Which yoga class is right for you? A guide for aspiring yogis

Urban Sports Club is the largest, most flexible and diverse sports offer in your city with over 50 types of sports and over 300 partner venues in Paris as well as over 2000 partner venues in 20+ cities across Germany.*

Published: Thu 16 Aug 2018 09:28 CEST
Which yoga class is right for you? A guide for aspiring yogis
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Visit your local yoga studio, go swimming, bouldering, have a gym session, take a dance class or make new friends in Urban Sports Club's team sport communities. All of this in one membership at a fixed cost that you can cancel at just one month's notice.

In the Urban Sport series, a member of the USC team tries a different sport to encourage members to do the same - because new sports lead to new hobbies and new friends.

This week, our fitness fan introduces you to the many different kinds of yoga so that you can find your perfect class.

I recently started practicing yoga regularly with the Urban Sports Club yoga partners. I’m still in the process of understanding this amazing discipline and am exploring the different options available; there are so many studios, schools and rituals to discover.

With so many options it can be difficult to find the right class for you. So I’ve created a glossary of the different types of yoga to help you find the perfect beginning to your yoga journey…

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Photo: Urban Sports Club

Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga is the most traditional practice as the sequences (asanas) and Sun Salutations follow the teachings of original yogi Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. The sequences are fixed so each class follows a similar formula that will energise the body and the spirit.

Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is the most popular discipline in Europe. This type of yoga is slow and allows you more time to become acquainted with the various postures. Here you’ll learn how to connect the breath with the movements in order to balance your body.

Vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa yoga is a fluid practice that aims to synchronise your movement with your breathing to achieve harmony in a dynamic sequence of postures. The versatility of the classes depends on the creative influence of the teachers.

Jivamukti yoga

Jivamukti yoga is a powerful practice that helps you discover the philosophy of yoga through postures, music, meditation, breathing exercises (pranayama), mantras and readings. Accompanied by music, the practice allows you to explore the benefits of yoga in daily life, beyond the yoga mat.

Kundalini yoga

Kundalini yoga focuses on developing self-awareness to understand our inner energy flows through postures, breathing and the recitation of mantras.

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Bikram yoga

Bikram yoga takes place in a room of 40 degrees Celsius. Over 90 minutes you’ll practice poses with accompanying breathing exercises. The sweat you generate allows your body to eliminate toxins and improve flexibility.

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Iyengar yoga

This discipline focus on the alignment of your body as well as the intensity and the precision of the movement. You can use yoga equipment such as blocks and ropes to acquaint you with challenging postures and to help you relax and regenerate.  

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra creates a sense of deep relaxation through breathing exercises and meditation - an excellent way to release the stress and tension that pollute our consciousness every day.

Yin yoga

Yin Yoga is a mild practice that brings a sense of calm and serenity. The goal is to relax the muscle system and to reach connective (ligaments and tendons) and deep tissues. Each posture must be held for several minutes; the pace of the class creates a meditative experience.

Yang yoga

Intended as a complement to Yin yoga, Yang yoga revitalises the body by soliciting superficial tissues. This practice is usually combined with Yin yoga in the same session.

Acro yoga

This is a great practice for the adventurous yogis who are ready to fly into the unknown. A combination of yoga, massage and acrobatics, most classes require you bring a partner with you.

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Prenatal yoga

Prenatal yoga is designed for mums-to-be. The practice focuses on relaxation, rejuvenation and meditation to ensure your pregnancy is comfortable and calm.

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Postnatal yoga

New mums can practice Postnatal yoga as soon as they receive clearance from their doctor. This discipline focuses on the abdominal and pelvic muscles and has dedicated time for relaxation.

Check out all of the yoga classes available on the Urban Sports Club website and find a yoga studio near you.

*This content is an advertisement. It was not produced by The Local's journalists.

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