What is Yoga?

Yoga isn’t just for the velvet sweatsuit wearing soccer moms. Well, it is for them, but it’s not JUST for them. You can do yoga too. No, you don’t have to do any chanting if you don’t want to. All you have to do is to stretch and try to reach your toes once in a while. You might not make it every time, but that’s not what yoga is about. Not even close.

The True Goal of Yoga

When you do some research to find out more about yoga, you will see that the goal is not to be the person who can do the most bends or contort your body in a certain way. The real goal is to reach the ultimate freedom. What does this mean? This means that you will get out of your own karma and you’ll be able to live your life without being worried about what’s coming around the next corner. Your life, just by doing some bends, will help to connect you to something greater than a tighter tush.

For those who aren’t into the spiritual bit, you can look at yoga as a way to tone your body without having to run. Now that’s an argument in and of itself, isn’t it? With the stretches, you gain flexibility, with the postures, you gain strength, and with some forms of yoga, it can also be good for your heart and lungs. It’s a no impact form of exercise that can be tailored to anyone, no matter what shape you’re in.

Types of Yoga You Can Do

You have a few different kinds of yoga to choose from when you get started:

• Anusara – Basic yoga
• Ashtanga – More intense yoga
• Bikram – Hot sweaty yoga
• Hatha – Classic yoga
• Iyengar – Classic yoga
• Jivamukti – Yoga that includes chanting
• Kripalu – Self-empowerment yoga
• Kundalini – Yoga for enhancing sexual power
• Power – Athletic yoga
• Prenatal – Yoga for women who are pregnant
• Restorative – Yoga to help you release stress
• Sivananda – Slow yoga
• Viniyoga – Personalized yoga
• Yin – Quiet yoga

These types of yoga all have their benefits and the downsides, so you might want to try out a few before you sign up for just one class.

How to Bring Yoga into Your Life

So, you’re ready to learn more? When learning yoga, it’s a good idea to learn more from a few different sources.

• Classes – Taking a class with a qualified instructor is the best way to learn yoga. You will get instructions and adjustments that help you have the best form.
• Books – Or you can look at a book’s pictures and try to learn yoga that way.
• Videos – Many videos and shows that teach yoga are also available to help you learn more about the poses.

The best way to learn is to start at a class to get the basics, as you will learn what you are doing wrong and find out how to break bad habits. A video or a book isn’t going to push your body into the right position. At least, they can’t do that yet.