Yay for Yoga!!

In the next four weeks I want to talk about YOGA.  In my past life I had tried the 20 Minute Workout, Cardio Kickboxing, Step Aerobics and more but none of it did much for my body (it didn’t help that I was a carboholic at the time!).  Then one day I stepped into a yoga studio and my life and body were transformed.  Within a few classes I felt longer, leaner and stronger than I had … well, ever really. 

If you are a newby to yoga one of the most confusing things can be trying to figure out which style is best suited to you, and there are a lot of different styles.  My first bit of advise, if at first you don’t succeed try again.  If you have tried yoga in the past and didn’t like it you may not have had a good teacher, or one you connected with.  You may have not been in the right frame of mind or you may not have picked the right style for you.  If you are going to try it for the the first time, or try it again, keep an open mind and keep looking until you find one that connects with you.

When it comes to yoga styles there is a lot of crossover between them, the difference mainly lies in what they emphasize.  Here in North America, the asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing), are at the heart of most practises. Some styles will emphasize one more than another, and others will minimize them and focus more on meditation or chanting.  Here is a run down of some of the more common styles.   

Ananda: emphasis on meditation

This gentle yoga combines breath awareness, affirmations, and yoga postures to move from body awareness through energy awareness to, finally, silent, inner awareness.

Anusara: Heart-oriented

Founded by John Friend in 1997, anusara yoga integrates the celebration of the heart, universal principles of alignment, and balanced energetic action in the performance of asana.

Ashtanga: the Power of yoga

For those who want a serious workout, ashtanga yoga offers a fast-paced series of sequential poses beginning with sun salutations. Students move from one posture to another in a continual flow and link movements to breath.

Bikram: Turning up the heat

Bikram Choudhury, known as the yoga teacher to the stars, developed this hot yoga practice. Be prepared to sweat in this one. The bikram class turns up the room temperature to anywhere from 85 degrees to 100 degrees. In this hot and steamy environment, students perform, always in the same order, 26 poses designed to cleanse the body from the inside out. This is a vigorous workout.

Hatha

Hatha yoga is a more general term that encompasses many styles of yoga, as most yoga has branched from this form.  If a class is described as Hatha it is probably going to be strong on alignment and relatively slowly paced.

Iyengar: Symmetry and alignment

B.K.S. Iyengar developed this yoga style, which stresses understanding the body and how it works. Students focus on symmetry and alignment, using props such as straps, blankets, wooden blocks, and chairs to achieve postures. Each pose is held for a longer amount of time than in most other yoga styles.

Kripalu: the yoga of consciousness

Kripalu emphasizes proper breath, alignment, coordinating breath and movement, and honoring the wisdom of the body.

Kundalini: Awakening energy

Once a guarded secret in India, kundalini yoga arrived in the West in 1969, when Sikh Yogi Bhajan challenged tradition and began to teach it publicly. This practice is designed to awaken kundalini energy, which is stored at the base of the spine and often depicted as a coiled snake. Kundalini mixes chanting, breathing practices, and yoga exercises. The emphasis is not on asana, but rather on chanting and breathing.

Viniyoga: Gentle flow

This gentle form of flow yoga places great emphasis on the breath and coordinating breath with movement. Viniyoga’s flowing movement or vinyasa is similar to ashtanga’s dynamic series of poses, but is performed at a greatly reduced pace and stress level. Poses and flows are chosen to suit the student’s abilities.

My synopsis:  If you are looking for a great workout go for Power, Astanga or Bikram Yoga. If you have physical limitations and really need to emphasize aligment look for Iyengar or Hatha.  Want to get into more mind, body, spirit like yoga, try Ananda, Kripalu and Kundalini.

— Christine