Discover which type of yoga is best for you based on your goals and interests: improving your fitness, relieving stress, avoiding back pain…
There is an increasing number of people who rely on yoga to improve their physical fitness, to find a balance with their body or to increase their physical and mental endurance, among other reasons, since it’s a speciality that can be easily adapted to each person’s needs.
Maybe that’s why yoga has become so popular in our country in the last 4 years: more than 13% of the population of Catalonia already practises yoga (12% in the whole of Spain) according to a study by Aomm from 2015, an online platform that specialises in this industry.
But, what’s the best type of yoga for you? With so many variants it’s normal you don’t know where to start: Vinyasa, Dharma, Asthanga, Hatha, Sivananda, Iyengar… that’s why we’ve prepared this guide explaining the different types of yoga there are based on your goals and interests.
Yoga to improve my physical fitness
“Actually, any type of yoga helps improve physical fitness,” says Pati Peguero, training coordinator at YogaOne by DiR centres. “Yoga changes your relationship with your body and leads you to healthier habits”, and she adds: “The result is that both the exercise you do with yoga and your change of habits in your day-to-day life help you improve your physical fitness, and even lose weight.”
In any case, she recommends Asthanga or Vinyasa Yoga because “they are two very dynamic types of yoga that help improve flexibility while working on muscle strength intensely, as is the case of Asthanga Yoga“.
Yoga to relieve stress
“Any type of yoga is good to help control daily stress,” says Pati. This is thanks to the state of relaxation you achieve both in your body and mind through the concentration the practice requires, and she adds that “the best way of preventing stress is to gradually include a meditation practice.“
In this case, Pati Peguero recommends “practising the type of yoga that most connects with you, because every session normally includes meditation.” Vinyasa Yoga is a good option for people who are looking for more active classes, maybe because they find it difficult to concentrate in more relaxed classes, “because you change positions very often”.
Yoga to delve into your spirituality
Although yoga positions may seem like gymnastic movements that alternate throughout a session, they also include a high spiritual component that “allows you to explore a state of full consciousness when you manage to hold a position correctly” says the great teacher Sri Dharma Mittra in his book “Life of a Yogi”.
Therefore, Dharma Yoga is one of the recommended types of yoga if spirituality is what you’re after, as well as Sivananda Yoga. “Both have an emotional component, but Dharma Yoga uses music to connect and the positions are focused mainly on opening the centre of the body up (known as Anahata Chakra or Heart Chakra), with the goal of unblocking emotions and feelings,” Pati tells us.
Yoga to relieve back pain
“Many people start practising yoga to help with back pain,” says Pati, adding that “it’s very beneficial because it helps you to align your body, to become aware and to learn to have a correct posture.“
Two great types of yoga that help with back pain are Iyengar Yoga and restorative yoga, which are designed to be practised by anyone, since accessories (wooden blocks, cushions, blankets, etc.) are used to help achieve perfection in each position without straining your body and help you hold each position.
A final recommendation is that “we should never strain our bodies; we have to be aware of where our limits are”, so it’s best to start practising yoga with a yoga professional. So “if you are constant and patient, you’ll end up reaping the benefits” concludes Patio Peguero, training coordinator at YogaOne By DiR centres.
Find the type of yoga that best suits your needs
We hope that after reading this post you have a better idea of which type of yoga you want to practise. But if you still have any questions, you can comment on this article or ask for more information at any of the YogaOne by DiR centres in person or by clicking on this link. Namaste!