The 7 True Traditional Types Of Yoga
When we think of Yoga, we probably think of mats, downward-facing dogs and stretching. What if I told you that is only a tiny fraction of the very vast world of Yoga? The Yoga we know and love is called Hatha Yoga. Within it there are several sub-categories of Yoga which describe the specific style of the physical practice. However, there are six other main types of Yoga.
The word Yoga means union and Hatha Yoga is merely the physical path. Think of it as music genres if Hatha Yoga is Rock, there are sub-genres such as alternative rock, psychedelic rock, classical rock, etc. within the main genre. The other forms of Yoga would be the remaining major genres such as Indie, Classical, Pop, Electronic and so on. All of these genres are considered music and make a whole. Similarly, all main styles are considered Yoga. Hatha Yoga is unique in that sub-styles within the style were additionally created.
To clarify and expand your horizon to the entire, wonderful world of Yoga, here is a list of all of the traditional styles:
Risks And Side Effects
Many types of yoga are relatively mild and therefore safe for people when a well-trained instructor is guiding the practice.
It is rare to incur a serious injury when doing yoga. The most common injuries among people practicing yoga are sprains and strains.
However, people may wish to consider a few risk factors before starting a yoga practice.
A person who is pregnant or has an ongoing medical condition, such as bone loss, glaucoma, or sciatica, should consult a healthcare professional, if possible, before taking up yoga.
Some people may need to modify or avoid some yoga poses that could be risky given their specific condition.
Beginners should avoid advanced poses and difficult techniques, such as Headstand, Lotus Pose, and forceful breathing.
When managing a condition, people should not replace conventional medical care with yoga or postpone seeing a healthcare professional about pain or any other medical problem.
The 5 Main Types Of Yoga & Their Benefits
Yoga has a history that is over 5,000 years old. The practice has roots that date back to ancient civilisations where it was thought to have first been developed by the Northern Indian Indus-Sarasvati civilisation in line with the emerging philosophy of Buddhism.
Fast forward to today however and there are now over thirty different types of yoga! Yogas adoption into the mainstream has meant that different variations continue to emerge as tastes, fitness levels and more meditation practices develop.
Despite the different branches of yoga now available, there are 5 types of yoga which are considered to be the main branches of the practice and which still influence modern yoga practice.
These five types of yoga are considered fundamental to the practice of yoga, and so it is these that yogis are likely to experience in studios and in general practice, unless they specifically sign up for a yoga class which is geared toward one of the newer variations.
However because theres so much variation in practices its becoming increasingly important that yogis make sure they are following a practice which suits them, their bodies and their goals.
As the five main branches are likely to be the ones that a yogi encounters the most, weve shed more light on the type of practice and their benefits below.
Some of the 2021 Yoga Trends introduce even more types of Yoga! Learn about them here.
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Different Types Of Yoga Asanas With Pictures
How many types of yoga asanas are there? It seems like there are so many yoga poses for beginners, which confuses them with the way it has to be performed. Different types of asanas are classified on the basis of the level of performance. There are basically three types of yoga asanas beginner, intermediate and advanced level. All these types of yoga asanas are designed to deliver ideal health and mental well-being. Yoga helps to uplift ones soul, body and mind. So lets have a look at the 25 different types of yogasana postures and its benefits on health with pictures:
What Are The Three Yogas In The Bhagavad Gita
Among all these Yogas, three are considered to be the most prominent: namely, Jnan Yoga the Path of Knowledge, Karma Yoga the Path of Action and Bhakti Yoga the Path of Devotion. The first six chapters of Bhagavad Gita deal primarily with Karma Yoga, the next six with Bhakti Yoga and the last six with Jnan Yoga.
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Can I Start Doing Yoga At Home
The best reason to start a home yoga practice is that you dont need much to begin: Choose or create a quiet, uncluttered space in your home for your practice, and stock it with the essential basic yoga props mat, strap, blocks, blanket, bolster, etc.
Different Types Of Yoga And Their Benefits
Health
Lifestyle
Yoga is the hype of the moment in the fitness world. But luckily, this ancient discipline is something more than just a passing trend. Its roots are really ancient, and the modern evolution that we know is certainly different from its original nature. It remains, though, the desire for many people to approach this meditative discipline so fascinating which can help us find that difficult balance and give us the physical and mental energy so important to deal with our daily routine.
Especially in the last months, many people have approached yoga for the first time. Lockdowns and Covid-19 restriction have forced us to spend much more time at home, struggling to disconnect from work and find time for ourselves.
But did you know that there are different types of Yoga? It is important to know the various differences and thus choose to practice yoga that best suits your needs. In this article, we present 5 different types of Yoga and their benefits.
