Yoga Overview

By Allison Buck

It seems you can’t open an exercise magazine these days without reading something about yoga; from recommended poses, to discussions about new research into the variety of health benefits it can provide, yoga is one of the most talked about exercise disciplines. But unlike other forms of exercise that the media tends to grab hold of to satisfy the public’s demand for “the next big thing” to easily whip us into shape, yoga is anything but a trendy new fad.

The history of yoga is unclear, though it is generally agreed that yoga, as it is practiced today, has been evolving for at least the past 5,000 years. It is referenced in the Upanishades (Hindu scriptures), which were written between 1000-5000 BC, and many think early forms of yoga date back all the way to the beginnings of civilization despite a lack of physical evidence to prove this. Either way, yoga is a practice which has slowly developed over an extensive period of time and that its popularity appears to be growing suggests that it has a lot to offer both as a form of exercise and a tool for health.

Yoga is practiced in many different forms, all which are based on asanas but each have a slightly different focus. So, even if you have taken a class and found it didn’t appeal to you, it may be worth looking into a different form of yoga to find one that offers you the benefits that you need, while being more appealing to your fitness level and personal interests. For example, some forms of yoga have a greater focus on spirituality than others, and strive to connect the mind, body and spirit, which can either attract or completely turn off a person depending on their personality and interests.

To illustrate this, compare three of the most popular forms of yoga today in the Western world: hatha, ashtanga and bikram.

Hatha Yoga

Definition: The term hatha comes from combining the Sanskrit words “ha” meaning sun and “tha” meaning moon. When combined together they mean “forceful”.

Practice: Hatha is the form of yoga that most people in the Western world associate with the term yoga. The goal of hatha yoga is to purify the body through combining pranayama with asanas in order to purify the body.

Who it will appeal to: Hatha yoga classes are a great place for beginners interested in the practice of yoga, but it will continue to provide benefits and challenges for even the more advanced yoga students.

Possible drawbacks : Hatha is a gentle practice of yoga and may not appeal to those not interested in the meditation and breathing benefits of yoga.

Ashtanga Yoga

Definition: The term ashtanga comes from the Sanskrit words “ash” meaning eight and “anga” meaning limbs. This practice is founded on the eight limbs of yoga, which are laid out in the ancient Indian text Yoga Surtras of Patanjali which is the spiritual basis of yoga.

Practice: Ashtanga yoga is the form of yoga that “power yoga” is based on. It involves moving from one asana to another with the goal of a fluid flow of movement.

Who it will appeal to: Ashtanga yoga is physically challenging therefore appeals to those already in shape to some degree, or looking for a bigger challenge, although the asanas can be modified for those less practiced.

Possible drawbacks : Those looking for yoga as a form of gentle stretching and meditation or those just being introduced to yoga may find ashtanga classes too physically demanding, and be more comfortable in another discipline such as hatha yoga.

Bikram Yoga

Definition: Bikram yoga is named after its founder Bikram Choudhury who is a yoga teacher based in Los Angeles. Bikram studios are now located all over the world.

Practice: Bikram yoga is the form of yoga often referred to as hot yoga as it is practiced for 90 minutes in rooms heated to 40.5 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and a humidity of 40 percent. The heat is said to help loosen the body, allowing for greater flexibility with less chance of injury, and is said to help detoxify the body due to the large amount of sweat produced. It consists of 26 asanas and 2 pranayama that help increase lung capacity and oxygen flow through the body.

Who it will appeal to: Bikram will appeal to those who like to sweat and challenge their bodies, no matter what their fitness level. Bikram classes welcome beginners as well as experienced yoga students. It is a challenging workout for all levels, and it continues to provide progressive difficulty with more practice. Type As are commonly attracted to this form of yoga and some say they love it to the point where it becomes addictive.

Possible drawbacks : While some adore the heat of the studio, others find exercising at the high temperature unbearable. Its recommended to start slowly, giving the body a chance to get used to the temperature and be sure to drink lots of water to make up for the fluids lost during class. Read more about proper hydration here.

Asanas: 

Sanskrit word meaning posture. Commonly used to refer to the positions or poses that the body is held in during yoga.

Pranayama: 

Sanskrit word meaning lengthening of the breath. Comes from combining the Sanskrit words Prana (breath) and Ayama (lengthen). Yoga breathing is called pranayama and it is a technique practiced while performing yoga that is a series of breathing exercises. Pranayama focus on fully expanding the lungs during inhale, holding the air inside the lungs and then releasing all the air completely through exhalation.

Allison Buck is a freelance writer and exercise enthusiast who keeps up to date with the latest news about nutrition and fitness.She can be reached at allisonbuck@rogers.com