Yoga is much more than a workout: it is a lifestyle. Each yoga posture, traditionally known as «asanas,» has its meaning. Each flexion and each «mantra» has a unique reason for the body and mind. Nothing in this practice is done in isolation.
Everything (mind, body and thoughts) is interwoven. Like other training practices, yoga has also established itself as the ultimate way to exercise the head, hands and heart.
Yoga postures
In yoga postures, the main goal should be to establish a connection and derive benefits from that. Since different types of yoga have their own advantages, their essence and meaning would be lost if they are performed mindlessly.
Fitness gurus and die-hard practitioners have felt the need to practice yoga regularly for fitness. This transformation has shed much needed light on the benefits of yoga, the main one being its influence on mental health.
Types of yoga to try
Broadly speaking, there are seven types of yoga, each with its own style, so you must get the asanas right by understanding the type of yoga you choose and its consequences. Here’s a look at the most popular types of yoga to get you started training your body and soul.
Below is a list of yoga types, with their different benefits and everything you can expect in a yoga class.
Vinyasa Yoga – Beginner
Vinyasa means moving in harmony with the breath. This yoga gives you the freedom to move in line with your breath. Vinyasa yoga is best for beginner yogis, it can be performed on yoga retreats, with the ebb and flow of each exhale and inhale, you change your postures or asanas smoothly. The transition should be effortless and in synchronization with the breath.
Hatha Yoga – Beginner
Hatha’ (Sanskrit) means ‘hands’. It is a type of yoga for beginners, a well-balanced cocktail of meditation and physical postures (asanas). Hatha yoga awakens the power within you. Through conscious body movements, you observe how each particular asana is different from the others and what effect it has on the body, without losing sight of the sensations it sends to the mind.
Yin Yoga – Intermediate
This is the exact opposite of Vinyasa yoga. Created by Paulie Zink, in a Yin yoga session you practice how to hold a yoga posture for a longer time (more than 3 to 5 minutes) Ypu can do it at home, but it is better for your health to get some guidance from an expert, if you live in Valencia, there’s a good one yoga Valencia instructor that can helps you to get better and better. Yin yoga aims to access the inner realms of your mental zone. It is also known as Taoist yoga. It is strictly inclined to explore the experiences you have had so far and to broaden your horizons.
Ashtanga Yoga – Expert
The word ‘ashtanga’ is a Sanskrit word which, when broken down, gives us ‘asht’ meaning ‘eight’ and ‘anga’ meaning ‘parts’. Hence, eight parts or limbs.
Ashtanga Yoga comprises the eightfold path that leads to your spiritual awakening. This spiritual awakening and awareness is caused by a combined movement of the body (which brings tapas) and the mind (which brings more awareness).
Power Yoga – Intermediate
Power Yoga is also a branch of traditional Ashtanga Yoga. Consider a power yoga class as a freestyle version. Very popular today, power yoga gives trainers and yogis the freedom to add and subtract any asana/posture.
It has become a powerful form of yoga for weight loss. The fast-paced, synchronized asanas are nothing short of a hot cardio session. With Power Yoga, strength, endurance, flexibility, mental realization and concentration are tested.
Bikram Yoga Skill Level – Intermediate
Bikram yoga was brought to reality by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. This yoga has 26 postures with a set of 2 breathing exercises. These postures are repeated in cycles. A Bikram yoga class should last about 90 minutes.
Iyengar Yoga – Beginner
Performing each posture with great attention to the small nuances associated will immerse you in a trance-like state. As you calmly immerse yourself in an Iyengar yoga session, you will free your body and mind from all kinds of tensions.