Types of yoga and its benefits

One of the sports with the most tradition and popularity among people who decide to take care of themselves and repair their bodies is yoga. This ancient ritual has gone from being a technique used in the East to being connected in body and soul to become one of the most practiced disciplines in the world. The benefits that yoga can bring us are numerous; there are people who do it as a way to keep the body active and toned, others to improve their flexibility and lose weight, and others because they want to improve an old injury or simply want to relieve stress and anxiety by having a reflective moment and meditative.

As you will see, yoga has many purposes and that is why throughout its long history different types have been created. In this article, we are going to review the main types of yoga, their characteristics, and their benefits.

Yin-yoga

Yoga is a way to connect with our body and calm the mind and one of the yogas that best achieves this is Yin Yoga. As in the yin and yang symbol, this yoga represents calmness and reflection. It is a very leisurely and relaxing practice, with postures that can last up to 8 minutes and allow you to have full concentration.

Yoga Nidra

If what you are looking for is relaxation and a good way to go to rest or sleep, this yoga is ideal for you. The sessions usually last no more than 20 minutes and, in addition to some light stretching, the practice consists of doing long savasana in which you can meditate and relax your mind.

Here you can learn about some of the Yoga Nidra exercises and here the Yoga Postures to sleep better.

Comprehensive Yoga

One of the yogas most demanded by people who start in this world is integral yoga since, as its name indicates, it combines several techniques to achieve a complete practice. Thus, you will have slow warm-up movements, practices accompanied by breathing with the use of strength and balance, and, finally, a time of meditation and relaxation.

Restorative yoga

Yoga starts from the basis that the body is our best instrument, the one that cares for and shelters the mind. That is why many times the practices consist of activating it, but also of restoring it. This type of yoga is responsible for healing and recovering the body that, for whatever reason, is convalescing; either due to an injury, a sedentary lifestyle, or a very demanding sports practice. It consists of slow and conscious movements that seek to stretch and repair the tissues.

Hatha-yoga

If you are starting out in the world of yoga, it is best that you try this modality, since it is considered the basis of all other styles of yoga. This type of yoga combines the first part of breathing and stretching exercises with an intermediate part of strength and active breathing and the last part with savasana and mantras that will help us recover from the practice.

Iyengar yoga

This modality bears the name of its creator, Iyengar, and consists of a practice similar to Hatha but with up to 200 postures that, according to its creator, make up a complete style. These are enveloping movements, complete with different breaths that seek to align your body.

Viniyoga

There are times when, as much as we want, our bodies cannot develop complex practices due to limitations or ailments. For this, there is the Viniyoga modality, which is designed to adapt to the needs of each person. In this way, the postures will be oriented to the capacities and it will be possible to develop yoga without risks.

Prenatal yoga

Over the decades, the great benefits of yoga have been demonstrated, especially for women and the development of their menstrual cycles and their reproductive system. That is why, when some women decide to become mothers, they turn to yoga to make it easier for them to carry a more conscious pregnancy and, in addition, they exercise vital parts of their body in this cycle.

Here we indicate 5 yoga exercises for pregnant women

Ashtanga-Yoga

This type of yoga is one of the most popular and you can find it in most specialized centers. It is a practice that, rather, looks like a choreography. The sessions are divided into several parts where initial breathing and final savasana are performed and, in between, sun salutations, balances, and strengthening postures.

Vinyasa-Yoga

If what you want is a much more active yoga and in which you can tone up and burn calories, Vinyasa is designed for it. It is the modality that is usually used to create sessions in gyms and fitness centers since each posture will be accompanied by breathing; the more accelerated, the faster it will go, getting activated, warming up the muscles, and toning up the body and mind.