13 Different Types of Yoga Asanas

13 Different Types of Yoga Asanas

While there is no definitive way to categorize yoga postures, there are 13 primary physical orientations that can be useful for researching and sequencing asanas. In common, these groups of yoga poses will share comparable energetic and physical effects. Knowing the positive aspects of every single form of yoga asanas will aid you refine and deepen your practice of the yoga poses.

Types of Yoga Asanas

Asanas are a pose or position in which the body is supported by the ground or an additional object, and can be categorized into broad categories primarily based on their body position and alignment pattern. Yoga teachers use most of the following sorts of asanas in their hatha yoga classes.

1. Standing poses

The standing poses are the foundation of any hatha yoga practice. They are used to develop strength and flexibility all through the whole body, preparing us for deeper stretches and moving into more difficult positions. Standing poses warm up the body by activating the muscle tissues all through the whole technique. As we stand, we ought to spend focus to the placement of our feet, knees, hips, spine, and head. If we do not align these components appropriately, we can injure ourselves.

Standing yoga postures call for each flexibility and strength, and are a main element of a balanced yoga practice. Standing poses are commonly held for shorter periods of time than other poses, generally only two to 4 breaths extended, and have a tendency to be energizing and open. These are the most difficult poses, so they must be approached with caution by newbies. They also include several of the sophisticated asanas, so it is crucial for starting students to focus on the simple poses initially.

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There are a number of positive aspects of standing asanas. Standing asanas like Mountain, Tree pose, and the 5 Warrior poses mostly develop robust and steady legs, hips, and core muscle tissues. Standing postures with the arms raised like Triangle pose and Warrior 1 also develop strength and flexibility in the upper body. These poses are grounding, assisting us really feel steady and robust. They also aid us connect to the earth element inside ourselves.

2. Seated poses

Seated asanas are the most prevalent sorts of poses, and most of these are suited for newbie students. Seated yoga postures have a tendency to be energetically grounding and focus more on stretching than strength. Sitting on the floor creates a steady position to loosen up and open the body with small work and higher ease. They are quick to adapt to any level of strength and flexibility. They also aid us grow to be conscious of the breath and how it impacts the body. In addition, they strengthen posture by engaging the core muscle tissues and assisting us to sit upright.

Seated poses are perfect for creating flexibility and variety of motion, particularly for stretching the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and back body. They also offer you a decrease threat of injury due to their stability, low center of gravity, and manage.

3. Supine poses

Supine yoga postures are performed lying down on your back. These poses are typically much easier to execute than standing poses since they call for significantly less balance and coordination. Supine postures release strain and market flexibility. They are calming, nurturing, cooling, integrating and supportive. They are good for relaxing the body and thoughts, and they can be especially useful for these who endure from insomnia or anxiousness.

They are also valuable for relieves strain and tension in the back, neck, and shoulders. Asanas that are performed lying on your back enable us to take benefit of gravity to develop strength in backbends, and flexibility in the spine and legs.

Supine asanas are excellent for winding down right after a extended practice. Yoga teachers frequently sequence these asanas at the finish of a class. They enable us to release tension in the spine and limbs, and they give us time to reflect on what we have discovered in the course of our practice. Some individuals discover them relaxing and peaceful, when other individuals favor to use them to wind down ahead of falling asleep. Either way, these poses are great methods to finish your practice and prepare for Shavasana.

4. Prone poses

Prone asanas are postures performed with the belly or torso facing the floor. Most prone yoga poses are back bends, which energize the complete body, tonify the kidney technique, and strengthen the heart, lungs, and diaphragm. They can also strengthen digestion by stimulating the digestive organs and improve circulation.

Prone postures can be performed anyplace in the course of a practice, but they are frequently applied toward the middle of a class when students have had time to warm up their bodies. Prone postures are straightforward and accessible for newbies, however they can be really difficult to hold for extended periods.

Prone yoga poses are useful since they develop strength, heat and endurance in the leg muscle tissues, hips, and back. They can be applied as a way to improve stamina and strength, and to improve flexibility in the hamstrings, shoulders, and chest, as well. Prone asanas aid us to develop self-confidence and self-esteem by assisting us to really feel robust and steady in our bodies.

