I am embarrassed to admit that a few years ago; I would laugh at those who did yoga – glorified stretching I thought – waste of time. But then I took a few classes (forced by a friend) and I quickly realized how wrong I was. I really enjoyed those introduction classes – not only did the “stretching” feel great – I found it very calming. So then I apologized to all my yoga friends for mocking them and signed up for an actual class. And at the end of those 10 weeks – I actually felt stronger.
Soooooooo, not a waste of time.
I will fully admit I am not a yoga expert – and I realize there are many many
different types of yoga. So I thought I would list a few of the more popular ones to see if I can convince anyone else that yoga is worthwhile. And if you want to chat with an office expert – I would recommend Sue and Stephanie.
Even though yoga is all based on the same poses, each style has a particular focus.
For example, one style has a purpose to improve flexibility, while another style
primarily strengthens your core.
Here's a quick introduction to some of the most common and popular types of
yoga:
Hatha: Hatha originated in India in the 15th century. This type of yoga is slow-paced, gentle, and focused on breathing and meditation, so it's a great type of yoga to wind down with at night.
Purpose: To introduce beginners to yoga with basic poses and relaxation techniques
Benefits: Relieves stress, provides physical exercise, and improves breathing
Good for: Beginners and people wanting to learn the basics of yoga
Vinyasa: Much like Hatha, Vinyasa covers basic poses and breath-synchronized movement. Commonly called "Vinyasa flow" or just "flow", you'll definitely be moving, flowing from one pose to the next. Other than starting with a sun salutation, no two classes will be alike. It's the most popular style of yoga in America.
Purpose: To link the breath with movement and to build lean muscle mass throughout the body
Benefits: Helps improve strength and flexibility, tones the abdominal muscles, and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes
Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis alike seeking to strengthen their bodies
Ashtanga: Ashtanga yoga metaphorically focuses on eight limbs. Ashtanga is fast-paced and intense with lunges and push-ups. Commonly called Power yoga, ashtanga is definitely physically demanding. It's probably best suited for an ex-athlete or someone looking to really push their body.
Purpose: To help improve one’s spiritual self
Benefits: Relieves stress, improves coordination, and helps with weight loss
Good for: Fit people looking to maintain strength and stamina, and those who want to get in touch with their spiritual side
Iyengar: Iyengar covers all eight aspects of Ashtanga yoga and focuses on bodily alignment.. Standing poses are emphasized, and are often held for long periods of
time. Expect lots of props with this type of yoga such as blocks, harnesses, straps,
and even cushions. There's also a lot of focus on alignment so Iyengar can be great for physical therapy.
Purpose: To strengthen and bring the body into alignment
Benefits: Helps improve balance, speeds up recovery from an injury, and builds up body strength
Good for: Beginners who want to learn the correct alignments in each pose and those with injuries, balance issues, and chronic medical conditions like arthritis
Bikram: Also known as hot yoga, Bikram is practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room. It’s
typically a series of 26 poses that allows for a loosening of tight muscles and sweating.
Purpose: To flush out toxins and to deeply stretch the muscles
Benefits: Speeds up recovery from an injury, enhances flexibility, and cleanses the
body
Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis alike who want to push themselves and those with physical injuries
These are only a few of many styles of yoga. Try one or all of them to figure out
which one suits your needs the best.
Looking to begin yoga?…before you head to class, check the Yoga
Poses for Beginners library to become familiar with some of the most common poses.
Soooooooo, not a waste of time.
I will fully admit I am not a yoga expert – and I realize there are many many
different types of yoga. So I thought I would list a few of the more popular ones to see if I can convince anyone else that yoga is worthwhile. And if you want to chat with an office expert – I would recommend Sue and Stephanie.
Even though yoga is all based on the same poses, each style has a particular focus.
For example, one style has a purpose to improve flexibility, while another style
primarily strengthens your core.
Here's a quick introduction to some of the most common and popular types of
yoga:
Hatha: Hatha originated in India in the 15th century. This type of yoga is slow-paced, gentle, and focused on breathing and meditation, so it's a great type of yoga to wind down with at night.
Purpose: To introduce beginners to yoga with basic poses and relaxation techniques
Benefits: Relieves stress, provides physical exercise, and improves breathing
Good for: Beginners and people wanting to learn the basics of yoga
Vinyasa: Much like Hatha, Vinyasa covers basic poses and breath-synchronized movement. Commonly called "Vinyasa flow" or just "flow", you'll definitely be moving, flowing from one pose to the next. Other than starting with a sun salutation, no two classes will be alike. It's the most popular style of yoga in America.
Purpose: To link the breath with movement and to build lean muscle mass throughout the body
Benefits: Helps improve strength and flexibility, tones the abdominal muscles, and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes
Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis alike seeking to strengthen their bodies
Ashtanga: Ashtanga yoga metaphorically focuses on eight limbs. Ashtanga is fast-paced and intense with lunges and push-ups. Commonly called Power yoga, ashtanga is definitely physically demanding. It's probably best suited for an ex-athlete or someone looking to really push their body.
Purpose: To help improve one’s spiritual self
Benefits: Relieves stress, improves coordination, and helps with weight loss
Good for: Fit people looking to maintain strength and stamina, and those who want to get in touch with their spiritual side
Iyengar: Iyengar covers all eight aspects of Ashtanga yoga and focuses on bodily alignment.. Standing poses are emphasized, and are often held for long periods of
time. Expect lots of props with this type of yoga such as blocks, harnesses, straps,
and even cushions. There's also a lot of focus on alignment so Iyengar can be great for physical therapy.
Purpose: To strengthen and bring the body into alignment
Benefits: Helps improve balance, speeds up recovery from an injury, and builds up body strength
Good for: Beginners who want to learn the correct alignments in each pose and those with injuries, balance issues, and chronic medical conditions like arthritis
Bikram: Also known as hot yoga, Bikram is practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room. It’s
typically a series of 26 poses that allows for a loosening of tight muscles and sweating.
Purpose: To flush out toxins and to deeply stretch the muscles
Benefits: Speeds up recovery from an injury, enhances flexibility, and cleanses the
body
Good for: Beginners and advanced yogis alike who want to push themselves and those with physical injuries
These are only a few of many styles of yoga. Try one or all of them to figure out
which one suits your needs the best.
Looking to begin yoga?…before you head to class, check the Yoga
Poses for Beginners library to become familiar with some of the most common poses.
