Recently, we published an article about which style of yoga is right for you. But, after we published it, we quickly realised that, in fact, there’s a lot of benefit to practicing multiple yoga styles.
This is a common question asked in the yoga community. As our previous article explains, there are certainly benefits to sticking with one style of yoga. But there are also benefits that come with practicing many.
Here are our thoughts on whether or not you should stick to one style of yoga.
The shallow vs deep debate
Of course, the first response to this question is the ‘shallow vs deep’ debate. Is it better to deep dive down a single practice and master it, or is it better to touch many styles of yoga at once and learn them at a slower pace?
When performing a sun salutation, for example, the set sequence of postures can be extremely fulfilling. This style of yoga often becomes more meditative and restful, because little to no thought goes into posture and technique, and instead that energy goes into remaining present-mindedness throughout an entire sequence.
In Iyengar, however, there’s a variety of routines that you can follow to vary your practice, and this style of yoga can meet very particular needs of individual yogis. Pursuing this style, then, isn’t necessarily going to leave a person unchallenged and stuck in a ‘yoga rut’.
While choosing a particular style of yoga does have it’s benefits, there’s something to be said for being a yoga fanatic and delighting in the variety of styles and approaches to yoga out there. One day you might want to explore a slow and restful practice to help with your mental health. On another day, though, you might indulge in a practice that gets your heart pumping.
Whatever the case, varying your practice can be a great way to build on things like balance, technique and flexibility, and it can bring with it a fresh challenge, the motivation to practice, and the chance to learn more.
Choose a style that works for you
Inevitably, change will happen as things develop. And this is no bad thing. In fact, change is an excellent way to find out what does and what doesn’t work for you, and mixing up your yoga routine every once in a while will not only open you to new practices, but it will also help you improve your technique should you return to one single style of yoga.
After several years, for example, you may find that one yoga practice really captures you. You may even begin to dedicate all of your time to practicing this method. But, without a doubt, as your yoga journey moves forwards, you’ll have to adapt to age, circumstance, health, injury and overall energy levels, and that can result in switching lanes for good.
Ultimately, there is no ‘one way’ to do yoga. At its core, yoga is a deeply personal thing and regardless of what you read and hear, only you have the power to decide whether to explore a variety of styles or stick to one particular yoga practice.
At the end of the day, if you love what you’re doing, then it’s working.
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