5. Twisting poses

Twisting yoga poses are frequently used to release tension in the spine and improve flexibility all through the whole body. They strengthen and lengthen the muscle tissues that safeguard your back. Twists are good neutralizing postures that rebalance the body right after a series or backbends or forward bends. They can also aid open our hips, strengthen the abdominal muscle tissues and strengthen digestion.

Twists penetrate deep into the center of the body to squeeze out toxins in the internal organs and provide them with fresh, oxygenate blood. They also encourage mentally letting go of what is not serving us. Twisting sequences can aid strengthen muscular balance, core strength, and coordination. Twists open up the lungs and release tension in the chest. They are also good at calming the nervous technique, clearing the thoughts, and boosting our power and vitality.

6. Balancing poses

Balancing yoga poses are generally performed standing on 1 foot, so they call for more stability and core strength than other sorts of poses. Balancing poses are great for creating strength, balance, and concentration. They can also strengthen the legs, arms, neck, and back. Balancing poses are also very good for enhancing posture and rising awareness of how we stand and move, and they can aid protect against falls and injuries.

Balancing poses are particularly valuable for these who want to work on creating higher balance, body awareness and coordination. These asanas strengthen and energize the thoughts, and build self-confidence, grit, and determination. They also aid us to grow to be conscious of our breath, improve our focus, and deepen our connection to ourselves.

Balancing poses are frequently practiced in the middle of a sequence to use their invigorating and energizing impact for going deeper into more difficult and sophisticated poses. Balancing poses are difficult, but with practice, they grow to be much easier. The important is consistency, focus and patience.

7. Core strengthening poses

If you are seeking for methods to strengthen your all round fitness level and steer clear of injury, then it may be time to incorporate some core strengthening yoga poses into your routine. They strengthen the abs, which aid us stabilize ourselves when we stand or sit. They also develop strength in the muscle tissues that stabilize the hips and pelvis, which assists protect against decrease back discomfort and injuries. In addition to creating strength, these poses also strengthen flexibility by opening up the hips and lengthening the hamstrings.

Core strengthening yoga poses aid decrease the threat of falling in the course of practice, which could lead to injuries. Core strengthening asanas aid you really feel stronger, more confident, and far better capable to deal with complicated poses. They also aid us have far better all round alignment in our poses and create robust mental fortitude and resilience.

8. Forward bending poses

Forward folds are poses that bring the front of the upper torso closer to the decrease body. Forward bends are regarded calming, soothing, and introspecting. They stretch out tight muscle tissues and release tension in the whole back side of the body. They can relieve strain, anxiousness, depression, insomnia, headaches, and fatigue.

When finding out a forward bend yoga posture, it is crucial to slow down and practice with appropriate alignment and awareness. Avoid pulling and forcing your body into the pose. Instead, focus on relaxing and softening into the pose, rather than pushing and pulling your self deeper. If you really feel any discomfort in the course of a forward fold pose, hold the pose with a flat back and lengthen your spine.

If you have tight hamstrings, then attempt forward bends with the knees bent. If your hands don‘t attain the floor simply, use a set of block supports for help and to aid lengthen the spine. In seated poses, you may well want to use a blanket or pillow beneath your hips to aid protect against rounding your decrease back. You can also use straps to aid attain your feet.

9. Back bending poses

The backbends are 1 of the most crucial components of the yoga sequence since they stretch the spine, release tension from the decrease back, and strengthen posture. They activate prana life force power, improve circulation, increase mood, and activate the heart chakra.

Back bending poses are good for opening up the front body and provide a good chance to focus on breathing. If you really feel any discomfort in your back, it may well be due to tight muscle tissues or poor alignment. Try to discover a comfy spot to sit exactly where you can loosen up your shoulders and neck. This will enable you to breathe deeply into your belly devoid of straining your upper body. If you sit at a desk most days, backbends may well be difficult to practice since they call for a particular level of mobility in the hips and decrease back.

