Sweet weekend - do you yoga?

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Although I don't do new year's resolutions, this year I did make a promise to do things that make me feel good about myself, as well as looking after my health.

Now yoga is one of those things that I had read about in the past and that really interested me, but it had always remained on my 'gunna list'; the list of things I was gunna do but have never got around to.

So I researched and found a place close to my house that sounded great, and as it was for beginners I knew I wouldn't be alone when making a fool of myself trying to do moves my body was very unfamiliar with.

Well, a couple of months down the track and I have to say I'm loving it! Yoga is all that I'd hoped it would be. I feel focused, calm and strong during the class, and clear and relaxed afterwards.
I am starting off with Hatha yoga, which is probably the most basic, slow-paced type of yoga out there. It is slow paced and gentle - perfect for beginners.

Some other types of yoga include:

VINYASA
Vinyasa is breath-synchronised movements based on a series of poses called Sun Salutations. It is more vigorous than Hatha and usually involves more intense stretching at the end of the class.

ASHTANGA
Ashtanga mean 'eight limbs' in Sanskrit. It is a more faced-paced, intense style of yoga. It involves a series of poses that are performed in the same order each time. It's physically demanding because of the constant flow from one pose to another.
- check out this vid of David Swenson (Ashtanga extraordinaire) - this guys is amazing!




IYENGAR
Iyengar focuses on bodily alignment. Poses are held over longer periods of time and often includes the use of yoga blankets, blocks and straps to help align the body.

KUNDALINI
Kundalini emphasises breath in conjunction with physical movement. The purpose of this type of yoga is to free the energy in the lower body, allowing it to move upwards.

BIKRAM
Also called hot yoga, Bikram has become quite popular amongst yoga-goers here in Australia over the past few years. It involves yoga poses in a room heated to 40 degrees. The heating of the room allows for loosening of tight muscles, along with cleansing the body through profuse sweating.

Do you yoga? What's your favourite type of yoga?