There are several types of systems of yoga that include Ashtanga, Iyengar, which are classical, and off-shoots including "power yoga," or "hot yoga" and "vinyasa yoga." They have different leading teachers with distinctively different fine alignment points.
Looking at yoga postures as a whole, however, there are names for different sequences or types of asanas, or postures.
Sun Salutations
Sun salutations or Surya Namaskara, literally "salutation to the sun" in Sanskrit, is a series of poses linked in a continuous, rhythmic form. They are seen in Ashtanga and their purpose is to thoroughly warm the body and prepare it for other poses. A sun salutation includes mountain pose, plank, chataranga, upward facing dog and downward facing dog. It is heat-building, helping to detoxify the body with its vigorous, athletic form.
Standing Poses for Posture
Standing poses are foundational. Tadasana, or mountain pose, is done standing with feet apart or together, extending tall through the crown of the head, hands down by the sides. Mountain pose is a balance pose and also one to refine healthy postural habits. By microbending the knees and contracting the quads and hamstrings of the thighs, you create stability for the legs and knee joints. By drawing in the lower belly slightly into a bandha, an energetic lift, or "lock," provides support for the lower back. Other standing poses include warrior I, or virabhadrasana I, warrior II, or virabhadrasana II, triangle or trikonasana and tree, or vkrsanana pose. Every standing pose will have components of mountain pose: length in the neck and low back and spinal extension.
Seated Forward Bends: Digestion
Seated forward bends are what people who are new to yoga practice view as one hallmark of the "importance" of yoga: flexibility. Paschimottanasana, or seated forward bend is done with feet extended straight, bending forward by turning the hip joints to keep the chest stiff and extended and bringing the hands around the feet, clasping one wrist. There are several variations for every pose to adjust to your flexibility. You also loop a yoga strap around the feet and stay seated, holding each end of the strap to find the therapeutic spinal traction in the pose. There are many seated forward bends and many are beneficial to the organs of digestion and elimination, as blood flow is concentrated there while in the pose.
Backbends Stimulate Endocrine System
Backbends are the counter pose to forward bends to keep the spine healthy. Bridge pose or setubhandasana is often seen in physical therapy clinics and gyms as well as in yoga studios for their therapeutic traction of the lower back and helping to decompress the sacrum. Other backbends are urdhva dhanurasna, or upward facing bow, which is a more advanced pose, bringing blood flow to the chest and head. Backbends are energizing as they help stimulate the endocrine system.
The idea is when you practice yoga, include groups of poses that will benefit you most. Many popular vinyasa classes, which means movement on the breath, include sun salutations, standing poses, forward bends, backbends, inversions and resting in corpse pose or savasana. This kind of practice can provide stress relief and build physical strength and endurance.
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