But do you know that there are different types of Yoga? It’s important to know the differences in order to practice the type of yoga that best suits your needs. In this article, we present 5 different types of yoga and their benefits.
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Your Guide To The Different Types Of Yoga
Yoga has come a long way in the past few years. Take a look at any studios schedule and youll see so many different types of yoga, from ashtanga yoga and kundalini yoga to aerial yoga and acro yoga. You might have even heard about or tried some of the more modern and unusual iterations of the ancient practice: hip-hop yoga, HIIT yoga, and naked yogajust to name a few.
Yoga practice is thousands of years old. However, it only arrived in the US in the late 1800s and only firmly took root within the last few decades. Since then, yoga has gone from a practice associated with hippies, to one thats practiced by nearly 37 million people.
And not all of these millions of people go to a yoga studio to do their downward dogs. If you like to unroll your mat at home youre not alone: Thats the number one place people practice.
What Are The 8 Types Of Yoga
If you are new to yoga, then you might have just found out that there are many types of yoga, each with a confusing name. However, all types of yoga offer various benefits. But since all of them are beneficial, how do you find the right type for you? How do you find a yoga style that you can easily adapt to?
In this article, well discuss 8 types of yoga and what each of them mean. If you havent tried any of them yet, we recommend going to each class to see which one suits you. And once you find the right yoga style for you, embrace it with all you have!
Without further ado, lets read on to find out about the 8 types of yoga and what they are like.
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Types Of Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is an athletic and challenging style of yoga that follows a set sequence. This type of yoga was taught and popularized in the mid 1900s by Indian yoga guru, K. Pattabhi Jois. Its actually a form of Vinyasa yoga, with Vinyasa referring to the flowing movement of linking one pose to another.
Ashtanga follows the same six series of specific asanas that flow into each other accompanied by synchronized breathwork. Its a physically demanding technique that has been said to improve the bodys endurance and flexibility. It also potentially has mindfulness benefits due to the need to be present while moving through the challenging sequences.
A study published in 2016 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine looked into the benefits of yoga for weight loss and suggested a positive effect for both number of calories burned and participants reporting a reduction in stress and food cravings as well as improved mood and self-esteem, and since Ashtanga is more physically demanding than some other types of yoga, it could be a good one to try if weight management is important to you.
Ashtanga is often confused with power yoga, which is similarly athletic but does not follow a set pattern. Teachers often like to design their own vinyasa flow routines in order to increase the challenge and give advanced students a more demanding practice.
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Restorative Or Yin Yoga
While many people use these terms interchangeably, there are subtle differences between these two styles. Both are gentle and meant for recovery and balance, but Restorative yoga encourages relaxing into a pose while Yin promotes a healthy sense of strain. For either one, the same thick or wide types of yoga mats allow the most range of movement with protection.
Types Of Yoga: Iyengar Yoga
Founded by B.K.S Iyengar in India in the 1970s, this type of yoga focuses on the precision and alignment of the postures. Participants may use a number of props including yoga blocks, bands, blankets and cushions to help their body achieve the correct postural alignment.
Though a slower style of yoga than both Ashtanga or Bikram, it takes immense concentration to achieve the correct alignment of each posture as well as an ability to hold the asanas for longer periods of time.
This style of yoga can benefit those recovering from injury or who find themselves very inflexible, as the props aid in achieving the desired postures without overstretching.
According to a research project published in the Journal of Bodyweight and Movement Therapies in 2009, flexibility increased in just six weeks when subjects practiced Iyengar yoga once a week. A study published in the journal Spine in 2009 also found that participants who practiced Iyengar yoga during the trial reported a significant reduction in chronic lower back pain. If you’re looking for yoga for back pain or other injuries, this might be a good type to try although we always recommend consulting with a doctor before beginning a new exercise regime.
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The Many Different Brands Of Yoga
There are many different styles/brands of yoga, but their are only four main types.
Huh?
What youre used to seeing at your yoga studio or online are likely different styles of yoga that spawned out of personal brands or movements of the modern day. Its best not to confuse the two, though, as most of the styles of yoga will fall under one of the four types listed above.
Not to say that these styles arent real yoga. Theyre just not the types of yoga.
If youre thinking about attending a yoga teacher training program, then its best to first understand the different types of yoga . Then, you can better understand the different styles or brands and which might be best for you.
During a yoga teacher training, you will learn all about yogic philosophy and the different techniques for moving through the asanas. Of course, exactly what you study depends on which type of yoga you are studying and which style of yoga asanas you are practicing.
You will also learn the various yoga postures, human anatomy, pranayama breathing exercises, meditation, and more.
