Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar Yoga is a form of Hatha Yoga that is taught with primary emphasis on the physical alignment of the body in each pose. Usually only a few poses are performed during a class, but with great focus and awareness on the finer adjustments required to achieve proper alignment. Poses can be modified or intensified with the usage of props such as blocks, straps, ropes, blankets and chairs, thus making the practice friendly for beginners and challenging for regulars.

This systematic and structured method of over 200 classical yoga poses allows practitioners to progress gradually and safely from basic to more advanced poses as they gain greater physical flexibility, strength and achieve better awareness of the subtle harmony between mind and body.

Suitable for all levels. Great for beginners.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram Yoga is one of the fastest growing yoga styles in the world today. Highly popular in the West, this 90-minute session consists of 26 asana, 2 pranayama and is performed in a heated room (105 degrees Fahrenheit / 40 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 40%). This series of postures is designed to maximise oxygen exchange as and to detoxify the entire body. Mental concentration, strength and flexibility are the main points of focus as the practitioner moves from pose to pose, creating a blissful harmony between mind and body. Performing yoga in this heated environment is claimed to promote flexibility, prevent injury, increase perspiration and aid circulation.

However, first time Bikram Yoga practitioners should remember to drink plenty of water at least 2 hours before class as due to the intense heat, nausea, dehydration, headache and fatigue are common, especially for over-enthusiastic newbies. But generally, just follow the rule of thumb of listening to your body and unnecessary complications can be avoided.

Suitable for all levels. Triple thumbs up for sweat factor.

Anusara Yoga

Founded in 1977 by John Friend, a veteran Iyengar Yoga teacher and practitioner, Anusara Yoga offers a playful and uplifting approach to an alignment focused practice. The tantric-inspired principles of Anusara are a celebration of life, self-discovery, creative freedom, diversity, beauty and unconditional love for all living beings. Individual creativity and investigation are encouraged, allowing acceptance and the freedom to explore, within the philosophical context of Anusara.

Every class has a spiritually meaningful theme which strongly connects to each pose and is reflected upon metaphorically during the entire practice. Anusara practitioners believe that each pose originates internally and eventually manifests itself in a physical form through deep creative expressions. The main aim of the practice surrounds opening of the heart, mostly experienced in the backbends that Anusara Yoga is famous for.

Suitable for all levels.

When yoga was starting to gain recognition in Malaysia, most of us thought it was an activity only taken up by elderly folks. That was 15 years ago. Since then, our perception and understanding of yoga has evolved tremendously. So much so that now, there isn’t just one style of yoga that fits all practitioners. Some like it fast, some like it slow, some like it relaxing and some like it challenging.

If you are new to the yoga scene and would like to know what lies beneath those fancy names, have a quick read through this guide on the various popular styles to help you understand and choose one that fits you best.

Hatha Yoga

Translated literally,  ‘Ha’ means ‘Sun’, or the vital force controlling our physical body and ‘Tha’ means ‘Moon’ or the mental force which exists within us. By practising Hatha Yoga, both these energies are awakened and brought together to harmonise, purify and prepare the body and mind for a higher state of awareness. Of all the different types of yoga, Hatha Yoga is most popular and focuses on the practice of asana (postures) and pranayama (breath control) to activate and energise the subtle channels. This paves the path, away from identification with the physical body towards unification with the energy source, ultimately revealing our true self. Technically, all other forms of posture based yoga are derived from Hatha Yoga.

These days, yoga teachers also offer Hatha Flow classes, which essentially means incorporating a seamless transition between each asana in a flow-like manner.

This style is  suitable for beginners.

