Yoga for Everyone & Yoga for the beginners :10 basic posses (Asanas) To gey your body fit
Yoga for Everyone
It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have hooked yoga practitioners around the globe. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be a yogi or yogini to reap the benefits. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be intimidated by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios and complicated poses. Yoga is for everyone.
10 Yoga Poses You Need to Know to get Fit
The building blocks of yoga are poses. These are good ones to learn as you build a regular yoga practice.
These 10 poses are a complete yoga workout. Move slowly through each pose, remembering to breathe as you move. Pause after any pose you find challenging, especially if you are short of breath, and start again when your breathing returns to normal. The idea is to hold each pose for a few, slow breaths before moving on to the next one.
Child's Pose(Asanas)
This calming pose is a good default pause position. You can use child’s pose to rest and refocus before continuing to your next pose. It gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles and relaxes your spine, shoulders and neck.
Do it: When you want to get a nice gentle stretch through your neck spine and hips.
Skip it: If you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Avoid also if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Modify: You can rest your head on a cushion or block. You can place a rolled towel under your ankles if they are uncomfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on relaxing the muscles of the spine and lower back as you breathe.
Skip it: If you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Avoid also if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Modify: You can rest your head on a cushion or block. You can place a rolled towel under your ankles if they are uncomfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on relaxing the muscles of the spine and lower back as you breathe.
Fig 1: Child Pose
STEPS:
1. Kneel on your hands and knees, with your hands in front of your shoulders and your knees about hip width apart, or wider if that is more comfortable and your big toes touching.
2. As you exhale, lower your buttocks toward your heels as your torso rests on your thighs, or between your thighs, and your head rests on the floor or a block or cushion.
3. Rest your arms alongside the thighs, palms facing up.
4. Release the muscles around the spine and hips and take several slow breaths.
Downward-Facing Dog (Asanas)
Downward-facing dog strengthens the arms, shoulders and back while stretching the hamstrings, calves and arches of your feet. It can also help relieve back pain.
Do it: To help relieve back pain.
Skip it: This pose is not recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist problems, have high blood pressure or are in the late stages of pregnancy.
Modify: You can do the pose with your elbows on the ground, which takes the weight off your wrists. You can also use blocks under your hands, which may feel more comfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on distributing the weight evenly through your palms and lifting your hips up and back, away from your shoulders.
Skip it: This pose is not recommended if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or other wrist problems, have high blood pressure or are in the late stages of pregnancy.
Modify: You can do the pose with your elbows on the ground, which takes the weight off your wrists. You can also use blocks under your hands, which may feel more comfortable.
Be mindful: Focus on distributing the weight evenly through your palms and lifting your hips up and back, away from your shoulders.
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Fig 2: Downward-Facing Dog (Asana) |
STEPS:
1. Start on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your knees under your hips, toes tucked.
2. Inhale, press evenly into your palms and raise your knees off the ground.
3. Lift your hips up and back, working to lengthen your spine.
4. Exhale as you begin to straighten your legs as much as possible, heels reaching toward the ground. If your legs are straight, lift the thigh muscles strongly up as you press into the ground with your feet.
5. Lift the shoulders away from the ears and flatten the shoulder blades on your back. Rotate your upper arms down towards the floor. Firm your outer hips in toward the center.
6. Keep inhaling and exhaling evenly as you hold the pose.
Plank Pose(Asanas)
A commonly seen exercise, plank helps build strength in the core, shoulders, arms and legs.
Do it: Plank pose is good if you are looking to tone your abs and build strength in your upper body.
Skip it: Avoid plank pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be hard on your wrists. You might also skip it or modify if you have low back pain.
Modify: You can modify it by placing your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: As you do a plank, imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.
Skip it: Avoid plank pose if you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be hard on your wrists. You might also skip it or modify if you have low back pain.
Modify: You can modify it by placing your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: As you do a plank, imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.
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Fig 3: Plank Pose(Asana) |
STEPS:
1. Begin in Downward-Facing Dog pose.
2. Inhale and shift forward until your body is in a straight line, shoulders stacked over your wrists and heels above the balls of the feet.
3. Exhale as you press down through your forearms and hands, gazing at the floor in front of you. Imagine the back of your neck and spine lengthening.
4. Keep breathing steadily as you hold the pose for as long as you can, engaging the core muscles by drawing your navel into the body and toward your spine. Keep your thighs lifted and your hips high, but don’t let your rear stick up too high.
