Yoga
Using hundreds of different positions, some more intense than others, yoga is a form of exercise many practitioners have raved about for years. Some claim it is simply relaxing, and others have used it as an extreme fat burning mechanism. Logic claims that it could make you stronger, more flexible, tone muscles, reduce stress, and improve your overall mental and physical well being. But it will not raise your heart rate significantly, leading some to believe that it may not actually contribute to weight loss.
But there are some forms that are harder than others. I practice only basic yoga, meaning I may be weak, but it’s relaxing for me. Other people have reached the point where they can curl up into a ball and essentially balance themselves on their hands. I am not even close to being coordinated enough to pull that one off. Others participate in methods that require you to hold one position for several minutes at a time, which is definitely not something I could do with certain positions. Some however are easier than others.
The most popular type of yoga for weight loss: power yoga. This particular style actually helps you to develop a cardiovascular weight loss program. It is generally more vigorous and works to get the heart rate up. it does not follow a set series of poses. So power yoga classes can widely vary depending on the practitioner. However, all focus on strength and flexibility.
Power yoga was created to appeal to the western student. But for more fit and serious exercisers, power yoga may not actually be enough. However, for those individuals, Hot yoga is conducted in a 95-100 degree room and guarantees you will break a sweat. It is actually done this way however to promote greater flexibility in the joints.