In this stressful life people are constantly looking for a way to relax. There are lot of them and they work different for different people. Among all those things you can do, there is one that works for most of us – yoga. Practicing yoga will help you for stress relief, flexibility, physical fitness and health. Yoga classes offer self-reflection, the practice of self-compassion and kindness, and continued self-awareness and growth.
The health benefits of yoga are very real. Yes, yoga can improve your balance, increase your flexibility, decrease your cholesterol and the list goes on. All you need is a yoga meditation mat. They are durable, offer cushioning against hard floors, easy to clean, light weight (making them easy to roll and carry), and latex free. You can choose the size, colour and thickness that best suit you. Search the web as online market offers a wide range of yoga meditation mat designs; something for everyone – those who are serious about yoga and those concerned with budget.
Since there are so many different types of yoga, yoga teachers recommend to not enroll in all of them. It is important to find the yoga that works for you. This can be a little bit tricky, so let's take a look at few most popular different types of yoga. Hopefully, after you have a better understanding of each, it will be easier for you to make the right decision.
Hatha
It's a basic form of yoga which is easy to learn and definitely one of the most popular style. Hatha is actually the basic of other yoga styles. It incorporates regulated breathing (Pramayama), postures (Asanas), kundalini (Laya Yoga) and meditation (Dharana & Dhyana) into one system that can be used to achieve self-realization or enlightenment. The best way to practice this type of yoga is to approach the session in a meditative, calm mood.
Bikram Yoga
This method is a way of inclusive workout that includes all the fitness components: muscular endurance, muscular strength, weight loss and cardiovascular flexibility. One of the most unusual and beneficial aspects of Bikram's yoga is the 35-40 degree temperature which promotes more detoxification, flexibility and prevention of injuries. Bikram yoga style is the only one that specializes in using the environment with high temperature.
Iyengar yoga
More than 60 years, this yoga style promotes balance, endurance, flexibility and straight through poses and coordinate breathing. The poses are generally held much longer compared in other styles. In Iyengar, you move slowly into one pose, stay like this for one minute or so, and then take a few breaths before change your primary pose into another. Various equipment such as straps, blankets, block and cushions are used to help the less flexible Iyengar form to be made. If you have some kind of injury, Iyengar yoga is a great choice for recovering.
Yin yoga
This style is also known as yoga for the joints, because provide direct stimulation usually created by the asana into areas depper than the muscular tissues or superficial. Yin yoga works the connective tissues of the joints, ligaments, bones and fascia. A significant feature of this style is the passive nature of the postures. While this yoga style may seem passive and boring, it actually can be very challenging one due to the long duration of the postures, which can last from 5 to 20 minutes.
Hatha
It's a basic form of yoga which is easy to learn and definitely one of the most popular style. Hatha is actually the basic of other yoga styles. It incorporates regulated breathing (Pramayama), postures (Asanas), kundalini (Laya Yoga) and meditation (Dharana & Dhyana) into one system that can be used to achieve self-realization or enlightenment. The best way to practice this type of yoga is to approach the session in a meditative, calm mood.
Bikram Yoga
This method is a way of inclusive workout that includes all the fitness components: muscular endurance, muscular strength, weight loss and cardiovascular flexibility. One of the most unusual and beneficial aspects of Bikram's yoga is the 35-40 degree temperature which promotes more detoxification, flexibility and prevention of injuries. Bikram yoga style is the only one that specializes in using the environment with high temperature.
Iyengar yoga
More than 60 years, this yoga style promotes balance, endurance, flexibility and straight through poses and coordinate breathing. The poses are generally held much longer compared in other styles. In Iyengar, you move slowly into one pose, stay like this for one minute or so, and then take a few breaths before change your primary pose into another. Various equipment such as straps, blankets, block and cushions are used to help the less flexible Iyengar form to be made. If you have some kind of injury, Iyengar yoga is a great choice for recovering.
Yin yoga
This style is also known as yoga for the joints, because provide direct stimulation usually created by the asana into areas depper than the muscular tissues or superficial. Yin yoga works the connective tissues of the joints, ligaments, bones and fascia. A significant feature of this style is the passive nature of the postures. While this yoga style may seem passive and boring, it actually can be very challenging one due to the long duration of the postures, which can last from 5 to 20 minutes.
