Yoga 101
Fitness fads come and go, but yoga has been a worldwide workout staple for about 5,000 years. Since yoga was introduced to the UK in the 1950s and 1960s participation has been growing steadily. In the 90s, yoga experienced a second wave of popularity. Today, it has more followers than ever as people begin to look for an exercise that taps into all aspects of the self - physical, mental and spiritual. Is yoga the perfect workout for the new millennium? Read on and decide for yourself.
What is it? In simplest terms, yoga is an exercise system that consists of a series of postures and sequences of poses combined and defined by breathing techniques. The physical form of yoga is one of eight limbs of classical yoga. This discipline was developed in India to promote union of the mind, body and spirit and, for that reason, yoga classes have a different feel than most traditional workouts. The typical yoga workout is a blend of strength, flexibility and body awareness exercises. Besides the physical aspects of the workout, most yoga classes also include a spiritual element. It's not unusual for a class to include some chanting, prayer, candles or incense.
There are many forms of yoga, but Hatha is the physical form. Hatha yoga includes all of the basic yoga moves and breathing exercises but doesn't focus on the religious or philosophical aspects like other forms. Yoga aims to increase your strength and flexibility as well as your ability to maintain a balanced positive approach to life.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
DietAnotherDay| Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
