Advanced Yoga: Hatha | Vinyasa | Triangle Yoga Poses
What is advanced yoga?
Yoga is a set of exercises, scientifically formulated almost five thousand years ago, which promotes physical, mental and emotional health. They constitute physical exercises (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana). The poses vary from the simple to complex.
As with any exercise, beginners must start with the simple poses, which are easy to perform. Only those who have mastered these simple poses can move on to the advanced yoga poses. These can be standing, sitting or supine, but they require greater muscle control and balance. They should be practiced only under the guidance of an expert yoga teacher. Beginners must never attempt them on their own.
Hatha yoga poses: ‘Ha’ can be translated to mean ‘sun, and ‘tha’ is ‘moon’. Thus Hatha yoga is usually translated to mean a union of opposites. It is also sometimes referred to as ‘forceful yoga’ since it requires greater physical powers in its performance. Mastering the various postures leads to strengthening the will and powers of concentration. This is an advanced form of yoga which helps in achieving powers of meditation.
Vinyasa yoga: Vinyasa means ‘movement which is breath synchronized’. In Vinyasa yoga, the poses are synchronized with the inhalation and exhalation of breath, and they flow from one pose to another. That is why it is also referred to sometimes as the Vinyasa Flow. The poses can be fast or slow, depending upon the person practicing it, but the rhythmic movements seem like a dance, since each pose merges seamlessly into the next one. Vinyasa yoga can be termed an advanced form of yoga since it requires great balance and synchronization.
Some advanced yoga poses:
Yoga Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): This requires a proper sense of balance, concentration and co-ordination. It starts with the Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and requires you to twist and stretch your body, while you balance your body on outstretched legs.
Yoga Firefly Pose: This pose begins with squatting and then requires you to lift your legs off the floor and stretch them out behind you, while you balance your entire body on your hands. The appearance of the completed pose is that of a firefly, and hence the name. It is a difficult pose which requires not only balance, but also muscle strength of the wrists and arms.
Yoga Headstand Pose (Sirasana): This is a very advanced inverted pose, where the practitioner stands on the head. It is usually performed on a blanket and begins with kneeling on the floor. The head is then placed on the floor, and first the knees and then gradually the entire body is lifted off the floor and stretched out straight towards the ceiling. This requires great balance and strength of the spinal muscles and the entire torso.
Yoga is a set of exercises, scientifically formulated almost five thousand years ago, which promotes physical, mental and emotional health. They constitute physical exercises (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dhyana). The poses vary from the simple to complex.
As with any exercise, beginners must start with the simple poses, which are easy to perform. Only those who have mastered these simple poses can move on to the advanced yoga poses. These can be standing, sitting or supine, but they require greater muscle control and balance. They should be practiced only under the guidance of an expert yoga teacher. Beginners must never attempt them on their own.
Hatha yoga poses: ‘Ha’ can be translated to mean ‘sun, and ‘tha’ is ‘moon’. Thus Hatha yoga is usually translated to mean a union of opposites. It is also sometimes referred to as ‘forceful yoga’ since it requires greater physical powers in its performance. Mastering the various postures leads to strengthening the will and powers of concentration. This is an advanced form of yoga which helps in achieving powers of meditation.
Vinyasa yoga: Vinyasa means ‘movement which is breath synchronized’. In Vinyasa yoga, the poses are synchronized with the inhalation and exhalation of breath, and they flow from one pose to another. That is why it is also referred to sometimes as the Vinyasa Flow. The poses can be fast or slow, depending upon the person practicing it, but the rhythmic movements seem like a dance, since each pose merges seamlessly into the next one. Vinyasa yoga can be termed an advanced form of yoga since it requires great balance and synchronization.
Some advanced yoga poses:
Yoga Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): This requires a proper sense of balance, concentration and co-ordination. It starts with the Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and requires you to twist and stretch your body, while you balance your body on outstretched legs.
Yoga Firefly Pose: This pose begins with squatting and then requires you to lift your legs off the floor and stretch them out behind you, while you balance your entire body on your hands. The appearance of the completed pose is that of a firefly, and hence the name. It is a difficult pose which requires not only balance, but also muscle strength of the wrists and arms.
Yoga Headstand Pose (Sirasana): This is a very advanced inverted pose, where the practitioner stands on the head. It is usually performed on a blanket and begins with kneeling on the floor. The head is then placed on the floor, and first the knees and then gradually the entire body is lifted off the floor and stretched out straight towards the ceiling. This requires great balance and strength of the spinal muscles and the entire torso.