Archive for the ‘Yoga for beginners’ Category

Beginners Guide to Yoga

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

Yoga has gained a lot of popularity over the past couple of years and will continue to get more in the years to come. You might have already started yoga classes yourself and if you have done so, you are on the right path and it is a great decision you have made. Yoga will not only keep you in good shape, but it will also prevent various complications and improve your mental health.

To practice yoga, you might want to consider subscribing yourself to yoga classes in your area because it is definitely one of the best way to start. In beginner’s classes, you will be taught all of the basics of yoga including postures. If you are willing and interested in learning yoga by yourself, please know that there are some good books and e-books on the subject. There are even beginner’s yoga videos available to assist you and get you started. It is important to get the basics right at first when doing yoga, so if you decide to go and learn by yourself you must not go into complex yoga practices at first.

Saluting sun and moon is one of the first thing that will learn as a beginner in yoga. After that, you will want to learn relaxation exercises and also some interesting and important breathing techniques. Breathing is extremely important in yoga.

You will eventually start learning asanas that can be performed easily and you will also learn yoga postures of crouching and stooping.

You will notice when starting yoga and doing it for the first time that the first movements you will learn have the only goal of enhancing body flexibility. Then, more complex and difficult yoga practices will come as you acquire the required flexibility and tolerance. It is also important to know the basic body balance postures when doing yoga, so it is also part of the various other basic positions you will learn in beginner’s yoga sessions.

Beginner’s yoga is basically just for people to get comfortable with yoga. Once you feel comfortable enough, you can go ahead with more complex genres of yoga and take classes according to that. It is normal to feel discomfort when doing yoga at first, but don’t let that discourage you. Keep going and you will soon notice all the benefits.

The different types of yoga

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

Today, there are different types of yoga being taught and practiced. For that reason, it is imperative to choose the right type of yoga for you. Each yoga type has its own way of thinking and methods. You will find out that some styles or yoga are much more physical and based on flexibility or poses while some other styles are more meditative.

Here are presented the different types of yoga for you to make a better choice and decide which yoga style is best for you.

Hatha Yoga

This one does involves physical postures and breathing techniques. This style offer good benefits for your health in a physical way, but also in a spiritual way. You won’t necessary achieve a fit body with this technique, but you will definitely be balancing and strengthening your nervous system.

Jnana Yoga

This style of yoga does not focus on physical benefits, but more on knowledge. This is because this technique involves seven stages: involving study, selft-realization, desire, protection of the mind, developing non-attachment to material objects, letting the world appear like a dream, non attachment to the world and finally knowledge of the truth.

Bikram Yoga

If you are looking for body fitness, this is the kind of yoga that will let you achieve it. It will let you develop all components of fitness and that is muscular endurance, strength, flexibility and weight loos.

Ashtanga

This technique is often referred as power yoga. That technique is a very intense workout and it is aimed at building strength and endurance. Again, this is for you if you are up to the challenge of a very intense workout!

Viniyoga

This one is used more as a therapeutic measure. It is often used by people who have suffered injuries or are recovering from a surgery.

Vinyasa

This last type of Yoga will focus on your breath and coordination. It is a form of yoga that will require you to be physically active.