And you will study the Yoga Sutras, which is basically the bible of ancient yoga.
Many yoga schools will also include the Hatha Yoga Pradipika in their curriculum, which is the oldest text on hatha yoga. Since hatha yoga is one of the four primary types of yoga, this text could be used in quite a few trainings, even if the brand of yoga is not necessarily hatha.
The 6 Most Common Types Of Yoga And Their Advantages
Yoga is a traditional discipline of Indian origin that not only nurtures the body, but also the mind. Over the years, different forms have emerged, and some 30 different types of Yoga are now being practised. And, all of them benefit the body, as we talked about in this article.
Therefore, it is now time to review the most common types of yoga and the advantages offered by each. You will only be able to discover which method suits you best and adapts best to your needs by reading on.
HATHA YOGA:
Hatha yoga is the most popular and the one offered in most gyms. It covers all the traditional aspects of yoga such as body awareness, breathing and meditation.
This type of yoga is ideal for people starting for the first time, since the general postures are basic, and the class progresses in a slow progressive manner. The asanas are simple with the aim of teaching you how to breathe, relax and meditate during the classes.
VINYASA YOGA:
If you are looking for a dynamic way to do yoga, this is the method for you. Vinyasa yoga connects movement to breathing and this is how the sequence of postures is guided. One posture after another is joined seamlessly and dynamically creating a pattern.
The routines vary in each session, although it is based on Hatha Yoga and its postures, and they tend to be high intensity classes.
KUNDALINI YOGA:
ASHTANGA YOGA:
IYENGAR YOGA:
BIKRAM YOGA:
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Types Of Yoga: How To Choose The Right Kind For You
When youre trying to determine which of the different types of yoga is best for you, remember that there is no right or wrong one just one that might not be right for you at this moment.
Like any form of exercise, choose something you want to do, says Stephanie Saunders, executive director of fitness at Beachbody and a certified yoga instructor. Bikram or Iyengar might appeal to you if you are a very detailed person. If you are more of a free spirit, vinyasa or aerial yoga might be fun. Find a class that makes you excited to go.
So which one will get you excited? Our guide to the common types of yoga can help you decide whether youre in more of a restorative yoga or a power yoga kind of mood, or anything in between.
You Say Ashtanga I Say Kundalini What’s The Difference Use This Guide To Find The Right Yoga For You
As studies continue to reveal yogas many health benefits, this centuries-old Eastern philosophy is fast becoming the new soul mate for workout enthusiasts. Contemporary devotees trying out different types of yoga range from high-powered execs trying to keep hearts beating on a healthy note to image-conscious Hollywood stars striving for sleek physiques. Even prominent athletes are adding yoga to their training regime to develop balanced, injury-free muscles and spines.
To applaud yoga for its physical benefits alone would only diminish what this entire system has to offer as a whole. By practicing yoga on a regular basis, you may be surprised to find that youre building much more than a strong, flexible body.
Americans are usually drawn to yoga as a way to keep fit at first, but the idea behind the physical practice of yoga is to encourage a deeper mind-body awareness, explains New York yoga teacher and author Beryl Bender Birch. Healing and balancing the physical body helps bring clarity and focus to the mind as well.
Initially, the sole purpose of practicing yoga was to experience spiritual enlightenment. In Sanskrit , yoga translates as yoke or union, describing the integration of mind and body to create a greater connection with ones own pure, essential nature.
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Exploring The Many Different Types Of Yoga
From Hatha to Vinyasa to Yin, we take a look at the many different yoga traditions and which ones will serve you best.
Yoga has come a long way since its early days in India more than 5,000 years ago. The health and wellbeing benefits of the age-old practice have been known for some time, but with more reasons for stress and anxiety than perhaps any other point in history, many Americans are turning to yoga for the first time in their lives in hopes of reaping some of those calming effects.
With an estimated 300 million yogis around the world and tens of thousands of yoga studios in the United States alone, yoga has been growing in popularity for several decades. But even as a longtime mainstay of the fitness industry yoga continues to baffle rookie and veteran practitioners alike, and with more than 100 different styles of yoga, from the traditional to the ultra-modern, its easy to see where the confusion arises.
Discovering what makes one type of yoga unlike the next can be an overwhelming experience, but its important to first and foremost understand which aspects of yoga have stayed true to their traditional roots in Hinduism and Buddhism, and which have been adapted or formed entirely in more recent years.
In ancient times, yoga was primarily practiced to cultivate spiritual harmony and enlightenment.
The version of yoga that dominates the world today was in large part the brainchild of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya of Mysore, the so-called father of modern yoga.
Hatha
