While more and more wellness experts are touting the benefits of yoga for weight loss and improving your fitness levels, let’s not forget that the primary reason for yoga is relaxation. Practicing yoga can help you to achieve a state of deep calmness that can counteract the negative impact of life’s daily stressors. When you practise yoga techniques on a regular basis, it enhances your overall wellbeing, leading to a reduction in everyday stress levels, anxiety, and muscle tension as well as an improvement in mood, energy, and focus.
It’s easy and simple to learn the basics of yoga, but you really have to put the time and effort in if you want to maximise the ancient tradition’s stress-relieving benefits. There are plenty of online resources that can teach you how to master this art form, but if you are a beginner you may want to seek out a class taught by a qualified instructor. That way, you can make sure you’re performing the poses and movements correctly before you step out on your own or continue the practice with friends. That said, which kind of yoga should you choose?
There are many different types of general yoga, as well as forms that have been adapted for specific needs. There’s yoga for seniors, prenatal yoga and adaptive yoga, which has been modified to suit people with disabilities. However, as a rule, your yoga class will begin with a series of poses to warm up your body, and most sessions will end with some type of relaxation exercise. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of yoga classes, and whether or not they’re suitable for you:
1. Gentle yoga: Also known as Satyananda, gentle yoga focuses on slow stretches, flexibility, and deep breathing. If you’re a beginner, and stress reduction is a key element you’re looking for, then this type of yoga will suit you down to a T. However, gentle yoga, as the name suggests, might not be for you if you’re looking for a vigorous workout.
2. Hatha: As with gentle yoga, hatha is reasonably mild and involves stretching and breathing work. Again, beginners who are after stress reduction will fall in love with this practice, but it’s also suitable for older adults. Still, those who are looking for an aerobic, calorie-burning workout should look elsewhere.
3. Lyengar: The primary focus of Lyengar yoga is on improving the alignment of your body, as well as your balance. In this type of yoga, you use blocks and straps to maintain the poses for longer periods of time. If you’re looking for more fitness benefits as well as deep relaxation, this is a great option for you, but it’s still not a total body workout if that’s what you’re after.
4. Kundalini: In Kundalini yoga, you undertake a fast-paced routine of poses, focusing on different ways of breathing, chanting, and meditation. This kind of yoga combines the spiritual elements with a good workout, so if the spiritual aspect is not for you then you may want to look elsewhere.
5. Hot yoga: Also known as Bikram or Moshka, hot yoga – as the name suggests – takes place in heated rooms of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This practice aims to build on your stamina and purification, so it provides an intense, sweaty workout if you have a high enough fitness level to cope with it. However, if you have high blood pressure, heart conditions, or react adversely to hot conditions, this is obviously not for you.
6. Power yoga: This vigorous practice, also known as Ashtanga yoga, is fast-paced to build flexibility, strength, concentration, and stamina. Power yoga provides a strong workout, so it’s great if you want to increase your fitness or weight loss efforts, but not so much if you want a relaxing, contemplative experience.