Woman’s Day brings clarity and details about each yoga form that is especially popular around the world. Also in our guide you can practice your favorite direction at home. For convenience, we have found videos from the best masters.
Founder: The “father” of this type of yoga is B. KS Iyengar, who was a student of the famous Indian master Tirumalai Krishnamacharya.
Practice features: the main attention is paid to the safety of the classes, so that during this type of yoga practice, each asana is examined in detail. Students are explained in detail how the muscles and joints should work when performing asanas. During the class, all kinds of aids are used: rollers, belts, bricks, blankets, etc. It is necessary to carry out this practice at home with extreme caution, and we advise beginners to contact a trainer first.
Founder: this school of yoga was developed in ancient India and is described in detail in the classic work Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It was from hatha yoga that such directions as ayingara yoga and ashtanga vinyasa developed.
Practice features: above all, hatha yoga offers fundamental work with the physical body of a person. But in terms of implementation, this direction can be different; thus, every teacher who does not adhere to any particular school can be considered a representative of hatha yoga.
Founder: the authors of this direction were Jason Nemer and Jenny Saur-Klein.
Practice features: work in the classroom takes place in pairs, with one person being a support for a partner who changes asanas in the air. This practice combines yoga, acrobatics and healing arts.
Founder: the founders of this yoga school were a couple from the United States – David Life and his wife Sharon Gannon.
Practice features: the direction is an extended version of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. In addition to working with the physical body (asanas from hatha yoga), chanting of mantras, the study of sacred texts, meditation and the development of attention are mandatory elements.
Founder: This direction of yoga owes its appearance to Sri Pattabhi Jois, who studied with the great Krishnamacharya.
Practice features: the word vinyasa means the way of breathing and movement. In Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, every movement takes one breath. Thus, the sequences of asanas are interconnected by repetitive complexes of movement (vinyasa), which are combined with a certain breathing technique (ujjayi, breathing of the winner). Also during the practice, special attention is paid to the three main bandhas (energy locks), which are responsible for the distribution of energy in the body, and drishti (focusing on certain points).
Founder: Kundalini Yoga in the Yogi Bhajan tradition appeared in the 60s. The first teacher who began to practice kundalini in Russia was Yakov Marshak, the guru of Jivan Singh Khalsa (carrying the teachings of the guru). He received blessings and initiation directly from Yogi Bhajan himself.
Practice features: the practical part of kundalini yoga is a sequence of kriyas – dynamic and static exercises that are combined with different types of breathing. These exercises take from three minutes to an hour. Thus, the duration of the asana is not determined by the instructor, but is provided for by the methodology. In addition to kriyas, during the practice of kundalini, much attention is paid to bandhas (energy locks), mudras (symbolic arrangement of hands) and breathing techniques.
Founder: Kaula yoga school was founded in Moscow in 2007 by Ilya Dunaevsky.
Practice features: This area of yoga combines the ancient Indian practices of working with the body, breathing exercises (pranayama), energy massage and immersion in meditation.
Founder: in Russia this type of yoga is represented by Svetlana Angel, who in 2008 in Moscow founded the International School of Yoga in the Air.
Practice features: yoga in the air is a practice in hammocks, which are securely fixed at a height of about one meter from the floor. During the practice, the instructor not only teaches the basic asanas and how to perform them, but also explains the safety rules. Yoga in the air is somewhat reminiscent of such types of yoga as Antigravity yoga, Aerial Yoga, Swing Yoga.
Founder: this direction of yoga was founded by Indians Bikram Chowdhury.
Practice features: this type of yoga is also called “hot yoga”, since all postures are designed for a warmed-up body (this is due to the fact that Indian sages practiced in hot and humid climates). Thus, today, to achieve maximum therapeutic effect, it is necessary to recreate similar conditions. Therefore, Bikram yoga classes are held in rooms with a temperature of 37-40 degrees Celsius and a high level of humidity. The standard practice usually includes 26 asanas, which are performed at a fast pace for an hour and a half, and two breathing exercises. Bikram yoga is especially popular as it has proven to be a great way to lose weight.
Founder: this direction is based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo.
Practice features: this direction of yoga is based on a holistic approach to human development, so that the main goal of any practitioner of integral yoga is not one hour classes every day, but the transformation of his whole life into a yoga practice. However, every integral yoga practice includes a complex of asanas and pranayamas combined with mudras, bandhas, as well as mantras, concentration and meditation. One of the main accents of the practice is working with energy.
Founder: this technique was developed by A. G. Mohan, who is a disciple of Sri T. Krishnamacharya. In Russia, this direction is represented by Sergey Agapkin, who founded the Agapkin Yoga Station school.
Practice features: this direction is based on three principles: breathing, which is the connecting thread of the practice, alternation of asanas and vinyasas, as well as preparation for entering the asana and compensation for it upon exiting the pose.
Founder: this type of yoga is part of the teachings of ati yoga in the dzogchen Buddhist tradition. In Russia, Yantra Yoga is taught by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and instructors from the international dzogchen community trained by him.
Practice features: when practicing yantra yoga, there is a coordination of body movement, breathing and concentration of the mind. These three aspects apply from the very beginning of the training. Yantra yoga consists of a series of movements that are performed in a strict rhythm, precisely coordinating them with different types and holdings of breath. There are 108 exercises in total.
Founder: the foundation of this yoga school was laid in 2003 by yoga master Andrey Sidersky.
Practice features: this direction includes the latest developments in the field of hatha yoga, martial arts, modern training systems, fitness, swimming and freediving. Yoga 23 consists of 23 complexes that differ in complexity (levels) and purpose: for group training, personal training, for instructors.
Founder: one of the branches of the ancient Vietnamese martial art there kuy khi kong.
Practice features: the main goal of the practice is to improve the health of a person. In Moscow, this type of yoga is taught in the halls of the federation there kui khi kong.