Understanding the Different Types Of Yoga

The popularity of yoga is spreading to the west including the United States, even though it has a long and full history in India. There are more and more places in the west where yoga is taught. Since there are so many different types of yoga, it’s important to understand all the varieties before jumping into this form of exercise. There is Hatha yoga, power yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Iyengar yoga, Vinyasa yoga and Birkram yoga. These are a few of the popular types of yoga commonly taught, but there are also variations of these types.

Hatha Yoga

“Ha” in Hatha yoga stand for sun and “tha” stands for moon. As the name alludes, hatha yoga is slow and gentle which means that its a great form of yoga to practice if you’re a beginner. It’s a great way to get used to yoga and anyone with limited knowledge of various yoga poses can easily practice this form. You will still get a unity of the mind, body and spirit when you practice hatha yoga.

Possibly the most practiced, at least according to some,  is Ashtanga yoga. The name refers to the fast based and intense movement of eight limbs. It’s based on a progression of poses performed in sync with a very specific type of breathing. Of all the types of yoga available, this tends to be one of the most physically demanding. You will constantly be moving from one pose to another in a challenging sequence. This form of yoga will help the practitioner increase his or her stamina, strength and flexibility.

Power yoga isn’t much different from Ashtanga yoga and is basically a westernized version of it. The sequences between the two vary, but all the poses still need to be practiced continuously. Another form of yoga you should be aware of is Iyengar yoga. This is one of the types of yoga that is meant mostly to align the body. When practicing this yoga, you’ll be required to hold a pose for quite a long time instead of continually moving from one pose to another.

Other types of yoga mentioned in this article are bikram yoga and vinyasa yoga. With vinyasa yoga you’re required to practice a series of sychronized movements very quickly. Breathing is very much emphasised. Bikram yoga is often referred to as hot yoga and is practiced in a 40% humidity and high temperatures. Twenty-six poses are involved in this type of yoga. The purpose of bikram yoga is to loosen muscles. High temperatures and sweating helps with this.