Power Yoga Strength for Beginners

Which Yoga is Right For You?

It seems like yoga is everywhere these days. There are yoga classes in gyms, high schools, senior citizen centers, and strip malls, each with a different spin: gentle yoga, hot yoga, restorative yoga, pre- and post-natal yoga, power yoga, and mommy and me yoga, just to name a few.

Why is yoga experiencing such popularity? It might be because of the health benefits yoga practitioners say they experience, and the fact that yoga can be tailored to their specific needs.

I am a firm believer that anyone can benefit from a dedicated yoga practice. Yoga can improve your health and bring clarity to your mind. Your muscles become stronger, and you will gain more flexibility in your joints, something that doesn’t happen from working out at the gym.

In fact, many students have come to me with injuries sustained from working with weights or from years of running. You have to be careful if you have injuries, but that shouldn’t prevent you from beginning a yoga practice. You should never feel pain in a posture. There are always modifications to protect an injured area.

Students Report Benefits

Dedicated yogis report all kinds of benefits from practicing yoga, from improved health to reduced pain.

“I began yoga to become flexible and strengthen my body for running, especially my upper body,” says Suzanne Gentry of Eaton’s Neck. “The benefits I have gained are numerous. I have a lot of flexibility, tighter abs, stronger legs and upper body. I am more relaxed and sleep well. I am able to run like I did ten years ago. My hamstrings no longer hurt and my quads are stronger.”

Susan Noddle of Manhattan reports that yoga has reduced her pain from two herniated discs in her back that lie on the L5 nerve root and cause discomfort in her foot.

“I have practiced with this injury and while at times I have to modify or take it slow, it has not prevented me from practicing for any sustained amount of time,” says Susan. “I have had to take a week or a few days off when it flares up, but I am always able to return. I also have had surgeries on both of my knees. My surgeon recommends yoga for my knees.”

Monica Diamond-Caravella of Huntington tells of the positive effects of yoga on her chronic neck pain. “I suffer from chronic neck pain related to a motor vehicle accident. I’ve been through physical therapy twice, for at least nine months each, with traction. Yoga keeps my neck supple and flexible and the majority of the time I have no pain. If I don’t keep up my practice, my neck pain comes back.”

Yoga For Any Age, Any Level of Ability

People of any age can practice yoga. My students are all ages: from teenagers to 70-year-olds. Not only is practicing yoga possible at any age, you don’t have to be able to touch your toes or bend like a pretzel to do it. Flexibility is a byproduct of practicing yoga. It’s one of the benefits.

If you’ve “tried yoga and didn’t like it,” I would encourage you to take a class with a different teacher or try a different style. Yoga is so beneficial on many levels, no matter what your age. Don’t give up because you didn’t like the teacher, or you felt the class was too difficult, or too easy. There’s a yoga class for everybody!

A Guide to the Types of Yoga

Not sure where to begin? Here are brief descriptions of some of the different types of yoga available in our area:

VINYASA FLOW – “Vinyasa” means “to move with the breath.” In some vinyasa-style yoga classes you will flow in and out of postures without having to hold one pose for very long. In others, the teacher may instruct you to stay in the posture longer, which may be more challenging. Anusara, Ashtanga, Jivamukti and Power Yoga are all vinyasa style practices.

ANUSARA – Founded in 1997 by John Friend, Anusara is a vinyasa-style practice that emphasizes heart-opening through backbending and alignment and includes the use of props. Anusara means “flowing with Grace” and the practice aims to look for the good in all things. This class is good for students of all levels.

ASHTANGA – This system, passed on by Pattabhi Jois, involves linking movement to breath in a series of postures designed to detoxify, align and strengthen the body. In this type of yoga, the room in usually heated to 85 degrees. Many people find this a challenging practice.

JIVAMUKTI – Jivamukti means “liberation while living.” This type of yoga was founded by David Life and Sharon Gannon and incorporates chanting, yoga philosophy and meditation along with postures and breath.

POWER YOGA – Similar to Ashtanga, power yoga synchronizes breath and movement. These classes are designed to build strength and flexibility and can be quite challenging.

BIKRAM YOGA (or HOT YOGA) – Named after its founder, Bikram Choudhury, this type of yoga is practiced in a room heated to 100 degrees or more. Prepare to sweat. A lot! This method consists of a set series of 26 postures with each posture repeated twice in 90 minutes. Wear light clothing, bring a water bottle and a very big towel.

HATHA – A hatha yoga class is a good place for beginners to learn the basic standing, seated and balancing postures of yoga. These classes generally move at a slower pace.

