The Modern Yoga Movement

In today's fast-paced world, it's soothing to leave the rat race behind and spend some time in a calm environment, guided through gentle poses by your yoga teacher. Whether you've taken a class, or are just embarking on your own path to enlightenment, it can be confusing to know which type best suits you. Here are some of the most common yoga styles:

Hatha Yoga

First introduced by Yogi Swatmarama in the 15th century, Hatha is ideal for beginners, as it is very gentle and movements are smooth and fluid. The focus is on balance, relaxation, and breathing as you perform the various poses. Iyengar yoga is a type of Hatha yoga, which is centred on the alignment of the body, as well as on flexibility and balance. In an Iyengar yoga class, students use props like wooden blocks, straps, and chairs while going through the sets of precise movements.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga is also referred to as "Hot yoga." The room temperature gets to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity up at about 40 percent, making for a steamy yet effective workout. Your muscles are more flexible as the heat allows them to stretch, however, you must be careful not to overdo it for exactly that reason. Pregnant women or people with certain health conditions should not do Bikram.

Ashtanga Yoga

You might have heard the term "Power yoga." This is Ashtanga, and if you take a class in this type of high-energy yoga, be prepared for a workout! The Ashtanga style centres on building strength and endurance, and it's more challenging than other types of yoga. It's an excellent way to burn fat and get your heart pumping.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini really focuses on building the mind-body connection. You are taken rapidly through the poses, focusing on breath, and it often involves chanting. Kundalini refers to a form of life force, which lies dormant within the chakras of the body.

Depending on the centre you choose, you'll find that many of them mix different styles of yoga together in lessons, and usually offer customized classes like prenatal yoga, candlelight yoga, and even children's yoga. A number of employers have started to use corporate yoga programs to improve employee health and wellness.

All styles of yoga have both mental and physical benefits. Yoga can help you build strength and flexibility in the body, lose weight and tone muscles, improve circulation, and reduce stress. It's a great way to keep your spine aligned and use the various muscle groups in the body. Some people do yoga in conjunction with other treatment programs, such as smoking cessation, or to relieve allergy and asthma symptoms. Yoga is a source of relaxation and enjoyment, and in some cases, it might even be the best medicine.

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