Four-Limbed Staff Pose(Asana)
This push-up variation follows plank pose in a common yoga sequence known as the sun salutation. It is a good pose to learn if you want to eventually work on more advanced poses, such as arm balances or inversions.
Do it: Like plank, this pose strengthens arms and wrists and tones the abdomen.
Skip it: If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, a shoulder injury or are pregnant.
Modify: It’s a good idea for beginners to modify the pose by keeping your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: Press your palms evenly into the floor and lift your shoulders away from the floor as you hold this pose.
Skip it: If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, a shoulder injury or are pregnant.
Modify: It’s a good idea for beginners to modify the pose by keeping your knees on the floor.
Be mindful: Press your palms evenly into the floor and lift your shoulders away from the floor as you hold this pose.
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Fig 4: Four-Limbed Staff Pose(Asana) |
STEPS:
1. From plank pose, inhale and shift forward, reaching your sternum forward until your shoulders are slightly forward of your wrists and you are on the balls of your feet. Flatten your shoulder blades on your back as you lift your thighs and front torso away from the floor. Draw the abdominal muscles up toward the spine.
2. Exhale and bend the elbows straight back — not out to the sides — as you lower your body in a straight line until it is a few inches above the floor. Make sure your shoulders don’t dip below the level of your elbows. If you are a beginner, drop your knees to the mat before lowering.
3. Hold the pose for a few breaths.
Cobra Pose(Asana)
This back-bending pose can help strengthen the back muscles, increase spinal flexibility and stretches the chest, shoulders and abdomen.
Do it: This post is great for strengthening the back.
Skip it: If you have arthritis in your spine or neck, a low-back injury or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Modify: Just lift up a few inches, and don’t try to straighten your arms.
Be mindful: Try to keep your navel drawing up away from the floor as you hold this pose.
Skip it: If you have arthritis in your spine or neck, a low-back injury or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Modify: Just lift up a few inches, and don’t try to straighten your arms.
Be mindful: Try to keep your navel drawing up away from the floor as you hold this pose.
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Fig 5: Cobra Pose(Asana) |
STEPS:
1. Lie flat on your belly with your forehead on your mat and your toenails pressing into the mat.
2. Place your hands under your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your torso. Draw your navel up away from the mat.
3. Inhale and press your feet and legs into the mat, releasing your tailbone down toward your pubis as you begin to straighten the arms to lift your head and chest forward and up off the floor. Exhale.
4. Inhale as you widen the chest and hold here for another breath or two.
5. On an exhale, lower your head, neck and chest onto the floor.
Tree Pose(Asana)
Beyond helping improve your balance, it can also strengthen your core, ankles, calves, thighs and spine.
Do it: Great for working on your balance and posture.
Skip it: You many want to skip this pose if you have low blood pressure or any medical conditions that affect your balance.
Modify: Place one of your hands on a wall for support.
Be mindful: Focus on your breath in and out as you hold this pose.
Skip it: You many want to skip this pose if you have low blood pressure or any medical conditions that affect your balance.
Modify: Place one of your hands on a wall for support.
Be mindful: Focus on your breath in and out as you hold this pose.
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| Fig 6: Tree Pose (Asana) |
STEPS:
1. Stand on your mat, with your feet together, or slightly apart, if that is more comfortable. Take a couple of breaths.
2. Slowly shift your weight to your right leg.
3. Raise your left leg and clasp your ankle to guide the sole of the left foot to the inner thigh of the right leg. Try to keep your hips level.
4. Press your foot against your thigh and your thigh against your foot. Lift up through your standing leg, core and chest.
5. Breathe regularly as you hold the pose for a few breaths. You can bring your palms together at your chest, or raise your arms above your head if you feel stable enough.
6. Lower your left leg and try the other side.
Triangle Pose(Asana)
Triangle, which is a part of many yoga sequences helps build strength in the legs and stretches the hips, spine, chest, shoulders, groins, hamstrings and calves. It can also help increase mobility in the hips and neck.
Do it: This pose is great for building strength and endurance.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a headache or low blood pressure.
Modify: If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downward in the final pose. If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upward; look straight ahead and keep both sides of the neck long.
Be mindful: Keep lifting your raised arm toward the ceiling. It helps keep the pose buoyant.