KUNDALINI – Kundalini yoga is designed to free energy in the lower body, allowing it to move upwards, awakening the seven charkas. This class consists of rapid, repetitive movements done with breath or holding a pose while breathing in a particular way. Classes include chanting and can be physically intense.

IYENGAR – This style is named after its originator, BKS Iyengar, and is characterized by precise attention to alignment in each posture. You will more than likely hear the teacher direct your attention to your feet, knees, hips, spine, sternum, neck, head, and other body parts in just about every pose. The use of props such as blocks, straps, bolsters, and blankets is encouraged.

RESTORATIVE – These classes focus on relaxing the body in postures that are comfortable, usually using props such as bolsters and blankets.

One way to make sure your instructor has been properly trained is to see if they are registered with Yoga Alliance, a national registry for yoga teachers. This indicates that the teacher has completed a standard course of study. A poorly trained instructor may inadvertently cause injury by forcing a pose or allowing a student to try something the student isn’t ready for. Yoga Alliance’s national registry is available online at www.yogaalliance.org.

Yvonne Suzuki Licopoli, Registered Yoga Teacher
Northport, New York

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What Type of Yoga is For You?

What Type of Yoga is For You?
By Bradley White

Yoga is a wonderful all-encompassing exercise for staying healthy. Yoga’s origins hail from ancient India enhancing both physical and mental well being. In the West, the most commonly practised branch of yoga is Hatha Yoga. This uses postures, breathing techniques, conscious relaxation and meditation. Within Hatha Yoga there are several styles, each with a different emphasis, so it is important to try them out and decide which suits you most. Here is a guide to some of the most popular styles of Hatha Yoga:

Hatha
If a class is described merely as “Hatha”, it is likely to include a number of techniques from across the various styles, but it will be good as an introduction for the beginner – and probably not too strenuous as a start.

Vinyasa
This is also a very general term for a yoga class. In yoga, a Vinyasa refers to a movement that is synchronized with the breath. Vinyasa-style yoga is based on a sequence of movements that are matched to the breath and is more active than the basic Hatha yoga described above.

Iyengar
This yoga is best for body alignment. In each pose there is a significant emphasis on the body position and ensuring that it is correct. The classes are slower and the poses are held for longer periods of time. Frequently props (blocks, straps etc.) are used to assist correct positioning. The attention to detail in each pose in this yoga, results in maximum benefit with minimum likelihood of any injury.

Ashtanga
As a very dynamic form of yoga, the movements are carried out fairly quickly and in a set order. This style is good for detoxifying, building strength and flexibility as well as increasing stamina. It will appeal to those who prefer intense and challenging exercise. Power yoga is derived from Ashtanga yoga. The only difference is that there is no set sequence.

Bikram / Hot yoga
Here yoga is practiced in a room where the temperature is set at 95 to 100 degrees F. The heat is to assist in loosening muscles and cause sweating in order to cleanse the body. There is a set sequence of 26 poses. Usually each is performed twice and held for a certain period of time. This is a challenging and forceful form of yoga. It is preferable for those who are already fit and who have few injuries.

Kundalini
The breath is the focus in this style of yoga. The purpose is to become aware of the effect of the breath on the posture. The movements are quick and repetitive and the class may involve chanting.

Sivananda
Here great emphasis is placed on the principles of exercise, healthy foods, correct breathing, relaxation and positive thinking and meditation.

Integral Yoga
Another general Hatha-type yoga, integral yoga makes use of poses, breathing techniques, chanting and meditation.

Viniyoga
This is a gentle-flowing, therapeutic yoga practice. It focuses on developing a style for each individual according to their needs. It aims to achieve flexibility, stability of joints, healing, strength and feelings of wellbeing. Often it is taught privately for therapeutic reasons.

There are a number of other styles of yoga. All involve the aspects mentioned above to varying degrees. Many also include a definite focus on the spiritual side of the art of yoga. You can choose your style according to your needs: perhaps it is for physical challenge, perhaps therapeutic, or for relaxation or maybe general well-being. Try a few different classes and find your preference. You can always switch to another style as your life progresses and needs change.

Bradley P. White has been a practicing pharmacist in Ohio for 13 years. He focuses his practice on healthy living and wellness. He educates people on how to correct nutritional deficiencies to avoid illness and disease. To get a copy of Bradley’s Free book How To Avoid A Lifetime Of Illness and Medications visit his site at http://www.supersizeyourhealth.com/blog/st/index1.html

Copyright BPW Solutions LLC 2009

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