While certain workouts may come and go, yoga is different. This type of exercise has been around for a long, long time — about 5000 years or more. Therefore, you can practice this exercise without any concern. Not only does yoga offer a low- or no-impact way to work out but it gives your mind a kind of workout as well. Strengthening and stretching poses along with deep breathing make this meditative exercise one that is well revered, especially in Thailand.
If you have never visited one of the yoga retreats in Thailand, now is the time to do so. You will discover a new form of exercise and relaxation among settings that are as serene as they are beautiful. This type of trip will allow you to discover a new level of peace and fitness that you can practice for the rest of your life.
Hatha Yoga and Other Yoga Forms
You will also discover that yoga is presented in various forms. For example, the most common form of yoga is Hatha yoga, which is an exercise that mixes various movements with measured breathing. Then there is Vinyasa yoga, which features a series of poses that segue nicely into each other. Ashtanga yoga offers a series of poses that are performed while doing a special breathing technique.
Bikram yoga is known as hot yoga and is done in a room that has been heated to a high temperature. This is one workout that you cannot help but sweat through. Practitioners undertake challenging positions to stretch and get rid of bad toxins.
How Iyengar Yoga Is Practiced
Iyengar yoga uses blocks, straps, and chairs so the body takes on the correct alignment. The intensity of any form of yoga varies depending on which type you choose. For example, forms of yoga such as Hatha and Iyengar are done deliberately and slowly while Bikram yoga is performed faster and therefore offers more challenge.
All yoga forms are designed to target core muscle groups. Therefore, you can perform certain poses to develop your abs or get rid of love handles. Moreover, instead of using free weights or special exercise machines to build strength, you use the weight of your body. For example, an exercise such as the plank spreads your body weight equally between the legs and arms. The crane pose is designed for the arms as you use the arms to support your weight.
Yoga poses also develop the muscles in the legs, including the quadriceps and similar muscles in the hips and thighs. Yoga squats develop the glutes, which give your rear a more sculpted appearance. You can also improve the strength of your back by doing poses such as the downward-facing dog. This type of exercise stretches the muscles in the back and is therefore excellent for anyone who suffers from a sore back.
While yoga is not considered an aerobic exercise, it will make you sweat and make you stronger and more mobile. The exercise also is not designed for competitive types. However, it will teach you to compete with yourself and be the best you can be mentally and physically.