Triangle, which is a part of many yoga sequences helps build strength in the legs and stretches the hips, spine, chest, shoulders, groins, hamstrings and calves. It can also help increase mobility in the hips and neck.
Do it: This pose is great for building strength and endurance.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a headache or low blood pressure.
Modify: If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downward in the final pose. If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upward; look straight ahead and keep both sides of the neck long.
Be mindful: Keep lifting your raised arm toward the ceiling. It helps keep the pose buoyant.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a headache or low blood pressure.
Modify: If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downward in the final pose. If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upward; look straight ahead and keep both sides of the neck long.
Be mindful: Keep lifting your raised arm toward the ceiling. It helps keep the pose buoyant.
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Fig 7: Triangle Pose(Asana)
STEPS:
1. Take a wide stance, with your feet three and a half to four feet apart, depending on your size; taller people can take a wider stance.
2. Turn your left foot slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Your front heel should be in line with the arch of your back foot. Firm your thighs and make sure that the center of the right knee is in line with the center of the right ankle.
3. Inhale and raise your arms out to the sides, shoulder height.
4. Exhale and reach your right arm to the right, lengthening your torso directly over the right leg as you move your hips to the left.
5. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot. Keep the sides of the torso long.
6. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Turn your torso up toward the ceiling. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing at the left thumb.
7. Stay and breathe for a minute; then come up and try the other side.
STEPS:
1. Take a wide stance, with your feet three and a half to four feet apart, depending on your size; taller people can take a wider stance.
2. Turn your left foot slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Your front heel should be in line with the arch of your back foot. Firm your thighs and make sure that the center of the right knee is in line with the center of the right ankle.
3. Inhale and raise your arms out to the sides, shoulder height.
4. Exhale and reach your right arm to the right, lengthening your torso directly over the right leg as you move your hips to the left.
5. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot. Keep the sides of the torso long.
6. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Turn your torso up toward the ceiling. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing at the left thumb.
7. Stay and breathe for a minute; then come up and try the other side.
Seated Half-Spinal Twist Pose(Asana)
This twisting pose can increase the flexibility in your back, while stretching the shoulders, hips and chest. It can also help relieve tension in the middle of your back.
Do it: To release tight muscles around the shoulders and upper and lower back.
Skip it: If you have a back injury.
Modify: If bending your right knee is uncomfortable, keep it straight out in front of you.
Be mindful: Lift your torso with each inhale, and twist as you exhale.
This twisting pose can increase the flexibility in your back, while stretching the shoulders, hips and chest. It can also help relieve tension in the middle of your back.
Do it: To release tight muscles around the shoulders and upper and lower back.
Skip it: If you have a back injury.
Modify: If bending your right knee is uncomfortable, keep it straight out in front of you.
Be mindful: Lift your torso with each inhale, and twist as you exhale.
Skip it: If you have a back injury.
Modify: If bending your right knee is uncomfortable, keep it straight out in front of you.
Be mindful: Lift your torso with each inhale, and twist as you exhale.
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Fig 8: Seated Half-Spinal Twist Pose(Asana)
STEPS:
1. Sit up on the floor or a folded blanket, with your hands on the floor or blanket behind you for support. Straighten your legs out in front of you.
2. Bend your right knee and place your right foot to the outside of your left knee.
3. Inhale, lengthen your torso, exhale and twist toward your right, either hugging your right knee with your left arm or placing your left upper arm on the outside of your right leg near the knee.
4. Take several breaths here, lifting up through the sternum on the inhale and twisting a little more on the exhale, keeping the upper back wide.
5. Release the twist and try the other side.
STEPS:
1. Sit up on the floor or a folded blanket, with your hands on the floor or blanket behind you for support. Straighten your legs out in front of you.
2. Bend your right knee and place your right foot to the outside of your left knee.
3. Inhale, lengthen your torso, exhale and twist toward your right, either hugging your right knee with your left arm or placing your left upper arm on the outside of your right leg near the knee.
4. Take several breaths here, lifting up through the sternum on the inhale and twisting a little more on the exhale, keeping the upper back wide.
5. Release the twist and try the other side.
Bridge Pose(Asana)
This is a back-bending pose that stretches the muscles of the chest, back and neck. It also builds strength in the back and hamstring muscles.
Do it: If you sit most of the day, this pose will help you open your upper chest.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a neck injury.
