Types of Yoga: what type of yoga to choose?

If we are wondering what type of yoga to choose , we must know that within what we know as " yoga " there are many types of practices, some very different from the others, and that depending on our previous objectives and our initial predisposition towards this discipline , we must know to be able to choose which of these types of yoga best suits our needs and concerns. Yoga is a discipline that has been gaining more and more popularity and followers over time. Its benefits are too many and too important to mention just above, but among them we could highlight its proven functions for the stretching of our joints, the oxygenation of our body and its better functioning, both musculoskeletal and brain, and of course not we can forget its relaxation and meditation part, which can be taken as far as we want.

Most popular types of yoga

The first thing to make clear is that no type of yoga is better than another , each one simply explores different parts of its path. When starting these practices, it is totally normal to wonder how many types of yoga exist and which of them could be better, but simply when choosing, it will be good that you take into account what works and what each of the ones that we will mention below focuses on. below, so that you can discern which would be the most appropriate for you.

Vinyasa Yoga

If what we are looking for is a discipline that helps us in personal self-control and an improvement in our body thanks to the rhythmic work of the respiratory system , the so-called vinyasa yoga could be a very successful choice. It is a type of yoga that will provide us with relaxation, but it is not precisely one of the slowest, since it is based on chains of movements and on teaching us to breathe correctly during practice with what is called "sound breathing". Vinyasa Yoga is a discipline that is based on dynamism and on the practitioner flowing and evolving from posture to posture , maintaining a slightly changing rhythm between each one and creating a kind of " dance " that occurs between each inhalation and exhalation. . Although there are many variants of this style of yoga such as " Dharma " or " Jivamukti ", we see that vinyasa yoga is based on dynamism, and on the synchronization of our movements between postures, being quite "moved", far from what could be believe by your approach to the breath. Facilities Hotel Bitácora, Tenerife.

hatha yoga

One more step towards tranquility and relaxation is something that we can find in the practice of hatha yoga, which, although it also requires a more physical part , is still one of the most practiced types of yoga in the world. Although it is quite physical, it is not the one that will require the most effort, neither in stretching nor in maintaining the postures, but it is true that everything can be taken to very high limits of perfection, which does require this part of body strength and endurance. By mastering breathing and the body, we will be able to stimulate energy circulation and thereby benefit our body for all its functions. In addition, practicing hatha yoga can give us a hand if one of our objectives is to lead a healthier life, achieve a balanced lifestyle in all its aspects, evolve in our meditation and relaxation as well as have a good body posture, achieved thanks to to the continuous and rigorous practice of its series of movements called " asanas ".

ashtanga yoga

Among the most demanding and physical types of yoga , we would highlight Ashtanga yoga as one of them. It is the type of yoga that celebrities such as Madonna herself have practiced, and which have given such good physical and health results. But every reward has its share of previous work, and in the case of this variant we assure you that it needs this continuous work. Also nicknamed the yoga of the warrior , it is a style that is clearly distinguished by focusing its work on parts such as flexibility, stretching, resistance, muscular capacity, strength and everything physical, but always based on respiratory capacity and to the good use of this, also delving into sound breathing and other techniques of this style. Although it is not the type of yoga that deepens meditation during these practices, it is equally beneficial for our well-being and the excellent work of the physical will bring us peace of mind and relaxation afterward as a reward for our practice. This is the so-called yoga of the eight steps, and it is believed that in the third century BC the writer Patanjali described it in a book called Yoga Sutra, this being the oldest book on yoga known today. . It is a yoga school that tries to incorporate the eight branches of traditional yoga into its practices, creating a complete path between all the concepts that they have. These eight parts of ashtanga yoga are:

• Yama (bans)
• Niyama (precepts)
• Asana (postures)
• Pranayama (breath control)
• Pratyahara (little eating)
• Dharana (sustainability)
• Diana (meditation)
• Samadhi (complete absorption)

Conclusion on what types of yoga to choose

We have seen three of the most practiced types of yoga in the world and that have been gaining the most fame, but obviously they would not complete the picture of how many types of yoga exist. There are many more, such as Kundalini Yoga , whose ultimate goal is focused on the work of opening the body chakras , or Bikram Yoga , which can be described as a more westernized practice of the ancient traditional yoga, based on marked sequences of asanas at one time. and controlled space (even in its temperature, requiring that it be done between 40 and 42 degrees) and that you may have also heard of it as the controversial "Hot yoga". All types of yoga practices have properties and benefits for our body and mind, simply depending on our tastes and our physical condition (a little more important if we want to start with Ashtanga, for example) we can opt for a type of yoga or another. Different paths, but all of them will elevate us towards a type of life with more meaning and purpose , that will develop an energetic awareness of ourselves and that will manage to take our mind and body beyond what we have managed to achieve before. We wish you a good yoga practice !