​What’s Better For Your Body: Slow Yoga Or Fast Yoga?

Just as dog lovers tend to favor either small or large pups, yogis generally fall into slow or fast camps. So which is better? Glad you asked! A smart yoga routine should incorporate both—ideally one power vinyasa sesh for every two slow sequences (like hatha) per week, according to Melanie Potiaumpai, a doctoral research assistant at the University of Miami. Each type has its own perks; choose your day’s flow based on the body benefits below. (Get a variety of yoga routines for mind and body bliss from Women’s Health’s With Yoga DVD.)

SLOW YOGA

Holding a pose will…

  • Increase flexibility as you fight through tension and tightness.
  • Improve muscular endurance with isometric (i.e., still) muscle contractions.
  • Develop your mental toughness during uncomfortable positions (looking at you, chair pose!).

Excerpted from Women’s Health

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