4 yoga styles for a gentle practice

If you haven’t jumped on the yoga craze yet, make 2020 the year you find out what you’re missing. From better strength and posture to gaining flexibility and calming the mind, yoga has all the benefits. Those who like to sweat usually go for an Ashtanga or hot yoga class, yet some others prefer a gentler practice. For a slow-paced class to de-stress and revitalize, try these four yoga styles.

1. Hatha

Those who are looking for a calming practice can certainly find it in Hatha yoga. The classes mainly focus on basic yoga poses, so Hatha is great for a beginner.

During Hatha, you’ll learn about pranayama, which means breathing techniques and asanas which refer to yoga postures. Essentially, it is breath control

Hatha is about achieving harmony between the energies of the sun and the moon, in spiritual terms. After a few weeks you’ll have all the basic poses down and will be ready for a more advanced class, if you wish to do so.

2. Kundalini

Kundalini yoga borrows many of its postures from Hatha, so the two are very similar in a physical sense. The difference is that Kundali generally uses more meditation, and chanting mantras with a strong focus on kundalini energy.

It is said that the kundalini energy lies in the base of your spine. The focus of the practice is to release that energy and move it through the seven chakras of the body.

During a kundalini class, you’re likely to practice breathing techniques such as “alternate nostril breathing.” See it in practice here:

3. More yoga styles: Yin yoga

Yin yoga goes at an even slower pace than Hatha or Kundalini. During a Yin class, expect lots of floor postures.

You hold each pose for up to five minutes, yet the poses are passive, thus allowing you to deeply stimulate your joints and tissues. The classes are about encouraging flexibility, deep stretches and circulation, as opposed to cardio.

With each posture, you should meditate or focus on your breathing. Yin is a very low impact yoga style, which allows you to unwind and hopefully sleep better with regular practice.

Some people love Yin classes, while others don’t find the activity to be dynamic enough to stimulate them. It just depends on which experience you are looking for; once you find what you like for yoga styles, make it part of your routine.

There are also Yin-Yang classes, which alternate between both slow and dynamic sequences. The poses combine breath and movement together, with benefits that include boots in flexibility and muscular strength.

4. Restorative yoga

Restorative yoga involves holding around six poses for longer periods of time. You’ll usually be given props to comfortably support your body throughout each posture.

During a restorative class, you’ll find folds, twists and backbends, all of which mainly happen on the floor. The style is similar to Yin, yet has more of a focus on helping those who suffer from injuries – though that’s not compulsory! For a restful class and a deep stretch for your body, these classes are the place to be on a weekend or any other time.

Conclusions on yoga styles

To have the best yoga experience, it helps to learn more about meditation. Each class guides you through meditation sequences to help you to get the hang of it.

If you’re looking for further practice, try meditation apps like HeadSpace or Calm. With a great yoga and meditation regime, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle than before.