What is the Best Kind of Yoga for Beginners?

01The activity called yoga means different things to different people around the world.

02The word itself comes from the Sanskrit language and means union.

03For some, yoga is an exercise centered on mindful breathing and slow movement.

04For others, it is a series of difficult body movements and positioning designed to improve health and fitness.

05Still others consider yoga a spiritual exercise.

06And there are many people for whom yoga is a combination of all or some of these things.

07So, yoga takes many different forms around the world.

08All kinds of yoga involve positions known as poses or asanas.

09But the positions and training can differ even under yoga methods or styles of the same name, including hatha, vinyasa, iyengar, and others.

10So, what is the best kind of yoga training for a beginner?

11The best is the one that works for you, said Tim Senesi, who has been teaching yoga in Orange County, California, for twenty-two years.

12There are many different paths leading toward the same aim, he added.

13Hatha, meaning force, describes any kind of yoga class involving asanas.

14A sun salutation, for example, is an important series of twelve asanas that begin many kinds of yoga classes.

15Training under the hatha name, however, is usually gentler than others and more centered on breathing exercises.

16Hatha, called pranayama.

17Poses are held for a few breaths, and students usually move more slowly.

18Hatha can be good for beginners who are looking to relax while improving flexibility and balance.

19Another style, yin, pays even more attention to recovery by working to stretch the muscle's connective tissue.

20Students hold poses for five minutes or more, permitting the body to settle into a pose rather than pushing it.

21A more difficult, flowing form of yoga is known as vinyasa.

22It mixes movement with breath over a series of asanas.

23Some higher-level vinyasa classes move at a rate of one movement per breath.

24In the United States, these classes are often called flow or power yoga.

25They can be good for people who are more athletic.

26Still, teachers suggest that even athletic students start with a beginner level.

27I wouldn't really encourage them to start in a higher-level vinyasa flow class because they're not going to have the foundation to move safely through that, said Anne van Valkenburgh of Lanai, Hawaii.

28She has been training yoga teachers in a mix of methods for 18 years.

29Ashtanga yoga is similar to vinyasa.

30However, Ashtanga involves a set series of poses that students repeat day after day, often going at their own speed.

31As students get stronger and more skilled, they move up to a higher series with more difficult poses.

32Iyengar style involves the same poses as vinyasa, but classes usually move at a slower pace.

33However, the poses are not necessarily easier.

34Iyengar yoga pays special attention to carefully moving or aligning parts of the body.

35Poses are held for longer, and students often use supportive equipment during the exercise.

36Iyengar is especially good for people recovering from injuries.

37It can also be a good fit for physically active people who want to get the basics of yoga before moving into different styles.

38These days, teachers often mix different yoga methods in a single class.

39And many classes are not named under any traditional method.

40The AP suggests that if you are interested in starting to practice yoga, you should look for a beginner series.

41But if you cannot find one that is right, do not worry.

42Most teachers are happy to have beginners in their classes and will alter the training to meet the needs of students new to yoga.

43Most of all, try a few classes until you find the method or teacher who is a good fit for you.

44I feel sad when someone tries yoga once or twice, and they're like, Eh, I don't like it, Van Valkenburg said, adding, There's just so much out there that you might be missing.

45I'm John Russell.

46I'm John Russell.