Fast Paced Yoga Which Are Extremely Strenuous and Sweaty

By Patricia | December 4, 2008
Yoga For Lasting Weight Loss

Most of us are familiar with and more exposed to the traditional forms of yoga, which are slow, relaxed and more ballet like. The idea of working up a sweat when practicing yoga therefore seems strange. Today however there are other schools of yoga like Hot Yoga or Bikram Yoga, Iyengar, and Power Yoga, all of which are founded in traditional yoga. Although their fundamental principles and practices are almost identical to traditional models, these disciplines have expanded the boundaries of yoga and have created more rigorous yoga workouts and routines for serious yoga practitioners.

These contemporary styles of yoga follow a flowing routine, with the practitioner moving from one pose to the next in a clear sequence, at the same time focusing on breath. These styles of yoga are strenuous and sweaty and are very fast paced. They are extremely good for weight loss. Traditional Yoga employs a combination of meditation, deep-breathing and stationary poses. The newer forms of yoga that we are concerned with, like Power Yoga are promoted as aerobic activities with meditation. These contemporary styles are more oriented towards getting in shape and losing excess weight, while gaining spiritual enlightenment at the same time! These disciplines employ a continuous series of rigorous non-stop exercises. These exercise or poses (asanas) are accompanied by deep-breathing practices or pranayama. These contemporary styles are closely modeled on traditional yoga styles like the Ashtanga style. The difference is that these do not follow a predetermined series of poses and they may vary with different trainers, but the emphasis is always on strength and flexibility. These forms of yoga test your endurance and strengthen and stretch the muscles, and enhance your overall strength and stamina. The raised body heat and perspiration is also meant to kill bacteria and flush out toxins. The end result is improved circulation, a lithe and supple body, and inner peace.

Most yoga styles have their roots in hatha yoga, which focuses on the development of bodily control through poses or asanas. While all styles of yoga seek to achieve a balance between body, mind and spirit, they differ in the manner of implementation and incorporation of the poses, on breathing and the flow of poses. Some require the use of props while others like Bikram or Hot Yoga require raised temperatures that facilitate perspiration. No style is better than or worse than the other. All of them have their merits and it depends on personal preferences, your requirements and desires. The variety of contemporary disciplines have evolved and emerged to satiate and placate the varied requirements of a diverse population. Some may take up yoga as a means of weight loss, while others may take it up to achieve higher levels of awareness or for a spiritual awakening.

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