By Marissa Gainsbury, photography by StockSnap
Strike a balance with your routine.
Just as dog lovers tend to favour either small or large pups, yogis generally fall into slow or fast camps. So which is better? Glad you asked! A smart yoga routine should incorporate both—ideally one power vinyasa sesh for every two slow sequences (like hatha) per week, according to Melanie Potiaumpai, a doctoral research assistant at the University of Miami. Each type has its own perks; choose your day’s flow based on the body benefits below.
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SLOW YOGA
Holding a pose will…
- Increase flexibility as you fight through tension and tightness.
- Improve muscular endurance with isometric (i.e., still) muscle contractions.
- Develop your mental toughness during uncomfortable positions (looking at you, chair pose!).
Try this three-minute yoga warm-up stretch to loosen out your muscles:
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POWER YOGA
Moving through rapid transitions will…
- Burn up to eight more kilojoules per minute than slow flows (that’s 500 extra kilojoules torched in an hour-long class), says new research.
- Increase muscle activation significantly, helping you get stronger faster (FYI, your muscles will recover during static poses).
- Reduce pulled-muscle injuries, thanks to the extra-dynamic stretches.
Need more reasons to become a yogi? Here’s 3 amazing benefits you’ll experience, plus these 6 south african yogis will inspire you to roll out your mat.
This article was originally featured on www.womenshealthmag.com
