By Staff Writer: Kathryn Richter
Despite the stereotype of yoga being only for women, the benefits of daily yoga have the ability
to impact the lives of anyone who tries it.
Yoga can help calm sore muscles, stiff joints, racing minds, and even speed up healing processes.
There are dozens of types of yoga and each one focuses on a different aspect of the body. John
Hopkins University has research supporting the effects on yoga on arthritis pain and even
bettering heart health.
The most common type of yoga, especially on the west coast, is Hatha Yoga but the average
person would just call this yoga. It focuses on using poses designed to tone, strengthen, and align
the body. Along with breathing and meditation to connect each movement with breath and
thought. This type of yoga helps to make a person feel more alive and present within their life.
Hot yoga has also been gaining popularity lately. This type of yoga is based off of the exact same
movements, 26 poses and 2 breathing activities, in the same exact order, in a hot and humid
room. This form is perfect for people who need to sweat out their problems and helps for those
who need routine.
Another type, Yin Yoga, focuses on the same things as Hatha Yoga. Breath, mediation, and
stretching to bring every aspect of a persons body and their movements together. But instead of
quick full stretch poses, Yin Yoga is very slow paced, allowing the body to relax into a deeper
more fulfilling stretch.
There are even yoga types designed for those with disabilities or those who just feel that the
stretches can be too much sometimes. With modified or changed poses, and educated instructors
you can work to find something that will benefit your body in the way it needs.
Each different type of yoga will affect people in different ways, but finding the one that works
for your mind and your body has the potential to change the way you live your life.