There is yoga, and there is yoga. What we usually think of as yoga is an Americanized version of the Hindu tradition — we still think of yoga as a New-Agey phenomenon, an Eastern alternative to traditional Western forms of exercise. The exercise part turns out to just be asana, which is one of the eight limbs of yoga. The seven other branches of yoga do not emphasize the bodily connection; rather, they focus on mental and spiritual health.
To the untrained eye, asana sort of looks like stretching but it actually emphasizes strength and flexibility. If you are going through the poses fast enough, it can even turn into a pretty decent cardiovascular workout.
There are many different forms of yoga exercise, including Hatha yoga, which is a slower and gentler style of going through the poses. Personally, when I do yoga, I am trying to relax, so this form of yoga is great for me.
There is also Vinyasa yoga, which is a bit more intense. It emphasizes a connection with breathing and starts off with a series of fast-paced poses but slows down at the end to get into some more intense stretching. My personal favorite is the pigeon pose, after which I can barely move my hips.
Ashtanga, or Power, yoga is like Vinyasa yoga on speed; you are practically hopping from pose to pose because you are going so quickly. This type of yoga builds strength and gives the heart a good workout, and you will get sweaty. It’s exhausting, and you may be sore the next day.
The sweatiest and most intense yoga of all is Bikram, or Heat, yoga. Bikram is practiced in a room heated to 105 degrees, and the idea is to sweat out all the toxins. The heat also loosens the muscles and is thought to be more effective. I attended a Bikram yoga session once and swore I’d never do it again. Some people love it though, and I hear it’s not as bad the second time around, so don’t take my word for it.
There are two things that draw me back to yoga class again and again. The first is that it really helps my back. After a solid week of studying and a creaky back to show for it, yoga is the best thing I can do to correct the aches and pains in my body.
The second thing I love about yoga is the element of relaxation it brings to my mental state. Yoga always calms me so much more than a 30-minute session on the elliptical, after which I always feel so keyed up, having watched people push themselves to the brink of exhaustion on the machines around me. I’m always so surprised by how serene I feel after practicing yoga, even if the serenity is somewhat short-lived.
That’s just me, but the health benefits of yoga have been widely documented. This once obscure practice has now entered the mainstream and can be found in gyms and studios across the country. Even the American Medical Association has found yoga to be effective in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome — and if it can do good things for your wrists, think what it can do for your neck and back!
Some of the best physical benefits of yoga include better flexibility and strength as well as pain prevention. But that leaves out the mental benefits, like stress reduction. There are even workouts specifically targeted toward relieving stress, and I think that’s something we college kids can appreciate.
Yoga is distinct from what we usually think of when we go to the gym because it’s more comprehensive. It covers strength, flexibility and cardio all in one hour, and if you give it a shot, I bet you’ll find you’re a whole lot more relaxed after 45 minutes of yoga than you are after 45 minutes on the treadmill.
So if I’ve convinced you that yoga sounds like fun and you’re thinking of trying it, the first thing you need to do is pick a style and find a class (I love the drop-in classes at the AFC). Figure out what to bring — the AFC already has mats for you — and wear comfy clothes. Give it a try. You might just love it and, if nothing else, it should be interesting.
Andrenne is a fourth-year College student. She can be reached at a.alsum@cavalierdaily.com.
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