...The image of yoga has changed during the past years. If once, the first picture that popped your mind was of a group of white wearing weirdoes standing on their heads and breathing loudly, now you are probably thinking about Madonna's well shaped arms. Currently, yoga is one of the most popular fitness activities worldwide. One of its appeal is that it can be practiced by elders and it can improve the overall physical fitness of athletes.

If you want to start practicing yoga, here is a quick guide to the basic types of yoga. While most of them are based on the same ancient postures, each yoga style has a different focus. Some of the yoga styles focus on strengthening the body while others focus on flexibility. Other types of yoga focus mainly on breathing, relaxation, and meditation.

Most of the yoga styles that were adopted in the west, were derived from the Hatha Yoga, which is a general term that refers to the physical branches of the ancient Indian philosophy. The purpose of the traditional Hatha Yoga was to achieve balance between mind and body through moral discipline and physical exercises, which are expressed by a series of asana: postures, panorama: breathing and meditation.

Western culture adopted mainly the physical aspects of the Hatha Y...more

Yoga: Three reasons you should not do Sitting Forward bend

... is really praiseworthy.

The Sitting Forward bend is one of the most demanding postures of Yoga. In this pose the body is folded almost in half, providing an intense stretch to the entire back of the body, from the scalp down to the heels. Students often struggle in this asana. If you pull yourself forward using your shoulders and arms you will create the tension through your body and you will end up tightening your muscles and this will not allow you to get into the posture any quicker. While doing this asana give some time for the muscles to stretch and to release the tension. Often, because of t...more

Why Should I Practice Yoga Postures

...any other physical problem. It is in the physical realm where yoga postures have an important role to play.

Just as our modern environment is puts maximum stress on our psychic health, it is not stimulating enough on the physical side. One of the secrets of a long life is to do regular physical labor. However, most people today do mental work and not physical work. It is no wonder that obesity has become one of the greatest health problems of our time. But it is not only obesity that is caused by sedentary lifestyle. Other ailments such as constipation, indigestion, liver disease, hemorrhoids and many others also stem from a lifestyle that is not physically challenging. Fortunately these ail...more

How Much Yogis Earn

...nd the rates vary based on the national cost factors and also the popularity of Yoga, still it is a truth that Yoga teachers do make quite a profit out of taking Yoga lessons.

In India, the home of Yoga, there has recently arisen a huge popularity for Yoga. Organizations such as "Art of Living" (which also exists in USA and numerous other countries), which teach basic yoga lessons and breathing exercises, charge as much as thousand rupees for a week's class which is considered q...more

Yoga Equipment Bargain Prices