Yoga

"Most People have no idea how good their body is designed to feel"

- Kevin Trudeau

There are various types of yoga, some of which are designed to challenge students physically and which have noticeable benefits of strength and improved muscle tone with a regular practice, such as vinyasa. Other types of yoga are more restorative in nature, targeting stretching exercises and having at its core a fundamental goal of relaxation, such as yin.

All yoga is beneficial, but it depends on what you or your group are looking to achieve and what your ultimate aim is with yoga. For instance, if you are looking to supplement a high intensity physical exercise regime with safe, targeted and effective stretch exercises which are restorative in nature, then a yin yoga practice could be your yoga of choice. However, if you want your yoga practice to increase not only your flexibility but to also enhance muscle tone and respiratory health, vinyasa or hatha yoga could be the preferred option. Whatever your choice, you can be assured that any style of yoga practice will provide you with a multitude of health benefits, with a regular yoga practice significantly improving the way your body feels and thereby, your life. Some benefits of a regular yoga practice include increased flexibility, muscle tone and strength; improved athletic performance; better and more regular sleep patterns; relief of chronic pains in the muscles and joints; improved circulatory and cardio health; and detoxification of organs.

At first, it can be difficult to discern which is the right practice for you. Often times, it is useful to trial different yoga styles to see how your body feels in each specific practice. Whatever your goals or requirements, at Align, we can talk to you about the most suitable yoga for your or your group and we are available for a phone consultation to help you identify which style is best.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa is a more vigorous style of yoga, based on a swift flow through sun salutations, often defined as continuous flow from one posture to the next. This style is typified by creative sequencing and sweaty yoga bliss, linking postures together with breath. Classes are taught at varying levels, with a gentle and simple flow for beginners at one end the spectrum to a complex, vigorous and high intensity sequence at the other end. The practice is characterised by a series of standing, flowing postures that are linked together, followed by a period of floor based stretches before coming down into a final relaxation at the end, savasana. If you are looking to build strength within your practice as well as flexibility, then this is the practice for you.

Yin

The focus of a yin practice is the opposite to that of a higher intensity yang style practice, such as vinyasa. While vinyasa works on targeting muscles, yin works on the deeper tissues in the body, known as the connective tissues such as joints, bones, ligaments and fascia. The practice of yin is characterised by a slow moving sequence of passive postures, generally done on the floor, and has a quiet, meditative aspect to it. However, despite being a gentler practice, it is not necessarily an easier one. There is the opportunity to explore a position and access a deeper layer of the body, as poses are held for longer periods, generally 2 minutes and sometimes up to 5 minutes. This is where students can also practice meditation as they are required to sit in stillness for longer periods.

It is a natural progression of life that flexibility decreases as we age. Yin yoga is a fabulous way to either maintain or regain some of that flexibility. It is also a practice that, because of its slow pace and the ability for students to get intimate with their own feelings and emotions, has been used in programs to treat addiction, anxiety, depression and trauma. It is a deeply calming practice that has been proven to significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels, increase mobility in the body, assist people with their yang style practices (whether that be a stronger yoga or some other form of physical exercise) and a wonderful way for a person to feel rejuvenated from the inside - as if they had just spent a few hours at a day spa enjoying a full body massage!

Hatha

Hatha yoga is a series of postures taught slowly and with precision. This is an excellent practice for beginners or those who are not quite ready to delve into a stronger vinyasa flow. It is a comparatively gentle practice where poses are held longer, providing an opportunity for a deeper exploration of each pose, thereby enabling newer students to build awareness and develop a steady foundation for all types of yoga in general. Hatha yoga was traditionally the style of yoga that was experienced in hot yoga studios when they first appeared in LA (a studio heated to 38 degrees), such as Bikram Yoga and Modo Yoga. These days, hatha yoga has developed to incorporate a number of different elements and it can look and feel very different to these traditional practices. For instance, hatha yoga can be taught to target specific types of ailments, such as poor posture; it can be a sequence that is designed to treat busy and stressed minds; or, it can be used for relief of back and chronic pain.

Kundalini

Kundalini Yoga, introduced to the west by Yogi Bhajan and known for being the “yoga of awareness”, is growing in popularity. It involves breath work, meditation, mantra and movement to regulate the energy of the mind, fire up creativity, and build pathways for connection to one’s life purpose. It is one of the fastest ways for a person to transform, push past negative thoughts and open up the heart to allow more love in.

At Align, we recommend an 8-week course for beginners to establish a consistent practice and experience the positive effects of a Kundalini yoga practice, enabling participants to embark on a path of radical transformation with effective exercises which could be likened to a “HiiT” form of yoga. This yoga works on a deeper level to activate the body and mind. Practically, this may involve relief from unwanted mental states such as stress, depression and anxiety, producing an elevated state of happiness and well-being.

If you would like to book yoga classes for you or your group, check out our group, one-to-one or corporate yoga packages, or call Dwana on 0411 364 406 for more information.