Sanyukta Baijal
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Written By: Sanyukta Baijal | Updated : June 17, 2020 7:18 PM IST
Yoga is a mind-body technique dating back to thousands of years. This traditional Indian practice has proved to come with incredible healing powers.
Yoga is a mind-body technique dating back to thousands of years. This traditional Indian practice has proved to come with incredible healing powers. Starting from calming your nervous system to boosting your immunity and alleviating pain, yoga does it all for you. In fact, some of its health benefits are now backed by science. With the intention of raising awareness about this mind-body technique the United Nations declared June 21 to be the International Day of Yoga on 11 December, 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recommended that June 21 be dedicated to yoga because it is the longest day of the year. This year, the theme for the International Day of Yoga is 'Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family'. The 2020 theme for International Yoga Day has been chosen, keeping the COVID-19 pandemic in mind which has brought the world to a standstill shutting down offices, academic institutions and businesses including gyms.
Yoga is not merely a combination of asanas. It is a way of life that incorporates workouts, diet, habits and philosophy. Several schools of yoga have emerged through these years. As the International Day of Yoga approaches, we guide you through the most popular styles of this age-old practice. This will help you choose the one that suits you best.
Vinyasa yoga
Vinyasa yoga is the often considered the most athletic yoga style. Adapted from another popular school of yoga, known as ashtanga, Vinyasa aims at synchronizing the poses with your breath in a rhythmic manner. Vinyasa poses can give you killer arms and shoulders. They can double up as great cardio moves too.
Popular poses: Plank Pose (Kumbhakasana) Knees-Chest-Chin Pose (Ashtanga Namaskara), Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) and more.
Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga refers to various other styles of yoga such as ashtanga, Iyengar, etc. In fact, it is an umbrella term for different schools that are based on the principle of physical practice. However, there are other branches of yoga too, such as kriya, raja, and karma yoga which focus on other aspects. Hatha yoga poses are the best for beginners since they are usually more slow-paced than other yoga styles. These poses work great for your breathing, blood circulation and heart health.
Popular poses: Headstand (Sirsasana), Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana), Plough Pose (Halasana) and more.
Iyengar yoga focusses on alignment as well as detailed and precise movements. In this form of yoga, people perform a variety of postures while controlling their breath. This style is really great for people with injuries who need to work slowly and methodically.
Popular poses:Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana, Parivrtta Parsvakonasanaand more.
Kundalini yoga style is all about releasing the energy in your body which is said to be trapped, or coiled, in the lower spine. It also involves chanting, mantra, and meditation, breathing exercises, warmups. These are referred to as kriyas in Kundalini yoga and the aim is to release negative energy.
Popular poses:Tree Pose (Vrkasana), Corpse Pose (Savasana), Cat-Cow Pose (Marjarasana-Bidalasana), Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Vinyasa yoga stems from ashtanga as its flowing style links your breath with your movements. These types of yoga poses involve a very physically demanding sequence of postures. It helps build your immunity, promotes weight loss and keeps your overall health intact.
Popular poses: Suryanamaskar pose, triangle pose (Trikonasana), wide-legged forward bend Ppse (Prasarita Padottanasana) and many more.
It includes poses that involve slow movement. The holding time for each asana is between 1 to five minutes. Yin yoga has a mixed origin. It draws inspiration from both martial arts and yoga. The poses target your hips, lower back, and thighs with the help of props like bolsters, blankets, and blocks. In this school of yoga, gravity plays a major role. It targets your connective tissues, not only muscle groups.
Popular poses: Caterpillar Pose, dandling pose, dragon pose, dragonfly pose, frog pose.
Restorative yoga focuses on winding down and relaxing your mind when you are done for the day. At its core, this style is all about body relaxation. Restorative yoga also helps to cleanse and keeps your mind stress-free. In this style, many props such as blankets, bolsters, and eye pillows can also be used.
Popular poses: Child's pose (Balasana), Corpse pose (Savasana), Happy baby pose (Ananda Balasana) and more.