Modify: Place a block between your thighs to help keep the legs and feet in proper alignment. Or you can place a block under your pelvis if your lower back is bothering you.
Be mindful: While holding this pose, try to keep your chest lifted and your sternum toward your chin.
This is a back-bending pose that stretches the muscles of the chest, back and neck. It also builds strength in the back and hamstring muscles.
Do it: If you sit most of the day, this pose will help you open your upper chest.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a neck injury.
Modify: Place a block between your thighs to help keep the legs and feet in proper alignment. Or you can place a block under your pelvis if your lower back is bothering you.
Be mindful: While holding this pose, try to keep your chest lifted and your sternum toward your chin.
Skip it: Avoid this pose if you have a neck injury.
Modify: Place a block between your thighs to help keep the legs and feet in proper alignment. Or you can place a block under your pelvis if your lower back is bothering you.
Be mindful: While holding this pose, try to keep your chest lifted and your sternum toward your chin.
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Fig 9: Bridge Pose(Asana)
STEPS:
1. Lie on your back on your mat. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, with your heels close to your torso. Place your arms alongside your hips, palms down. Inhale.
2. Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and palms into the floor, lift your hips up. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel.
3. Clasp the hands together underneath you if you can and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.
4. Lift your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Use your legs to support the lifting of the pelvis. Lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel.
5. Lift your chin slightly away from the sternum and, firming the shoulder blades against your back, press the top of the sternum toward the chin.
6. Stay in the pose for a few even breaths. On an exhalation, release and roll the spine slowly down onto the floor.
STEPS:
1. Lie on your back on your mat. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, with your heels close to your torso. Place your arms alongside your hips, palms down. Inhale.
2. Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and palms into the floor, lift your hips up. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel.
3. Clasp the hands together underneath you if you can and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.
4. Lift your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Use your legs to support the lifting of the pelvis. Lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel.
5. Lift your chin slightly away from the sternum and, firming the shoulder blades against your back, press the top of the sternum toward the chin.
6. Stay in the pose for a few even breaths. On an exhalation, release and roll the spine slowly down onto the floor.
Corpse Pose(Asana)
Like life, yoga classes typically end with this pose. It allows for a moment of relaxation, but some people find it difficult to stay still in this pose. However, the more you try this pose, the easier it is to sink into a relaxing, meditative state.
Do it: Always!
Skip it: If you don’t want to have a moment’s peace.
Modify: Place a blanket under your head, if that feels more comfortable. You can also roll up a blanket and place that under your knees, if your lower back is sensitive or bothering you.
Be mindful: Feel the weight of your body sinking into your mat one part at a time.
Like life, yoga classes typically end with this pose. It allows for a moment of relaxation, but some people find it difficult to stay still in this pose. However, the more you try this pose, the easier it is to sink into a relaxing, meditative state.
Do it: Always!
Skip it: If you don’t want to have a moment’s peace.
Modify: Place a blanket under your head, if that feels more comfortable. You can also roll up a blanket and place that under your knees, if your lower back is sensitive or bothering you.
Be mindful: Feel the weight of your body sinking into your mat one part at a time.
Skip it: If you don’t want to have a moment’s peace.
Modify: Place a blanket under your head, if that feels more comfortable. You can also roll up a blanket and place that under your knees, if your lower back is sensitive or bothering you.
Be mindful: Feel the weight of your body sinking into your mat one part at a time.
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Fig 10: Corpse Pose(Asana)
STEPS:
1. Lie down on your back.
2. Straighten both legs along the floor; the feet can turn out slightly. If your lower back is uncomfortable, you can place a rolled-up blanket under your knees.
3. Your arms can rest a few inches from your body, with the backs of the hands on the floor. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly on the floor.
4. Fully release your weight into the mat and let your muscles relax. Breathe normally.
STEPS:
1. Lie down on your back.
2. Straighten both legs along the floor; the feet can turn out slightly. If your lower back is uncomfortable, you can place a rolled-up blanket under your knees.
3. Your arms can rest a few inches from your body, with the backs of the hands on the floor. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly on the floor.
4. Fully release your weight into the mat and let your muscles relax. Breathe normally.
What Is Yoga?
More than a physical workout, yoga is a full mind and body exercise.