Ashtanga Yoga

For those who are constantly looking for challenging postures that test your strength and concentration, Ashtanga Yoga would be your sure pick. Ashtanga Yoga is based on a fixed sequence of postures that are carried out in a smooth, uninterrupted manner. The three most important factors in Ashtanga Yoga are Vinyasa (breath-linked movements guided by specific counts), Bandha (narrowing and locking certain energy centres in the body to guide energy flow) and Drshti (specific gazing points to help with concentration). The Primary Series focuses on strong forward bends and twisting postures to detoxify and align the body. The Intermediate Series focuses on strong hip openers and intense backbends to purify the energy centres and connect with the subtle body. In the Advanced Series (subdivided into third, fourth, fifth and sixth sequence), clarity of your true self will be achieved.

Besides Ashtanga Yoga, we often also hear of the term Power Yoga, which is technically a spin-off from the traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa. Power Yoga practitioners would similarly go through physically demanding postures, emphasising on strength and flexibility but unlike Ashtanga, does not follow a series of set postures.

This style is suitable for intermediate to advanced practitioners. Double thumbs up for sweat factor.

Sivananda Yoga

The Sivananda Yoga style which is based on the teachings of Swami Sivananda himself, focuses on 5 key aspects. They are are proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, proper relaxation and positive thinking and meditation. A traditional Sivananda Yoga class takes 90 minutes and includes 12 core postures (which is done in the same order), chanting, pranayama, meditation practices and relaxation. When the postures are done correctly and practised with meditative awareness, the practitioner will feel deeply refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated at the end of the session. Although the 12 core postures remain the same in each class, the teacher will usually introduce variations as the student progresses.

This style is suitable for beginners.

Contined in Part II…

Common Cold

Common Cold [Online image] Available http://exchristian.net/exchristian/2009/12/fighting-off-common-cold.html

Since stuffy noses and sinuses are caused by mucus build up in the nasal passages, simple breathing exercises such as Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) and Kapalabathi (Skull Shining Breath) can help to clear and balance blocked airways by forcing out unwanted mucus. We also know that in order build up a good defence against infections, the immune system needs to be strong and healthy. If you are a regular yoga practitioner, one way to do that is to perform asanas in a slow and relaxed manner, incorporating deep and smooth breaths. This helps to relax the nervous system and boost the immune system.

Another way is to perform yoga postures that stimulate the thymus gland, which is responsible for the immune system. Because this gland is located underneath the top breast bone, it is extremely beneficial to perform poses that focus on opening up this area, such as Ustrasana (Camel Pose), Matsyasana (Fish Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) and Navasana (Boat Pose).

Migraine & Headache

Migraine [Online image] Available http://www.migraine-facts.co.uk/

Restorative yoga helps alleviate the pain and misery of being struck by chronic migraine or headache. Restorative yoga involves doing postures with props (e.g. blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, chairs) that provide adequate support to the body so that the practitioner relaxes and deepens into the pose. This leads to a calm and balanced mind and thus relieves the stress-related condition. Follow this link for some examples of how to perform restorative poses safely. It is important to note that inverted poses such as Sirasana (Headstand) and Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) require raising the heart above the head and forces the blood to rush upwards. These poses should be avoided during migraines and headaches because they will only worsen the pain.

Menstrual Cramp

Menstrual Cramp [Online image] Available http://www.icld2006.com/the-importance-of-menstrual-cramp-explained/

Every woman fears the days of the dreaded menstrual cramp. In some severe cases, the victim ends up immobilized and curled up in bed for the entire day. Yoga asanas can help ease the discomfort of the cramps and also relieve lower back pain which is common during that time of the month. Forward bending postures such as Janu Sirasana (Head to Knee Forward Bend) and Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) are calming poses which compress the lower abdominals and pelvis to aid cramps and heavy bleeding. Doing several sets of Marjariasana (Cat Pose) also helps to increase the flexibility of the spine and alleviates menstrual discomforts. However, inversions should not be performed as the natural blood flow of the menses will be obstructed and may cause imbalances to the menstrual cycle.

