Hatha, the yoga of physical health, is the most widely practiced form of yoga in the world. Through breathing techniques and postures, Hatha yoga builds strength, tones muscle, increases flexibility, aids in body alignment and balance and increases breathing capacity. Hatha yoga techniques vary in the style and sequence of poses, breathing methods and use of meditation.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga, the most intensive type of Hatha yoga, combines synchronized breath and movements to generate internal heat and detoxify the body. The 240 poses performed in six sequences are linked together by breathing. Ashtanga focuses on flexibility, strength and stamina equally. Unlike some forms of yoga where poses are held for long periods of time, the quick succession of poses in Ashtanga provides aerobic exercise to strengthen the cardiovascular system.
Ananda Yoga
Ananda yoga employs a series of gentle poses to prepare the body for deep meditation. While for most yoga practitioners in the West the poses provide the sought-after benefits of strength and flexibility, Ananda yoga poses are simply the means to an end. During Ananda yoga poses, you tense and relax muscle groups to relax the mind and energize the body.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram yoga, sometimes called "hot yoga" uses 26 poses to build strength and balance. Bikram yoga requires a room heated to near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a distinctive characteristic of the form. Practitioners of Bikram hold poses for longer periods of time while focusing on breathing technique to build up internal heat. The combined effect of internal body heat and the warm room may aid the body in detoxification.
Kundalini Yoga
The word "Kundalini" means awareness, and this form of yoga is used for emotional balance and stress relief as well as building muscle strength. Kundalini yoga combines poses and breathing techniques with focused meditation and chanting. Each element aims at directing the Kundalini energy, said to reside at the base of the spine, up through the rest of the body. The end goal of a session is to walk out feeling alert and energized.
References
- Energy in Motion: Types of Hatha Yoga
- Yoga Yoga: Hatha Yoga
- Yoga Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga
- Yoga Yoga: Kundalini Yoga
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