Everyone knows the importance of daily exercise in obtaining overall health and wellness. Many individuals are tired of exercising at the gym, running on a treadmill, attending dance classes. For these individuals yoga offers a great new opportunity to expand their exercise regime. In the daily rat race we often loose touch with our body and mind. Yoga can be a great resource to help you reconnect with your body and mind.
The word yoga comes from Sanskrit language. Originally yoga was designed to help indiviudals learn to control their body and mind. Yoga is traditionally a Hindu form of exercise. Recently yoga has found mainstream popularity. In order to obtain the greatest benefits from yoga you should be practicing at least 45 min's per day and morning exercise is recommended.
Many individuals choose to do yoga in the comfort of their own home, while others prefer to continue going to their local gym. Whichever you choose you will likely be faced with the decision of what type of yoga you would like to practice.
Common Types of Yoga:
Vinyasa Yoga- Also known as free spirit yoga, this type of yoga is said to be popular with gym rats and focuses more on physical power and less on the mind and spirit.
Bikram or hot yoga- Yoga that is performed in room that is 105 degrees and has at least 40% humidity. Sessions are generally guided and include at least 26 exercises and 2 breathing exercises.
Iyengar Yoga- Yoga used for healing or with injured individuals. In this type of yoga props are used to assist the participants. Common props include belts, blocks and straps.
Hatha Yoga- Focuses on physical purification for the purpose of preparing the body for long periods of meditation.
Integral Yoga- The goal of integral yoga is to align all aspects of ones being with the divine being or higher power. This type of yoga is usually not commonly practiced by individuals who are solely seeking physical wellness. Spiritual wellness is crucial for this type of yoga.
Two Most Popular Types of Yoga:
Hatha yoga- this yoga is popular in America. In Hatha yoga the most important things are asanas(position), pranayam(breathing style), dyana(meditation). Hatha yoga is geared toward helping you make your body strong and your mind sound. At the end of a Hatha sessions you should feel more connected with your body.
Laughter or hasya yoga is a physical leaning method that clears your tension. It makes you to fell happy and relaxed During hasya yoga, people clap and laugh in a loud voice for 30 to 40 minutes. It helps you to release tension and keep it away. Many individuals do not initially feel comfortable with laughing out loud in a room full of people, as such, this form of yoga is popular with individuals who practice yoga at home.
Sources:
http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/Types_of_Yoga.htm
http://www.matsmatsmats.com/yoga/yoga-disciplines.html