The Workout:

Hatha yoga – the type of yoga taught at our studio, is the American and European adaptation of the Indian-originated system of calisthenic exercises and breathing practices.

• Uses bodyweight, leverage, and isometric muscle exercises to achieve balanced strength and safe flexibility
• Internally-focused awareness on sensations and the rhythm of the breath, the inner part of yoga, helps the practitioner build a mental state of concentration and calm

The Physical Benefits:

• Supports proper alignment of the spine
• Teaches to intentionally strengthen and coordinate core muscles
• Has immense therapeutic benefits for scoliosis and lower back pain
• Remarkable flexibility because daily practice creates balanced strength across joints as it simultaneously reshapes and breaks down old fascia.

The Mental Benefits:

• Cultivates a state of alertness and calmness.
• Use of meditation practices, which serve to increase self-awareness and self-regulation.

Styles of Yoga:

• Hatha Yoga – Generally describing physical posture practice (“yoga asana”) as well as breathing and meditation practices
• Iyengar Yoga – A specialization of Hatha Yoga for therapeutic purposes; developed and taught by B.K.S. Iyengar
• Ashtanga Yoga – A specialization of Hatha Yoga focusing on athleticism and flexibility; developed and taught by K. Pattabhi Jois
• Hot Yoga – In the 1970’s, Indian national Bikram Choudhury began teaching an adaptation of Hatha Yoga, now popularly called “Hot Yoga”, in which a proscribed set of postures are performed in an intensely heated room.

Recent American innovations and adaptations of these Indian styles are:

• Power Yoga (Flow Yoga) – Yoga postures combined with aerobic exercise; focused primarily on fitness; developed in the 1990’s and taught by Doug Swenson, Baron Baptiste, and Bryan Kest
• Jivamukti Yoga – A variation of Power Yoga incorporating devotional practices; developed in 1984 by David Life and Sharon Gannon
• Forrest Yoga – A therapeutic style of yoga developed and taught by Ana Forrest

Safety

A novice yoga student working with bodyweight and leverage is more likely be safe than a novice in strength training who may overload their muscles and joints with excessive weight in a squat or bench press.

At least one therapeutic yoga class a week is an important investment in longevity for anyone, regardless of whether you go to five, three, or just one yoga class(es) a week.

Awareness of one’s own body, whether in a yoga class or out of it, is one of the best ways to prevent an injury, or continue to be active and careful after an injury has occurred.