There are so many different styles of yoga. Bikram and Ashtanga seem especially popular these days. I remember Hatha was popular when I was a child in the 1970’s. I tried them and they are hard work. I do a lot of weight lifting and vigorous Swing, Salsa, and Hip-hop dancing. I’m looking to balance that with relaxing classes that will help improve my posture and alignment without taxing workout that could lead to over-training. Balance and flexibility would also be nice. Which styles of yoga should I look for? Thanks.
Listed below is a link to an article from Yoga Journal which gives a nice overview of various yoga styles. What your goals are will direct the choice of yoga style which fits your needs. These are the “major” or more widely defined “styles” of yoga. Individual teachers may incorporate other body awareness techniques, such as Feldenkrais or Somatics. They may merge what they have learned from several streams of teachers. The class may include meditation or chanting. In my experience, classes at gyms tend to be less focused on the spiritual aspects and more on the physical, yoga for a work out. Yoga classes taken from outreach programs in hospitals are more focused on yoga for stress reduction. It is wonderful that you are exploring yoga, and thinking about what your own needs are. I’m sure you will find the teacher who is right for you.
Namaste,
Chandra
Here is the link:
http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/165_1.cfm
Thanks for the reply. I’m looking into Iengar. I’ve been referred to the Yoga Institute here in Miami for classes. Also, somebody suggested the video “Yoga Conditioning for Athletes” by Rodney Yee.