Yoga Iyengar - what is it?

Many people have recently become interested in a healthy lifestyle. And this concerns not only a change in taste preferences, but also a choice of suitable physical activity. In particular, Iyengar yoga is gaining in popularity. What it is, how to deal with it, we'll tell you in more detail.

General information about the yoga of Iyengar and her guru

Iyengar is a kind of hatha yoga already known to many. It was founded in 1975 by Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar. At that time, the guru had certain health problems, so in search of a solution he started yoga, having introduced a lot of his additions to the medical complex. According to the admirers of the author's creativity, the complex includes over 200 different asanas, each of which he has already tried on himself.

As previously stated by the guru, the Iyengar yoga (which is an effective form of physical activity, today many healthy lifestyle fans say) helped him to get rid of health problems and to harmonize his own body.

Dissemination of the teachings of Iyengar

Introducing his own method of recovery, the master could not even think that his lessons of yoga Iyengar would receive such a loud resonance. Until the very last day of his life, the author of the complex engaged in teaching activities, treated people, carried into the world of knowledge, which he received from his teacher Sri Krishnamacharya many years ago. At the time of his death, the guru was 95 years old.

According to many connoisseurs of yoga, even after the death of B.K.S. Iyengar continues to be considered one of the most authoritative gurus who once taught a set of exercises for the overall development of the whole body. In addition, throughout his long and interesting life, the master has written detailed instructions on yoga, including: "The Light of Life: Yoga", "Clarification of Pranayama", "The Art of Yoga", "Tree of Yoga" and "Clarification of the Sutras of Yoga Patanjali."

What is the essence, idea and characteristics of yoga?

During the Iyengar Yoga classes, the focus is on the correct position of the human body. In this case, the teaching is aimed at maximum emancipation and relaxation in each posture. But for this, all exercises should be performed without trembling in the muscles and all sorts of stress. To achieve this, in the author's opinion, it is possible to observe simple rules, which he described in the book "Yoga Explanations." In it, he not only detailed about the intricacies of each exercise, but also offered several options for each asana. It is noteworthy that each of the variations has its own degree of complexity and is designed for different types of student preparation.

Unlike other types of yoga, Iyengar allows you to engage both novice students and those who already have some experience.

Due to what reduces the load on the muscles?

Based on the teachings of the guru, Iyengar Yoga (which you can learn by thoroughly studying the author's course) can reduce the strain on muscles in the classroom. And this is due to the use of the following improvised materials:

• Wooden blocks or bricks;
• Special belts;
• Rollers;
• Chairs;
• Blankets, and so on.

Iyengar Yoga for beginners involves the use of all of the above inventory. For example, if you can not reach the socks during the incline to the legs, a strap will come to your rescue. To do this, first pull it out and grab it with both hands, and then throw it over the soles of your feet. After that, reaching for the toes of the feet will be much easier. In addition, according to the idea of the author, this approach not only makes it easier to carry out the process of execution and reduce the likelihood of injury, but also provides the opportunity to extend the stay in this asana.

The same goes for the slopes down. If you can not reach the floor by standing on the legs (about twice the width of the hips), it is more advisable to put one or several bars on it, then to lean on them. When your body gets used to this position, the bricks can be gradually removed. By the same principle, one of the most famous poses is performed, which is called the "Inverted Triangle".

What is a yoga orientation course?

At the moment, by the efforts of the followers of the master Iyengar, yoga schools operating around the world were opened. At the same time, in each of them, the training is divided into several stages. One of the simplest of them, so to say zero, is considered an introductory course. It is designed specifically for those people who have only heard about yoga or want to learn more about the teachings of the guru.

During this class, participants can learn the following:

• The meaning and origin of yoga;
• Information about the founder of the method;
• Principles of the method;
• Related materials for training;
• The results that can be achieved by regularly doing yoga, and so on.

In this program, those present can receive a detailed explanation of the asanas that make up the complex. According to the students who managed to get to one of these courses, the introductory program itself is designed for one month. And based on its results, participants can get acquainted with the basic steps to the rack on the shoulders.

What courses are in yoga schools?

If after the introductory course you decide to go further, you will receive a special course for beginners. During it, students in different positions (lying, standing, sitting) study basic asanas, prepare muscles for more complex inverted poses and learn the process of relaxation. Here, beginners perform exercises aimed at further strengthening the limbs and back.

The second stage of training involves an in-depth study of inverted poses, as well as asanas, performed from a prone position, standing and sitting. In this program, as a rule, more advanced types of twists and deflections are added. At the third stage, students master the rack on their shoulders (the notorious "birch") and step by step approach the stand on the head. On the same course, students undergo basic pranayama training (they learn to control internal energy with the help of special breathing exercises).

And, finally, at the final stage, students get knowledge about how the stand on the forearm and hands is made. The program also includes twists, tilts and deflections back, and the load gradually increases. At this time, they already have sufficient experience to independently perform more complex deflections and apply pranayama. And yoga is mastered. The practice of Iyengar makes it possible to study all the abilities of our body using a simple technique.

By what principle is the transition between courses carried out?

The transition between courses, as a rule, is based on individual characteristics of students and the speed at which they learn theoretical and practical material. If you take on average, then in classes 2-3 times a week to master the first course you can only for 1-2 years. Continuing in the same spirit, level 2 can be passed for a year and a half. The third - for 1-2 years. However, provided that you have fully learned all the material and feel great in inverted poses (you can safely stand there for 5 or more minutes).

A separate chapter on women's yoga

A separate theme in the set of exercises of the author is Iyengar yoga for women. She was inspired by her faithful spouse and assistant Ramani Iyengar, in honor of whom in early 1975 he opened the "Memorial Institute of Yoga" in Pune.

The program, according to the author, was developed taking into account the existing physiological characteristics of the female body. In addition, many exercises from this technique were directly related to the normalization and recovery of the emotional sphere of women.

The creation of the female complex of exercises was also attended by the daughter of guru - Gita Iyengar. Yoga for women has become one of the most popular practices since the death of the author's wife. A few years later, Geeta wrote her own book entitled "Yoga - a jewel for a woman." In it, she described all the nuances of exercises for the beautiful half of humanity.

The author stressed that regular classes will allow women to understand themselves, they will learn to listen to their body and will allow them to win a difficult struggle with aging. By the way, in the women's complex there are special exercises aimed at smoothing and improving the skin condition of the whole body, including the face.

Iyengar Yoga: the path to health

The method of yoga therapy is currently considered one of the most popular. On its basis, some exercises were developed, aimed at restoring the physical shape of patients who underwent this or that operation. It is used in its daily life by many stars of show business, popular leaders, journalists, politicians and the entire capital of bohemia. This is understandable, because yoga is the way to health. So, for example, one of the inverted poses - a rack on the shoulders - positively affects the endocrine system, restores the mobility of the spine and, it is rumored, turns the aging processes back.

And the whole point is that it is thanks to yoga that you can really eliminate existing problems with the spine, joints, and also get rid of a number of different diseases. A striking example of this was one of the successful students of the master - a former dancer who, after an unsuccessful fall, almost became an invalid. And none of the doctors could not help her.

However, after contacting guru Iyengar, she was not only able to stand up, but also to improve her health. As a result, she decided to devote her entire life to the master's teaching and tell everyone what Yengar's yoga is capable of. What is it, now you also know. But to do it or not, it's up to you.