Copyrights of 2015( 7/26/15) Owned by me.

4. What Is Yoga?..........
If you think of people in seemingly impossible
and weirdly twisted poses when you think of
"Yoga", then you may have an inkling of what
yoga is, just an inkling that's it. Yoga is much
more than those poses. Derived from the
Sanskrit word "yuj" which means "to unite or
integrate"; yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body
of knowledge. Yoga is all about harmonizing the
body with the mind and breath through the
means of various breathing techniques, yoga
postures (asanas) and meditation.

5. Different Types of Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Class is also likely to be focused on
slow and gentle movements so it's a
great type of yoga to wind down
with at night

6. Vinyasa Yoga
Commonly called "Vinyasa flow" or just "flow",
you'll definitely be moving, flowing from one
pose to the next. Other than starting with a sun
salutation, no two classes will be alike. It's the
most popular style of yoga in America.
Kundalini Yoga
"Kundalini" refers to the energy of the Root Chakra,
which surrounds the area around your lower spine.
Expect lots of work in your "core" area and classes are
known to be pretty intense.

7. Ashtanga Yoga
Commonly called Power yoga, Ashtanga is
definitely physically demanding. It's
probably best suited for an ex-athlete or
someone looking to really push their body.
Iyengar Yoga
Expect lots of props with this type of yoga
such as blocks, harnesses, straps, and even
cushions. There's also a lot of focus on
alignment so Iyengar can be great for
physical therapy.

8. Anusara Yoga
Founded in 1997 by John Friend, Anusara is
epitomized by "the celebration of the
heart. Expect many "heart-opening" poses
like backbends and more talking by the
instructor in class.
Restorative Yoga
Looking to wind down after a long day of
work? Or perhaps you want to quiet your
mind? Restorative yoga might be the
answer as it's focused on relaxation.

9. Jivamukti Yoga
Jivamukti is mostly practiced in NYC as it was
founded there in 1984 by Sharon Gannon and
David Life. It's a mix of vinyasa flow
sequencing infused with chanting and a
vegetarian twist.
Prenatal Yoga
If you're an expectant mother then Prenatal
yoga is probably for you. (Sorry, guys!) Some
say that Prenatal is one of the best types of
exercise for moms-to-be as there's a lot of
core work and a focus on breathing.

10. The Health Benefits of Yoga
Yoga for Flexibility
Yoga poses work by stretching your muscles. They can help you move better
and feel less stiff or tired.
At any level of yoga, you'll probably start to notice benefits soon. In one study,
people improved their flexibility by up to 35% after only 8 weeks of yoga.
Strike a Pose for Strength
Some styles of yoga, such as ashtanga and power yoga, are very physical.
Practicing one of these styles will help you improve muscle tone.
But even less vigorous styles of yoga, such as Iyengar or hatha, can provide
strength and endurance benefits.
Many of the poses, such as downward dog, upward dog, and the plank pose,
build upper-body strength. The standing poses, especially if you hold them for
several long breaths, build strength in your hamstrings, quadriceps, and abs.
Poses that strengthen the lower back include upward dog and the chair pose.
When done right, nearly all poses build core strength in the deep abdominal
muscles.

11. Better Posture From Yoga
When you're stronger and more flexible, your posture improves.
Most standing and sitting poses develop core strength, since you
need your core muscles to support and maintain each pose.
With a stronger core, you're more likely to sit and stand "tall."
Yoga also helps your body awareness. That helps you notice more
quickly if you're slouching or slumping, so you can adjust your
posture.
Breathing Benefits
Yoga usually involves paying attention to your breath, which can
help you relax. It may also call for specific breathing techniques.
But yoga typically isn't aerobic, like running or cycling, unless it's
an intense type of yoga or you're doing it in a heated room.

12. Less Stress, More Calm
You may feel less stressed and more relaxed after doing
some yoga.
Some yoga styles use meditation techniques that help
calm the mind. Focusing on your breathing during yoga
can do that, too.
Good for Your Heart
Yoga has long been known to lower blood pressure and
slow the heart rate. A slower heart rate can benefit
people with high blood pressure orheart disease, and
people who've had a stroke.
Yoga has also been linked to lower
cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and better immune
system function.

13. Advantages of yoga
Yoga has many advantages over other methods
of maintaining health, such as gymnastics,
athletics, aerobics, games, and various other
forms of exercise. It does not need any costly
equipment and materials, or playgrounds,
swimming pool, gyms, etc. Yoga can be
practiced throughout the year. It can also be
practiced inside the house or in the open, singly
or in groups. The only requirement is a thick
carpet spread on the floor and covered with a
clean sheet of cloth.

14. Yoga should only be practiced on empty stomach. You can do
it at any time during the day. It will benefit you irrespective of
whether you are young or old, lean or heavily built, highly
educated or unlettered, rich or poor, from higher or lower
middle class, busy, over busy, or retired or worker in the
factory or in the field. Yoga has something very valuable, and
useful to offer to everyone. It is often described as the best
form of health insurance for all from the age of 7 to 77 or
more. Two main advantages of Yoga are prevention of
disorders and ailments and maintenance of health and fitness
in daily life. Other advantage include flexible muscles, supple
joints, relaxed and tension–free mind and efficiently working
vital organs such as the heart, lungs, endocrine glands, liver,
pancreas and good balance between various functions, such
as neuromuscular coordination, etc.

15. Disadvantages of Yoga
If you only have 20 minutes a day to spend on your body and
your foremost goal is to burn lots of calories, yoga will
disappoint you. Although yoga is a sound adjunct to any
weight–loss program and has even been shown to promote
gradual weight loss, it is not primarily a fat–burning
enterprise.
Another potential pitfall is finding a qualified teacher. Before
enrolling in a class, ask what type of training the instructor
had. Currently, there is no national certification program for
yoga instructors. Voluntary certification is available from
various groups, but some organizations award teaching
certificates to people who have completed only a weekend
course.

16. The Yoga Alliance – a voluntary national coalition of yoga
organizations and individual yoga teachers – is seeking to
establish voluntary national standards for yoga teachers, but
not all yoga instructors agree with those standards or support
the alliance’s philosophy. To reap the intangible benefits of
yoga, it helps to be humble and to realize that yoga is meant
to be practiced, not perfected. It’s a noncompetitive activity.
According to Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., founder–director of the
U.S. based Yoga Research and Education Center, at the heart
of yoga is “The assumption that you have not yet tapped into
your full potential as a human being.”
Even for the most open–minded beginner, yoga is not easy to
learn. Although you don’t need to be flexible or in shape to
do yoga, the practice is physically, emotionally and mentally
challenging.