Which Style of Yoga is best for Weight Loss?
13 Oct 2019 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
All yoga styles are good for weight loss, as they all give you the building blocks that you need to meet your weight goals. Whether this is through calorie burning, mindfulness, detoxing, or de-stressing, there is a place for yoga in any weight loss regime. Still, some styles do burn more calories than others, which means by practicing these forms of yoga you will get faster results. More intense yoga asana practices are designed to increase your heart rate, promote sweating, and create a movement of lymphatic fluid. These are all vital elements in weight loss. But this doesn’t mean that a slow-paced, less intense practice won’t help you lose weight and keep it off. Here are Which Style of Yoga is Best for Weight Loss?
1. Ashtanga Yoga
One of the classical yoga forms, Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic and physically demanding practice that was founded by K. Pattabhi Jois. Ashtanga is a Sanskrit word in which ‘Ashta’ means ‘eight’ and ‘Anga’ refers to ‘limbs’, the ‘eightfold path’ of yoga. Ashtanga Yoga syncs the breath with the movements and generates internal heat that cleanses the body, strengthens the muscles and organs, and improves circulation.
While doing Ashtanga, your body will build internal heat and detoxify through the movements and coinciding breathing. As well, the repetition of the practice helps with blood circulation, body awareness, and discipline, which are all great things to learn to lose weight and keep it off. In an Ashtanga class, you can burn anywhere from 350 to 550 calories per hour.
2. Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa Yoga stems from Ashtanga, but there is more variety than in an Ashtanga class. A Vinyasa class is a flowing, continuous movement, where you are moving from one pose to the next in a dance-like manner. You will follow the teacher’s sequence, which is carried on from Ashtanga’s Surya Namaskar A & B (Sun Salutations A & B). The pace is different per class and per teacher, ranging from movement in one breath to movement in up to five breaths.
When you practice Vinyasa you are building heat in your body as well as promoting blood circulation and detoxification. You will also develop strength, increase your suppleness and, of course, lose weight.
3. Bikram and Hot Yoga
If you love the heat, then this type of yoga practice may be the best choice for you. People practice these styles of yoga in a room heated to 40°C with a humidity of 40 percent. Bikram Yoga is a set of 26 poses that are done in every class. The design aims to make your heart rate rise and your body sweat. Hot yoga comes from Bikram, though instead of 26 set poses there is much more variety.
Doing Bikram yoga in the hot room increases blood circulation, flexibility, and body heat without the same exertion experienced when practicing other forms of exercise. Hence you will eventually lose weight.
4. Hatha Yoga
With ha meaning “sun” and tha meaning “moon,” we have the common interpretation of Hatha yoga as “a union of the pairs of opposites.” A more technical translation of Hatha yoga is “force’ “determined effort” or “dedicated practice”. Thus hatha yoga, the “yoga of activity,” is the yoga that addresses the body and mind and requires discipline and effort. It is the yoga that we can feel, that we can experience, right here and right now. Hatha yoga is a powerful method of self-transformation.
You will not burn as many calories in a Hatha Yoga class as you would in an Ashtanga, Vinyasa, or Hot Yoga Style class. Still, you can burn up to 300 calories, depending on the intensity of it. Hence you will lose weight.