Yoga 101
A set of specific exercises, called poses, combined with specific breathing techniques and meditation principles are the building blocks of a yoga class. If a pose causes pain or proves too difficult, there are variations and modifications that can be made to help students. Props like blocks, blankets and straps — even chairs — can be used to help you get the most benefit from the poses. Yoga is not one-size-fits-all: The best yoga workout for you will depend on your individual needs and goals.
The benefits of a regular yoga practice are wide-ranging. In general, a complete yoga workout can help keep your back and joints healthy, improve your overall posture, stretch and strengthen muscles and improve your balance, says Roger Cole, Ph.D., a psychobiologist and certified Iyengar yoga teacher. Yoga also has “a restorative side that is deeply relaxing and rejuvenating,” Dr. Cole says. “Relaxation is built into every yoga session.”
In addition, yoga’s focus on the breath can calm you and help you learn to be more mindful of your body, says Dr. Timothy McCall, the author of “Yoga as Medicine,” and that can help you to move with greater ease.
In recent years, more and more research is demonstrating the wide-ranging health benefits of yoga.
Studies show that yoga can help:
- Reduce back pain: Weekly yoga classes relieve symptoms of low back pain about as well as intense, regular stretching sessions.
- Strengthen bones: In one small study, yoga practitioners were shown to have increased bone density in their spine and hips, compared to people in a control group.
- Improve balance: Male athletes in one study displayed better balance after 10 weeks of yoga classes than a control group of athletes who did not change their routines.
- Stave off mental decline: In one study, participants who did a combination of yoga and meditation as opposed to a brain-training exercise performed much better on a test of visuospatial memory, a type of remembering that is important for balance, depth perception and the ability to recognize objects and navigate the world.
- Reduce stress: A study of 72 women found that Iyengar yoga helped reduce mental distress and the related psychological and physical symptoms of stress.
- Relieve depression: In a study of coal miners with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C.O.P.D., yoga was shown to alleviate depression and anxiety.
Ancient, But Not Foreign
Yoga is tied to ancient Indian philosophy, so yoga poses have both Sanskrit and English names — adho mukha svanasana is more commonly known as downward-facing dog, for example — and you may hear both in a class.
But even if you have never tried a yoga class, you may already be familiar with some yoga poses. Ever tried a plank? You’ve done yoga.
Trainers and fitness classes around the world, not to mention college and professional sports teams, are including yoga into more traditional workouts as a potent form of mind-body conditioning, helping athletes to breathe better and increase their focus.
The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Clippers, for example, practice yoga in a team setting, and many top sports professionals, including the basketball star LeBron James and the tennis champion Novak Djokovic have incorporated yoga into their training programs.
“The attention-focusing and alignment-honing potential of a yoga practice is a solid complement to more athletic, explosive and calisthenic endeavors,” says Derek Cook, a former personal trainer who teaches yoga.
Yoga and Meditation
Before yoga was a popular physical exercise, it was, for thousands of years, mainly a meditation practice.
In a yoga class, as you learn to do yoga poses, you will be instructed to notice your breath and the way your body moves during the exercises. The is the foundation of a mind-body connection.
A well-balanced series of yoga exercises gives you the opportunity to scan your entire body, noting how you feel as you move through the poses. You may begin to realize, for example, that one side of your body feels different than the other during a stretch, or that it’s easier to balance on your right leg, or that certain poses helps ease tension in your neck.
This is how yoga turns physical exercises into tools to help students become more mindful and even learn to meditate.
Stephen Cope, who teaches yoga and mindfulness at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts has written that learning to focus in this way can help us outside of yoga class, too. “As we train our attention, we’ll begin to notice our postures throughout the day, not just on the yoga mat,” Mr.Cope writes in his book “Yoga and the Quest for the True Self.”
Learning to be aware of your posture at your desk or when you walk, for example, can be the first step to making improvements that will make you move more easily and feel better all the time.
Beginning a Yoga Practice
If you want to reap the full benefits of yoga, it’s important to find a way to make it a regular part of your routine.
The most important thing to remember when starting a yoga practice (or any new health habit) is that the key to success is doing it routinely. Start small and manageable, says Dr. McCall. Ten or 15 minutes a day of yoga may be more valuable than going to one class a week. “I would rather have a student succeed at doing a one-minute-a-day practice, than fail at doing a five-minute-a-day practice,” says Dr. McCall.
Hopefully, as you begin to see the benefits of your daily practice, however short, chances are you will be convinced to do more.
