By Patricia Coates
Yoga as a form of fitness exercise has many benefits. Although you may not lose a significant amount of weight, you will improve your strength and flexibility. The traditional form of yoga originated from ancient India and the philosophy of connecting "mind and body". This "connection" was achieved through the use of physical exercises in the form of postures. Several styles of yoga have developed over the years with each having a unique focus. These styles are named: Hatha, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Anusara and Kundalini.
Hatha is the "umbrella" of yoga. It is the yoga of breathing and postures. The goal of Hatha is to teach you how to concentrate, focus and hold your postures. This form of yoga is more slower and relaxing than the other styles. This makes Hatha a good starting point for beginners.
Ashtanga Vinyasa is a form of flowing yoga. The goal is to flow from one posture to another. It's purpose is to increase the body temperature to allow purification through increased circulation and sweating. In addition, you build strength, flexibility and stamina. Ashtanga can be demanding on the body which may not be suitable for beginners. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't try it on for size. Just recognize your limitations and don't overextend yourself.
Bikram or "Hot Yoga" consist of 26 postures done in a room heated between 90 and 105 degrees. The heat allows the individual members to achieve the poses more easily due to increased flexibility. In addition, the sweat allows body toxins to be released. This form of yoga increases metabolism and helps to alleviate chronic pain and symptoms of arthritis. However, if you have health conditions such as high blood pressure, or are pregnant you should avoid practicing Bikram yoga.
Iyengar yoga uses props to strictly focus on body alignment. The best form is achieved through the use of block and belts. Since this form of yoga is very structured beginners benefit. However, the downside to structure is that you are unable to gradually flow from different poses.
Anusara means "flowing with grace" and is about being free. Anusara allows the participant to move freely from one pose to another. A set of alignment principles, "Attitude, Alignment and Action " forms the foundation of each pose. These poses are modified with props if needed to help participants achieve the general form of each pose.
Lastly, Kundalini is a form of spiritual yoga. The purpose of this ancient practice is to free energy in the lower body which moves upward. The energy is formed by chanting, meditation and kriyas. Kriyas are a set of movements which are performed to achieve a certain outcome.
Kundalini involves the use of fast repetitive movements and breathing to move deeper into each posture.
There are many different styles of yoga which makes this form of exercise so interesting. You can choose from slow and relaxing styles to an intense workout. Regardless of the type of yoga, you will definitely strengthen and improve your mind and body.
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 2:18 PM
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