Types of yoga: how to choose what’s right for you

Spring and summer 2020 were the ideal time to study yourself, meditate and determine the vector of development for future years. We suggest not to rest on your laurels and to continue self-discovery this year as well.

Yoga is an interesting method to clear the mind, find solutions to daily problems or simply switch from mental work to physical work. Together with hatha yoga instructor Alexandra Churkina, we dot the “e” in the simplest questions and nuances of yoga.

Alexandra Churkina

Hatha yoga instructor

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What kind of yoga is yoga?

Practitioners used to call this sport “stopping the fluctuations of the mind”. So it is, one of the main goals of yoga is to stop the mental gumption and disconnect from external stimuli as much as possible during the class.

Yoga can be viewed as:

• a school of philosophy;
• a system of health-enhancing physical exercises.

When we talk about physical exercises – this is hatha yoga. And it has enough directions nowadays:

• Iyengar hatha yoga;
• ashtanga vinyasa yoga;
• many “author’s” directions (vinyasa flow yoga, yoga 23, hot yoga).

Globally, if you see hatha yoga on a yoga center’s schedule, you’ll primarily be practicing asanas – yoga postures. There will also likely be basic breathing techniques, which are often begun to be mastered in just such classes.

What are the goals of the practice?

If we are talking about hatha yoga, rather than yoga as a philosophical school, the goal is to get rid of suffering: in terms of the physical body and in terms of the emotional and psychological state. The practice helps to improve health and normalize the general psychological background, as well as to cope with stress.

Exercise is a preparation of the body for meditation. To sit for a long time in a cross-legged position and meditate, you need to:

• work on opening the hip joints, otherwise sitting in a stable position, such as lotus pose, will be impossible without risk of injury;
• strengthen the back;
• strengthen the cortical muscles so that when sitting, the back remains straight and the mind is not distracted by discomfort in the body.

These goals are relevant for all varieties of hatha yoga.

How to choose a direction?

It is important that the style suits you, your temperament and lifestyle.

It is not easy to do very active Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga six days a week, and this mode will not suit everyone. However, this type of yoga remains one of the most popular.

Choosing a direction, go to several classes, try each type of yoga and choose the one you want to practice regularly. The main secret to a successful practice is to practice consistently.

Are there “male” and “female” types of yoga? There is no universal answer to this question, because we are all different. As one of the main yoga teachers of our time, Pattabhi Jois, said:

Everyone can practice. Young people can practice. Old people can practice. Very old people can practice. If a person is sick, he can practice. If a person is not strong enough, he can practice. Everyone can practice except the lazy.

But if you look at the styles very mediocrely, Ashtanga Vinyasa is suitable for young, healthy and active people, it has a lot of dynamics and power poses, so men and active women will definitely not get bored during the class.

Iyengar yoga is suitable for lovers of leisurely practice with clear adjustment of each position.

For people who have health problems, yoga therapy classes are suitable – the instructor gives special complexes that will allow you to work through all the nuances.

For people who have strict contraindications to physical exercises, there is yoga nidra (yoga direction, where we work with our subconscious mind, it is a technique of deep relaxation, helping to relieve stress and improve the general condition).

If there are any serious illnesses, it is better to consult a doctor before you start practicing. And it is also important to warn the instructor about the existing problems and peculiarities.

When to start practicing?

To learn this sport is better at a conscious age, on average from the age of 18, but this is not a rigid restriction. In yoga studios there are special classes for children, but such classes are rather just one of the types of physical activity.

What to take with you to the class?

You only need a mat, comfortable clothes and a strong intention to practice.

Sometimes, at the stage of mastering different asanas, “props” – for example, a special brick or strap – can be useful. But if they are not at hand, you can always replace them with something from improvised materials or perform a simplified version of asana.

Can yoga do harm?

Yes, if you do not listen to the instructor. A competent instructor will always tell and show you how to safely build a practice, what contraindications there are to different asanas. Plus a qualified instructor can come up and correct you or deepen the pose.

It’s important to be smart about choosing a place to practice. It is best to go to yoga studios, where not ordinary fitness trainers, but real yoga instructors work.