentrate on the proper direction and the shape of the body. Unlike Ashtanga Yoga, there is an emphasis on holding each pose for a long period of time instead of constantly moving from one pose to the next. Iyengar Yoga uses props such as blocks and straps to help align the body into various poses.
Vinyasa Yoga - Vinyasa means breath-synchronized movement and is another fast paced type of Yoga, with an emphasis on breathing. A practice typically starts with a greeting the sun and move to a more intense stretch. Throughout the practice each pose is balanced with a counter pose.
Bikram Yoga - Otherwise known as "Hot Yoga", Bikram Yoga is performed in a chamber heated to 105 degrees, with humidity around 40%. Generally, the order of 26 different poses is practiced in a Bikram Yoga class and the hot temperature helps to loosen muscles. Due to the high temperature most people sweat a lot during class and this helps to rid the body of toxins.
If you're just starting out or have never done yoga before, you may want to try several types of yoga to find out what you like. Remember, there is no rule that says you have to stick to one type of Yoga.
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