Add Yoga to your Fitness Recipe

My sister and I (Alberici Sisters) enjoy the practice of Yoga!

Yoga is a versatile fitness practice that is sometimes complex but is as simple as breathing.

There are many types of yoga to appeal to your appetite and fitness level. So it is no wonder that the practice of yoga has grown in popularity by the millions in the past decade. What’s more, yoga can crossover and enhance your physical activity of choice.

Here is a menu of the most popular types of yoga and how they can benefit you.

Hatha Yoga is a basic yoga practice of holding poses or postures with the emphasis on body alignment along with deep breathing. Believe me, it takes strength, balance and flexibility to hold a yoga pose. Some poses are more complex than other poses, so choosing the right class for your fitness level is imperative as well as having a teacher with a watchful eye. For instance, just a slight difference in the position of the hips, upper body or feet can completely change the way the posture feels. Some prefer this type of class because it is slower and less flowing.

Vinyasa Yoga is a more flowing style of yoga with one posture going into another posture such as Sun Salutation. You can work up a sweat with this type of class especially if it is a more advance class sometimes called, Power Yoga. I wouldn’t recommend a Vinyasa Yoga class to a beginners or anyone suffering with injuries because there is a lot of going up and down from one plane to another. When I introduce Vinyasa movements in my classes, I do it at a slower pace and offer modifications to my participants.

Yin Yoga is a slow type of yoga that focuses on releasing stress in your joints and connective tissues. Usually, there is a lot of mat work near the floor which is a good support if you are recovering from surgery or an injury. It is a safe class for beginners and an older population.

Restorative Yoga uses props and sometimes the support of a chair. Restoring your body and mind through meditative breathing while doing simple yoga poses and stretches may allow you to release stress. It can be beneficial if you are recovering from burn-out or trying to avoid burn-out.

Kundalini Yoga use mantras and chanting to engage your body, mind and spirit with the emphasis on deepening your awareness and balancing your energy system into wellness.

My recipe for fitness is incorporating yoga in all the classes that I teach at Kaiser Permanente. As a Lifestyle Educator/Fitness Therapist, I fuse all of these styles of yoga to meet the needs of my patients. Every class is different because every patient has different needs. I add the ingredient of Yoga in my Pilates, Dance and Tai Chi classes too.

Be adventurist and give Yoga a try with a teacher who has a buffet of different exercise techniques available to you.

“Not only does Yoga bring together mind and body health; it also unites people from all walks of life. Yoga is truly for everyone, from kids, to seniors, from fitness enthusiasts to elite athletes.” – American Fitness magazine, Spring 2018

My daughter, Marianna Riccio finds that practicing Yoga enhances her fitness.

May you find fitness to be delightfully delicious! 🙂

Maria Lauren, AKA Maria Elena Alberici

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