Constipation & Indigestion

Acid Indigestion [Online image] Available http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/242632-4025-18.jpg

Constipation and digestion problems go hand in hand. If the digestive system is disturbed, food will not be able to be broken down completely, and this leads to constipation. Here are some yoga poses that can be performed whenever your stomach and eliminative organs are not in a cooperative mood. Doing Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) for 5-10 minutes after meals provides great aid to digestive issues by expelling excess wind in the belly as well as stimulates the kidneys, spleen, gall bladder and stomach. Bowel movement can be improved by doing abdominal twists and stretches such as Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), Halasana (Plow Pose) and Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fish Pose). Diet also plays a vital role in ensuring a healthy digestive system and eliminative track. Always drink plenty of water, eat light meals consisting of mostly fruits and vegetables, and stay away from food that is overly oily or spicy.

Don’t wait for the pain to plague your life. By maintaining a healthy diet with simple but regular yoga practice, you will soon experience higher resilience towards these common ailments.

To come into the pose, start by lying on the abdomen with the legs bent towards the buttocks and hands gripped around the ankles. Upon  inhalation, the heels are lifted away from the buttocks and the thighs off the mat.

At the same time, the arms, shoulders and chest are lifted away from the mat. Extend the spine forward and up to lift the front torso higher, instead of compressing into the arch of the lower back. Shoulders should be pressed down and away from the ears as the chest continues to open up. At this point, breathing might be slightly constricted. So do not forget to continue engaging in slow, complete inhalations and exhalations.

Parsva Dhanurasana is a variation to this pose. From Dhanurasana, the body is rolled to the right side transferring the weight to the right outer arm, hip and thighs. The intention is to strongly tug the left foot over to the right side without compromising the whole form of the Dhanurasana. After a few long breaths in this position, the same is repeated on the left side.

The Dhanurasana is a great pose to combat constipation, improve respiration, relieve mild back pain and sooth menstrual cramps. The rolling action in Parsva Dhanurasana also provides a good internal massage to the abdominal organs.

“Inhale deeply, lift  your Mula Bandha and jump through,” says J, my Ashtanga yoga instructor.  “The internal lift will bring lightness to your entire body and ease your manoeuvres,” she continues.

As with many practitioners out there, I vaguely ‘know’ about the Mula Bandha or ‘Root Lock’ but have not been diligent in its practice. The most common reason for this fear is the preconception of its difficulty. The rare occasion when I remember to practice this pelvic floor exercise usually only triggers waves of frustration attributed to the nature of its subtleness.

There are many ways of practising Mula Bandha but it is generally described as a subtle lifting of the perineum center towards the abdomen, which is accomplished by contracting the pelvic floor muscles. The perineum in both genders refers to the diamond-shaped region between the anus and the genitals. In the beginning, the anal region will tend to be contracted as well but eventually with frequent practice, this area should be relaxed, isolating the contraction to only the central perineum. The Mula Bandha can be engaged with inhalation, and held as long as possible without any restriction to the flow of breath. Another way is by rhythmatically engaging the Mula Bandha with each inhalation and releasing the Mula Bandha with each exhalation.

What is the point of this frustrating exercise which yields no obvious benefit to the physique? In reality, being competent in the practice of Moola Bandha brings more advantages to your asana routine than ever imagined. When the perineal floor is lifted, the core muscles of the abdominals are also lifted and this results in an internal elevation which enables a normally energy-zapping position to be held longer without strain. The core-strengthening effect of the Mula Bandha also makes practice safer as it protects the lower back muscles and increases the body’s range of movements.  A strong Mula Bandha builds greater core stability, which in turn leads to more efficient use of energy as the body learns how to engage muscles in a discriminative manner. Regular practice improves concentration, uplifts the emotions and develops mental clarity. Also nice to know is that according to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Mula Bandha promotes youthfulness.

It is therefore of great importance to understand the essence behind this sacred move as only then will it spark genuine interest and pave the way towards obtaining the true benefits of the Mula Bandha.

