subject: Different Kinds Of Yoga Positions [print this page] Yoga, the North Indian form of exercise has a cultural history dating back to over five thousand years and is currently being practiced by millions worldwide. The application and distinction of the yoga poses and yoga positions hugely depend on the style of yoga you choose to practice.
As different styles are practiced for different needs, it is advisable to find out the best form of yoga that is suited for you if you intend to reduce your weight or focus on health. Please go through the list given below regarding the various types of yoga being taught in various parts of the United States:
Hatha Yoga is a term that is widely used to refer to the yoga practiced at the physical level. It is also the most popular kind of yoga practiced in the west. Bikram and Ashtanga are two modern systems that are covered in hatha yoga. Hatha yoga positions are performed in order to prepare the body for strenuous meditation that follows.
Anusara Yoga is a type of yoga that is comparatively new. John Friend created this type of yoga in 1997 by emphasizing not only on yoga poses but also on emotional, spiritual and social side of the exercise. The idea is to establish a link between the divine within ourselves and others.
Ashtanga Yoga is considered to be a more strenuous kind and prides itself for having its own yoga poses. The yoga positions are assumed in a flow, performed one after the other and demands great dedication from the practitioner. This yoga is the forerunner of power yoga. The difference between the two is that the yoga poses of power yoga do not follow a stringent set of yoga positions unlike ashtanga yoga.
Bikram Yoga focuses on strength, endurance and flexibility of the cardiovascular system as its main ingredients of fitness. Hot yoga is the popular name used while referring to Bikram yoga due to the practitioners habit of exercising in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It was created by Bikram Choudhury who promoted sweating as a means to make the muscles loose thereby preventing damage to the tissues during workouts. Sweating is also an excellent means to detoxify the body.
Iyengar Yoga focuses on how the body is aligned. Practitioners of Iyengar yoga hold the yoga poses for longer period of times unlike ashtanga yoga and are known to use devices such as blocks, straps and blankets in order to gain alignment of the body.
Integral Yoga incorporates breathing exercises, hatha yoga positions, chanting and praying in a more subtle way. Sri Swami Sachidananda is the founder of this yoga style.
Kundalini Yoga practitioners shift their poses rapidly. Chanting, meditation and breathing are three aspects of this yoga that the practitioners stipulate. According to them it creates a spiritual effect unlike hatha yoga.
Prenatal Yoga is most suited for expectant mothers and includes yoga poses that are designed specifically for them. Pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy are encouraged to practice this type of yoga. Flexibility, strengthening of the pelvic floor and core muscles are stressed in yoga positions in this style so that labor can be managed during delivery.
This list is a partial description of the various yoga styles practiced in the world. Though the styles might be different, the effects on the body are similar. Yoga positions improve stamina, flexibility and strength. Further, yoga positions improve blood circulation and pressure and kept blood sugar to optimum levels. Research is needed before you embark into a yoga session so that you can choose the best style suitable for your body type and requirements.
by: Christine Chou
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