Types of Asanas

Types of Asanas - There are a lot of techniques involved in the practice of Yoga that contribute a great deal in making our lives better. A skillful mastery over the whole range of these asanas enables both our mind and the body to relax completely. Though it is quite time consuming and difficult an exercise to gain expertise over these asanas but once done, it proves to be a really harmonious state of life.

Depending upon the position of the body, these asanas can be classified into the following categories:

Standing Asanas:
It is always suggested for the beginners to start from these asanas that involve a standing posture. It is because they not only bring about a certain level of physical stability but also provide a certain amount of elasticity to our joints and muscles which in turn builds up the stamina. Tadasana, Utthita Trilokasana, Ardh Chandrasana, Utthita Trikonasana and Virbhadrasana are some of these asanas involving standing mode. They compose the most vital training in the initial phases of practice.

Forward Bending Asanas:
These asanas as the name itself suggest involve a bending of the body slightly forward. What is stretched in these exercises normally is the posterior half of the body. Being the second step of Yoga practice, these postures help the practitioner to take a step further and bring steadiness in the expansion of physical and mental malleability. Upavisthakonasana and Paschimotanasana types of the Yoga postures can be kept in this category.

Sitting and Supine Asanas:
These types of asanas are mainly practiced by the yogis during a preparatory phase of Pranayama. This is because such asanas like Baddhakonasana, Vajrasana, Virasana and Supt Baddhkonasana involve positions like sitting upright and extending supine that help a yogi to relax both physically and mentally.

Inverted Asanas:
One of the best means to cope up with the stress inflicted upon the human beings by their daily lives, the inverted asanas include Adho Mukha Svasana and Urdhav Mukha Svasana. This type of asanas offer vivacity, cerebral poise and emotional stability.

Abdominal and Lumbar Asanas:
These postures are quite popular amongst the young and the ladies who aspire to stay in shape by toning and massaging the abdominal organs. Bharadvajasana and Marichyasana can be included in this category as they fortify the pelvic and lumbar areas.

Twisting Asanas:
These asanas are best known to tranquilize human mind and guide it to new horizons. These asanas tone the internal organs of the body through a lateral stretching and twisting of the spine. These asanas include Jathara Parivartanasana and the Ardha Matseyandrasana.