The two common options of Ustrasana are performed either with the toes pointing back or with the toes turned under and heels elevated (for those who have a distinct discomfort in the lower back when coming into the pose).

A progression to this would be to drop your head all the way to the back and reaching your arms over your shoulders to grasp the toes or heels.

Some of us may experience dizziness and nausea following the Ustrasana. To avoid this, come out of the pose without any haste while maintaining a steady stream of breath.

The camel represents the capacity to face tough challenges with tenacity and compassion. The wisdom through this heart-opening pose can be applied during those demanding times in our lives. Although never associated with being a relaxing pose, the satisfying after-effect of the Ustrasana makes it worthwhile. Similarly, successfully overcoming a difficult situation only makes us stronger and sturdier.

The Navasana is approached from the seated pose of Dandasana (Staff Pose). An easier option is to bend both knees and slightly leaning back while lifting your legs off the ground. Bring your thighs closer to your chest, keeping your shin bone parallel to the ground and arms stretched forward in line with your shoulders. At this stage, there is a natural tendency to round the back and hunch the shoulders forward. Feel the grounding sensation of your sit bones and tail bone as you lengthen your spine and roll back your shoulders. Because all abdominal muscles, hip flexors, spine and quadriceps are working hard in this pose, natural flow of the breath can be restricted. Consciously ensure that you continue to breathe slowly and deeply throughout the pose.

Once you are comfortable with the first option, and your deep core muscles are stronger, take the next step by straightening both legs. This is a good workout for your quadriceps, which need to be strongly engaged to keep the knees straight.

Benefits include the toning of your intestines, abdomen, legs, thighs and buttocks. Several sets of Navasana a day keep that tummy flab at bay!

There is a common inclination towards placing the entire weight of your upper body on the crown of your head as you arch your back into postion. Instead, you should continue to open up your chest by moving your shoulders back and transfer your upper body weight back down to the center of your abdomen.

There are a few variations in Matsyasana. Traditionally it is performed with your legs in Padmasana.

Or as a beginner both feet are placed together on the ground.

In the finishing sequence of Ashtanga, the Extended Fish Pose (Uttana Padasana) is performed. In this variation, both legs are raised 45 degrees from the floor and the arms extended forward with fingers pointing towards the ceiling.

My yoga teacher once told me that one can float by performing the Matyasana in water. I was sceptical at first but tried it out of curiosity, and surprisingly it worked!

Many will also be delighted to know that this pose promotes anti-ageing effects such as a youthful and clear complexion.

To come into Salamba Sarvangasana easily, place your palms facing downwards, right under your buttocks. Tuck in your elbows, upper arms and roll back your shoulders, creating a space between your lower back and the mat, then swing both feet up with both palms supporting your back and slowly adjust your alignment so that your chin is as close to your throat as possible and your entire spine from the base of your neck right up to the feet forms a straight vertical line.

There should be an internal rotation of the thighs as you keep both big toes touching one another. It is important not to move your neck once in the pose to avoid neck injury.

You can explore other variations by coming into Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s Pose) or Padmasana (Lotus Pose).

Approach the pose from Setu Bandhasana (Bridge). There are a few key things to note here. Firstly, it is much easier to rest on the crown of your head before taking the second step to come up into full wheel. Secondly, as you push your hips up, the knees will tend to fall out to the sides. Try to keep the knees parallel to each other and toes pointing forward. In doing so, you will need to fully engage your buttock and thigh muscles. Thirdly, ensure your body weight is equally distributed between your palms and feet through your arms and legs accordingly. The idea is to push your chest forward and extend your arms from the shoulders until your elbows are as straight as possible. By then you should feel a good stretch in your abdominal muscles.

Usually after performing the Chakrasana, I will curl into a ball by hugging my knees to the chest to counter stretch and relax the back muscles.

Personally, this pose has strengthened and increased the flexibility of my spine, which helps a great deal in other back bending postures. Besides that, it also keeps the buttocks and thighs firm.