Yoga is a great stress reliever and can also strengthen your muscles. Research shows that it improves blood flow and levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells, allowing more oxygen to reach the body’s cells.
Many yoga classes begin with a teacher chanting “ohm.” Although this may catch newbies off guard, it is important to listen and join in.
All-Level
All-level classes are suitable for students of any age and experience. These classes offer a safe environment that allows each student to work at their own pace. They may include a combination of beginner/Level 1 poses and general/Level 2 poses, focusing on fundamental actions within standing, seated, twisting and forward bending postures. They also introduce and refine inversions like Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) and Full Arm Balance as well as backbends and head balances including Sirsasana (headstand).
In a flow-based class, breath is linked to movement as poses are continuously sequenced together. This class can be challenging but will build strength and balance in the body. It is recommended that you have some yoga experience to participate in a flow-based class. The level of difficulty is advanced.
Gentle
Suitable for all levels of practice, gentle yoga classes move slowly and mindfully to release stress and cultivate a sense of inner peace. Gentle yoga poses help strengthen the spine and improve balance, posture, and flexibility, and they are also well-suited to those with physical limitations or injuries.
If you’re a power or hot yoga lover, try adding in a few gentle classes every once in a while to prevent yoga burnout and challenge yourself in new ways. A regular gentle yoga practice can also alleviate chronic stress and lower resting heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep disturbances, according to research. A 2012 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine reported that eight weeks of a gentle yoga practice resulted in improvements for the participants in their sleep, mood, and anxiety.
Vinyasa Flow
The fluid movements in Vinyasa yoga are synchronized with your breath, which creates a full-body workout that enhances strength and flexibility. Vinyasa can also strengthen the respiratory system, helping you breathe easier and clearer.
This style of yoga is great for people who are sedentary or suffer from back pain, as it builds muscle, improves posture and increases range of motion in the joints. It also helps with emotional health by encouraging you to connect with your body and your feelings.
It’s a good idea to wear comfortable, breathable clothing for vinyasa yoga, and remember that the practice can be more intense than other classes. But, according to a study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, a 90-minute class can be considered moderate-intensity exercise.
Restorative
Restorative yoga teaches us to slow down and re-calibrate. This yoga style is most effective for those looking for a gentle yet deeply relaxing experience. It’s a great place to start for beginners or those with injuries.
It’s typically a quieter class where the teacher encourages participants to stay in one pose for minutes at a time and uses props such as bolsters, blankets, blocks and chairs to support poses like Child’s Pose, Reclining Bound Angle Pose and Savasana (final relaxation). Classes often feature soft ambient music and dim lighting.
A regular restorative practice helps you recover from any physical activity, and it may even improve your sleep quality. And it’s been found to help lower cortisol levels, which can reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a more balanced life.
Yin
Yin Yoga is designed to improve the flow of energy known as qi (or chi) through the meridian pathways in the body. It offers a perfect balance to the more active and dynamic styles of yoga that strengthen muscle, improve agility and boosts endurance.
Unlike yang yoga, where poses are held for short periods of time, in yin yoga you hold postures for longer – sometimes 5 minutes or more. This length of time allows you to work deeper into the connective tissues of the body such as the ligaments, tendons and joint capsules.
Working into these areas of the body can create sensation in the form of tension or compression. This is a great way for emotions that you have suppressed with your busy life to rise to the surface and be released.