Yoga refers to a group of spiritual practices which originated in ancient India. The word yoga took its route from the Sanskrit word YUJ which means to control and to unite. Yoga could be described as a union occurring between mind, body and spirit. Yoga is strongly linked with the religious beliefs of the several Indian religions. However, yoga is known in west and other parts of world as well as a form of exercise. The history of yoga is very long and it involves a number of phases of development.
A general view about yoga is that it is stretching the body. Yoga no doubt includes stretching but it’s not all about stretching. Main aim behind this practice is to develop both strength and flexibility in the body. This aim is achieved by practicing a number of yoga poses. Each of the yoga positions has its own physical benefits. These yoga posses or yoga positions could be practiced both quickly and slowly, both intensities serve different purpose. Besides giving strength and flexibility to the body yoga encourages letting go off the ego by teaching the participants that no one is superior or better then other, every one is good at his place. To practice yoga in best possible way, yoga classes could be attended by the practitioner. However even a yoga DVD with a collection of yoga videos could even serve the purpose.
One of the most favorite workouts of women is yoga booty ballet. It is a combination of some meditation techniques, dance steps, diet guidelines and body sculpting routines. The yoga booty ballet helps in weight loss plus it gives shape to the body.
Yoga has a number of branches including hatha yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga. Most common forms of yoga are briefly explained below:-
Bikram Yoga
Different people practice different form of yoga to keep them healthy and fit. One of the most practiced forms of yoga is bikram yoga. This type of yoga is also known as hot yoga as it is practiced at a high temperature. While performing this type of yoga, practitioner must use durable slip proof yoga mats because hot yoga results in lot of sweat. Before doing bikram yoga doctor must be consulted in order to avoid any health problem later on.
Kundalini Yoga
Another most practiced Yoga is kundalini yoga. It involves the execution of a number of yoga positions and poses, breathing patterns and degrees of concentration. These are the most stretching exercises. Major exercises include straight positioning the spine, cross legged erect posture, closed eye mental focus and techniques to control breathe etc.
Naked Yoga
As the name suggests naked yoga is yoga without any clothes. This type of yoga is becoming very popular in western societies, as they have more familiarity with social nudity. There are people who think naked yoga is good for their health but feels uncomfortable while executing poses in front of others in nudity, they practice naked yoga at home.
Just Perfect Yoga Clothes
Since yoga is meant to provide relaxation and comfort, so the practitioner needs to pay a lot of attention while selecting yoga clothing. The yoga clothes especially yoga pants should be such that they allow easy movement of body parts while stretching. That is why elastic material is a best choice while selecting perfect yoga clothing. The element of sweat must also be kept in mind. Regarding the shoes, rubber sole should be preferred. Sole must be flat and soft so that while practicing yoga toes of the practitioner could be moved easily and sustain his weight.
