Yoga in London

Emerging over 5,000 years ago in India, Yoga is a comprehensive, holistic, exercise and health system, that uses a series of breathing techniques and postures to enhance physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Far more than a form of exercise, the word yoga derives from the Sanskrit word “Yuji” meaning union. It is its’ holistic approach to both physical and mental health that has encouraged millions of people to incorporate yoga practise into their daily life. 

Browse our range of yoga classes in London today and revive the union between your mind, body and spirit. 

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What Are the Benefits of Yoga?

Regular yoga practice has been scientifically proven to enhance overall health in innumerable ways. Yoga benefits your body, mind and spirit by blending the benefits of physical exercise with the power of mindful breathing and meditation. Here are a few of the many benefits of regular yoga practice:

Improves Flexibility

Yogis have a reputation for being inhumanly bendy. Twisting and turning, contorting and bending, one of the key benefits of yoga is its ability to boost your flexibility. No matter how rigid your body or how creaky your forward bend, regular yoga practice stretches out your muscles, soft tissue, ligaments and tendons, so you can move more freely and comfortably. 

Builds Strength

Who wouldn’t want to build long, lean, and strong muscles? Building muscular strength with yoga has innumerable benefits — boosting confidence, protecting us from arthritis and back pain, supercharging metabolism and increasing range of motion. 

Increase Your Blood Flow

Yoga doesn’t only get your heart pumping — it also boosts your circulation. Both the dynamic movements and relaxing, meditative poses help to improve oxygen flow to the cells. Similarly, twisting poses help to wring out venous blood in the internal organs and oxygenate the blood. 

Enhances Feelings of Happiness

Multiple studies prove yoga can help to decrease cortisol — the stress hormone — powerfully reducing feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. 

Different Types of Yoga

Whether you’re looking for a physically strenuous, heart-pumping flow class, or a relaxing and rejuvenating restorative class, there are dozens of different types of yoga styles out there. The key is to experiment with the different yoga classes on offer and find the one that works best for you. 

If you struggle with the yoga lingo or are a newbie to yogi practices, here are some of the most popular practices out there.

Hatha Yoga

In Sanskrit “Hatha” is an umbrella term that encompasses all the physical postures in yoga, and a hatha yoga class is grounded in a physical practice. Typically, a hatha yoga class is a slower-paced, more gentle practice incorporating key postures and sequences. If you’re a yoga newbie, hatha yoga is a great place to start to learn the fundamental breathing techniques and postures of yoga. 

Vinyasa Flow Yoga

Similarly to Hatha, vinyasa is a general term used to describe a range of sub-styles of yoga practice. In general, vinyasa is a more vigorous style of yoga practice that incorporates a series of poses and flows and breath practice. Principled on continuous movement, a vinyasa yoga class will begin with a series of sun salutations to warm up the body. Then, the session transitions into a more intense set of stretching and flows that push your strength, endurance and flexibility. 

Kundalini Yoga 

Kundalini yoga approaches physical and spiritual wellbeing via the breath. Of course, all asana practices in yoga use breath control, but in Kundalini the breath (also known as “prana” or energy) is essential. In Kundalini, the goal is to release trapped or coiled energy in the lower body and spine — and move it up through the rest of the body. A Kundalini yoga class is perfect for someone looking to push their yoga practice and focus on their core through fast-moving, and invigorating postures and breathing exercises. 

Ashtanga Yoga

In Sanskrit “Ashtanga” translates as “Eight Limb Path” and it’s a style not for the faint of heart. Fast-paced and intense, Ashtanga yoga is a flowing style of yoga that cycles through postures and poses in a particular order. Because of its physically demanding nature, Ashtanga yoga is a challenging form of yoga practice best left to those schooled in yoga and masters of vinyasa. 

Bikram Yoga

Do you want to get sweaty? Do you want to detox your body, get your heart rate up, and improve your skin? Then Bikram yoga is for you. Bikram yoga — sometimes referred to as hot yoga — is a style of yoga that cycles through sequences of 26 basic yoga postures in a sauna-like room. With class temperatures rising to about 105 degrees and 40% humidity, make sure you pack your water, a towel, and a change of clothes — things are about to get sweaty. 

Yin Yoga

If you’re looking to restore, relax and unwind, Yin yoga is just the ticket. Yin yoga is a slow-paced style of yoga, where poses are held from 45 seconds to two minutes at a time. The relaxed space and deep approach to poses make a Yin yoga class deeply meditative and peace-giving. 

With The Holistic Guide finding the perfect yoga class near you has never been easier. Use our service and location search to find a yoga class to suit your needs and location.