Give yoga a try!

We want everyone to be active and try new things, which can be scary at first, but if you find something you truly enjoy doing, then you'll want to do it for as long as you can. One thing that can be a little daunting when you first give it a try is yoga. What is yoga you ask? Well yoga is a series of move that can help you relax and help you get in touch with your inner spirit, and bring your mind and body closer together. The experts at sparkpeople.com have shared some advice on finding the right type of yoga for you.
 

Types of Yoga

Yoga, started in India more than 5,000 years ago and springing from a Sanskrit word meaning "union," has many forms but generally centers around techniques for breathing (pranayama), postures (asanas), flexibility, and meditation (dhyana). It can be very spiritual, linking the mind, body, and spirit. Other popular types seen today in videos and in gyms include:

• Hatha: basic introductory yoga poses, usually gentle and slow-paced; expect breaks between poses 
• Vinyasa: more advanced and faster-paced classes, with a focus on sun salutations and connecting breathing with movement; expect to "flow" from pose to pose with no breaks 
• Ashtanga: a traditional school of yoga that commonly uses a series of about 75 poses that flow from one to the next; heavy emphasis on breathing, focused gaze and energy locks; poses are linked with sun salutations. The poses are always done in the same order.  
• Bikram: Also referred to as "hot yoga," this form is intended to be practiced in an environment where the temperature is 105 degrees, to promote intense sweating that will loosen tight muscles and facilitate cleansing of the body. A series of 27 poses are repeated twice, along with two breathing exercises. In addition, (Please note that this form is NOT recommended during pregnancy.)

We hope you try some different types of yoga, and find one that works best for you. Here is a link to an article - Beginner's Guide to Yoga from Spark People. Just remember that you should check with your doctor before trying any new workout routine.