Rooting down by means of your hands, legs, or hips creates a robust foundation for your backbends. engaging Uddiyana Bandha (belly lock) assists stabilize the spine and prevents injury. Engage Uddiyanna bandha by pulling the navel into the spine and lifting the pubic bone away from the tailbone. This will strengthen the abdominal wall and protect against strain on the decrease back.

10. Hip opening poses

Hip opening yoga postures are any position that opens the hips and assists to stretch the six groups of muscle tissues that build movement in the hip joint. These incorporate mainly floor poses that help the weight of the body to encourage deeper stretching. Hip openers are frequently performed right after a warm-up or cooling down period, but some individuals favor to do them ahead of beginning their yoga routine.

Hip opening yoga poses are an powerful suggests of stretching tight hip flexors and hamstring muscle tissues that are frequently brought on by excessive sitting. They are also useful for enhancing posture and balance rising flexibility relieving strain minimizing the threat of injury, especially in the decrease back and enhancing flexibility and variety of movement in the hips, legs, and back. They are a good complement to other types of physical activity such as operating, cycling and dancing.

Hip openers have a tendency to be energetically grounding and focus more on flexibility than strength, but they can be used to improve strength and mobility all through the hips, knees, and ankles. Most hip opening asanas are appropriate for starting level students, as the majority are simply adapted to any level of strength or flexibility.

11. Side bending poses

Side bends are a group of yoga postures that target the side body. They are great for releasing tension in the arms, shoulders and sides of the torso. Yoga side bends are a good for opening the ribs and expanding the chest. As we breathe into these stretches, we can really feel the power flow by means of our bodies, releasing any tension and opening up the spaces exactly where we hold ourselves back.

Side bends are particularly valuable for balancing out the nervous technique, relaxing the thoughts, and clearing the lungs. Side bends useful for creating core strength, rising spinal mobility, and enhancing flexibility. They also develop stamina, endurance, concentration, and memory. A frequent practice of side bends will also strengthen the lungs, strengthen circulation, and increase immunity and power levels.

12. Inversions

Inversions are asanas exactly where the head is under the level of the heart and hips. These are typically poses exactly where you are upside down or “inverted” from your typical upright position, but also incorporate significantly less apparent asanas like downward dog or a standing forward fold.

Yoga inversions are 1 of the ideal methods to invigorate the nervous technique, stimulate the immune technique, and strengthen all round wellness. Inversions are useful for strengthening the whole musculoskeletal technique, such as the neck, back, legs, and arms. These poses also strengthen self-esteem, mood, mental clarity and memory. Inverting the body naturally improves blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which assists decrease inflammation.

13. Meditation poses

Meditation poses are certain seated positions that are applied for meditation practices as effectively as applied during breathing workouts. These incorporate only a handful of asanas but these are vital to master, as they are frequently taught at the starting and finish of a yoga class.

In any meditation pose, it is vital to lengthen your spine and preserve the all-natural curve of your lumbar area. If you discover your self rounding forward, sit up straight by employing a pillow or bolster to elevate your hips.

A comfy, seated posture must get rid of or reduce pain in the course of meditation. A posture with a extended and erect spine will encourage your chakras or power centers to be open and balanced. It is particularly useful for your heart center to be open to encourage a compassionate and loving flow of power in the course of meditation. In addition, by preserving suitable alignment in these poses, you will really feel more energized, focused and relaxed.

Sequencing the unique sorts of yogasanas

The objective of yoga is to build balance, harmony and peace inside oneself. This balance can be designed by how 1 sequences a series of yoga postures. Each yoga pose has its personal exclusive positive aspects, but they are frequently comparable to poses that are the identical form. Therefore, it is ideal to practice sets of comparable poses with each other in order to obtain higher final results than if you had been practicing them randomly.

Ultimately, the most crucial point when practicing the physical postures is to discover what feels proper for you. There are several methods to do yoga, but there is only 1 way to really feel good. The practice of yoga encourages you to experiment and play to discover out what performs ideal for you.

Originally published in www.yogabasics.com