JANIS RIISE

Think this is too hard for you? Think again, there is a type of yoga for everyone.

Lots of people have tried, or at least thought about trying, yoga. Some who try it feel it isn’t for them, but what many people don’t realize is that there are multiple types of yoga that incorporate different movements.

If a person’s first yoga experience isn’t a positive one, it is important to keep in mind that trying another style of yoga or taking a class from another teacher can turn that around.

Many people complete their first class frustrated that they are not flexible enough to do the poses, or that the class was moving too fast or too slow for their liking.

Arguing that your lack of flexibility makes you incompatible for yoga, however, is similar to saying you are too dirty to take a shower. Yoga will make you more flexible, but you have to do it than once.

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and has been adapted to different cultures by different teachers. Generally when people think of a yoga class they picture thin sweaty bodies wrapped into pretzel-like positions.

This isn’t always a completely inaccurate picture. If you go to an Ashtanga yoga class, after a series of strength-building poses standing upright, it is common to see the teacher and some students successfully cross their legs tightly and slip their sweaty arms behind their knees while pulling their hands up to their face during the seated poses. This is called garbha pindasana, or the womb embryo pose.

In restorative yoga classes the body is put into various positions with the help of pillows and blocks conducive to relaxing for long periods of time. Students in a restorative class could be seen lying on a long pillow on their back with their chest in an open position, attempting to counter the effects of stooping over computer desks or textbooks.

Yin yoga has become quite popular recently. It has its roots in China and focuses on long-held poses targeting the connective tissues of the body rather than the muscles. Yin classes can be hard for some people to do in their first attempt, since getting used to long held stretches in a meditative state can be difficult physically and mentally. On the other end of the spectrum, Vinyasa or “flow” yoga classes instruct participants to move constantly, flowing in and out of poses with each breath. This style of class is more like cardio, resulting in far more calories burned than slower paced classes.

In Saskatoon we have a vibrant yoga community with a variety of classes offered at many gyms and yoga studios. There are even several studios that offer training for people to become yoga instructors. With each of these studios emphasizing different aspects of yoga, it’s no surprise that there are a plethora of different yoga styles available.

Many people say that one particular teacher really got them to like yoga, so if you try a class and think the poses or the way they are taught are not for you, don’t give up. Finding the right yoga style or teacher can be a process of trial and error. Several studios in the city have inexpensive intro offers and student discounts. Students can also stay on campus and try one of the daily yoga classes at the PAC.

If you would like an opportunity to meet several teachers in Saskatoon at the same
time and try some different styles of yoga, you can organize a group or register as an
individual for Power of Movement, a yoga event raising funds for arthritis research. The event takes place Sunday, March 3 at TCU Place in Saskatoon. It is a 90 minutes class taught by four local teachers and is suitable for people who have never tried yoga as well as those with years of experience.

For more details on Power of Movement visit their website.

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Photo: o0bsessed/Flickr