The Different Styles of Yoga
Nowadays, Yoga has attracted many people from all walks of life as it has shown the benefits one could gain from it. From the classic Yoga, various styles have been explored and practiced. Basically, all styles of Yoga use almost all Asana (poses) but differ on the emphasis of building strength and flexibility. Each and every style has its own physical and mental benefits that aim in reducing stress, losing weight, toning muscles, improving blood circulation, relaxing the body, and attaining a spiritual journey. So read on and know more about the different styles of Yoga as this article briefly explains each one of them.
HATHA YOGA
This is the oldest and basic of all types of Yoga. “Ha” means “sun” and “tha” means “moon”. Hatha Yoga is about balancing our inner solar and lunar energies. Hatha Yoga is a great way to introduce someone to Yoga because the poses are gentle and the flow is simple, slow-paced and smooth compared to some other styles. The various poses of Hatha Yoga focus more on breathing (Pranayama), relaxation and balance.
ASHTANGA YOGA
If one wants a workout Yoga then Ashtanga is your type of Yoga. Unlike the Hatha, Ashtanga is more intense, fast-paced, and physically demanding. Credit for this type of Yoga should be given to the one who developed it – K. Pattabhi Jois. Its poses are performed in a set of series with constant movement one after the other. The physical benefit that is gained from this style is endurance, stamina, flexibility, and strength and it is a superb way of getting the heart-rate going.
VINYASA YOGA
Vinyasa Yoga is one of the more popular styles of Yoga today. This type of Yoga works specifically with breath-synchronized movement. Its poses are performed in flowing series, similar to “Sun Salutations” but with other poses involved. There is not a set sequence in Vinyasa Yoga, the classes varies depending on who’s teaching. Sometimes they are planned and sometimes the teacher intuitively creates the sequence during the class. It’s a free, fluid and open style that attracts many modern yogis.
…to be continued in our next blog post.