Find a Class
Yoga can be done at home, but — especially for the beginner — it is important to try a class or two that is taught by a seasoned instructor, in a private or group setting, to be sure you are doing the yoga exercises safely.
Look for an experienced yoga instructor who has at least a 200-hour teaching certificate from a teacher-training program accredited with the Yoga Alliance. Those programs include training on injury prevention. If you have any specific medical concerns, check with a doctor before beginning to see what types of yoga might be best for you.
Look for yoga studios or gyms that provide good slip-resistant mats (if you are planning on renting a mat) and sturdy, clean blocks for support. If you do rent a mat, make sure there is antibacterial spray or cloths available for you to wipe down your mat before and after use.
What Class is Right for Me?
There are many styles of yoga classes taught today. Some are very physically challenging and will leave you sweating; others are gentle and restorative. Some teachers play music in class; others don’t. Some classes include references to yoga philosophy and spirituality; others don’t.
Here are a few types of classes your yoga studio or gym may offer:
Hatha: Most yoga styles being taught in America today are a form of hatha yoga, which is a general term that refers to the physical part of yoga, rather than yoga philosophy or meditation. A Hatha yoga class is likely to be a combination of poses and breathing exercises, but it’s hard to know whether it will be challenging or gentle. Check with the school or the teacher to find more about the level of classes that are described only as Hatha yoga.
Ashtanga Yoga: This is a challenging style of yoga that is centered around a progressive series of yoga sequences that, traditionally, students practice on their own under the guidance of a teacher. If you think that yoga is not a workout, you haven’t tried an Ashtanga class. Classes include advanced poses such as arm balances and inversions including headstands and shoulder stands. Beginner students are strongly advised to study with an experienced teacher. Ashtanga classes will also often include teachings in yoga philosophy.
Power Yoga: As its name suggests, power yoga is a challenging style of yoga aimed at strength-building. These classes will include advanced poses and inversions like headstands and handstands that require a lot of strength.
Vinyasa or Flow: These classes usually consist of a fairly energetic flowing sequence of yoga poses that will include — depending on the level — advanced poses, such as arm balances, headstands, shoulder stands and handstands. Many vinyasa classes have musical accompaniment of the teacher’s choosing.
Iyengar: Love learning about how your muscles and joints work together? This is the yoga for you. Iyengar yoga focuses on the precision of your yoga poses. Iyengar classes are known for their use of props, including blankets, blocks, straps and bolsters, to help students do poses that they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. Classes can also include ropes that are anchored to the walls to do inversions and other poses. They also tend to include breathing exercises and references to yoga philosophy.
Bikram or Hot Yoga: Like the heat? Bikram yoga is a set series of 26 poses performed in a room heated to 105 degrees, which is said to allow for deeper stretching and provide for a better cardiovascular workout. Unlike most yoga classes, Bikram classes are always done in rooms with mirrors. Hot yoga refers to any yoga class that is done in a heated room — generally from 80 to 100 degrees.
Restorative Yoga: If you are looking for a little more relaxation from your yoga class, restorative yoga is for you. This yoga style usually involves a few restful poses that are held for long periods of time. Restorative poses include light twists, seated forward folds and gentle back-bends, usually done with the assistance of many props, including blankets, blocks and bolsters.
Yin Yoga: Looking for a new kind of stretching experience? Yin yoga is aimed at stretching the connective tissue around the pelvis, sacrum, spine and knees to promote flexibility. Poses are held for a longer amount of time in yin yoga classes, generally from three to five minutes. It is a quiet style of yoga, and will quickly show you how good you are at sitting still.
Note: It’s a good idea to try several yoga classes. How much you enjoy any class will come down to how much you like the teacher, not how it’s labeled.
Conclusion:-
Yoga is the medicine for nearly every problem. As you practice yoga, it does not only help you to improve your physical body but also helps in maintaining your inner peace and relaxing your mind. Thus, there is nothing that yoga will not help. Moreover, yoga is not just a one-day practice; it’s a lifelong commitment. The more you practice yoga, the more you are benefited. If you practice yoga daily you will enjoy a peaceful and healthy lifetime. In the present Yoga has just become a type of physical practice but it is a lot more. But, for the further practice, you have to be perfect both physically and mentally through the daily practice of yoga.Yoga can be imbibed by living in an ashram environment and trying to be aware of the physical, mental and spiritual dimensions at the same time.
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