Yoga

Also known as: Hatha Yoga.

Seek out the lion, the eagle and the one-legged pigeon in you. Yoga has ancient Indian origins, but it's become a big hit in the western world, taking gyms, spas and even rural church halls by storm. For some, it’s the perfect post-work wind down; for others it’s a way of life. No matter who you are and how seriously you choose to take it, yoga can make you stronger, more flexible and help you to become a calm, collected, 'exalted warrior'.

How does it work?

So you’ve seen people emerging from classes clutching their rolled-up yoga mats, looking jubilant and pink in the cheek, but what is this mysterious life-giving exercise?

Yoga is involves a combination of exercises, postures and breathing techniques. The class will start with a warm up, followed by stretching exercises. Your teacher will then guide you through a sequence of postures (known as asanas), giving advice on breathing technique (pranayama) and often incorporating elements of group meditation. Each posture has its own memorable name, so after a few sessions, when your teacher says the name you’ll find you can move in unison with class from one pose to the next.

Classes can last from a 30-minute lunch hour session up to 2 hours. It offers a great chance to meet people and be involved in a group activity without the competitive edge some other classes can have. Yoga is all about perfecting your own technique, working with the advice of your teacher until your ‘triangle pose’ is aligned and your ‘cow face pose’ is looking perfectly bovine.

Some classes will provide mats, but if you take a shine to yoga, you’ll probably want your own (it may be relaxing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t sweat). To be ready for your class, you should wear stretchy clothing and check your feet for cheesy whiffs because almost all yoga classes are done barefoot. There are also some yoga teachers who suggest not eating for a couple of hours before the class – though if you go faint with hunger, the ‘corpse pose’ (flat on your back) is probably as much as you’ll master.

Types of yoga

One of the great things about yoga, is that you can spend a lifetime perfecting your poses and trying out the different schools of thought and techniques. Here are some of the most popular types:

• Hatha yoga: a smooth, flowing method of using the postures
• Iyengar yoga: a gentle form of yoga that’s good for beginners
• Dynamic yoga: a faster paced class (and a good work out)
• Ashtanga yoga (power yoga): an intense and energetic work out
• Bikram yoga (hot yoga): takes place in a heated room, makes you sweat to flush out toxins
• Vinyasa yoga: uses linking movements to flow between postures
• Kundalini yoga: focuses on chanting, meditation, visualisation, breathing and postures
• Raja yoga: involves postures, but is mainly about deep meditation
• Karma yoga: this is the practice of adhering to duty without desire for reward – it’s an integral part of many yoga philosophies, but not really an exercise class in itself
• Bhakti yoga: is a devotional form of yoga, focussing on spiritual and emotional connection
• Jnana yoga: known as the yoga of knowledge, this is a system of meditation and philosophy
• Tantric yoga: a method of channelling energy and weaving you closer to the divine
• Kripalu yoga: focuses on postural alignment, breath and movement
• Face yoga: tones your facial muscles to keep your youthful looks

Is it for me?

Yes. Yoga is for everyone. Young, old, male, female, free spirit or firm sceptic. With kids classes and specialised groups for older people available, yoga can stay with you throughout your life and rather than just repeating the same moves, you’ll progress from a newbie to a bendy, flexi pro.

If you’re a real sceptic when it comes to anything vaguely “touchy-feely” or spiritual, there are lots of yoga classes that are strictly in-body experiences. It’s a great and safe way of exercising without putting a lot of stress on your joints and the better you get, the more toned and flexible you’ll become. It’s also a thought to teach you better posture, boost your circulation and unlock muscle tension.

The meditation and breathing exercises involved in yoga are great for stress relief; if life’s got you tearing your hair out, a yoga class can relax you, give you a sense of order, composure and community. The breather for your brain is also thought to improve mental clarity and strengthen the union between your mind and body.

Good to know

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means "union", and its techniques have been practiced for over 5,000 years from its beginnings in India.