The Better Choice : Vinyasa Yoga v/s Hatha Yoga?

Components of Experiment

- Vinyasa Yoga

- Hatha Yoga

CGM Experiment

Q : Which is the Better Choice, Vinyasa or Hatha Yoga?

A : Both, With Hatha preceding Vinyasa Yoga.

Hatha yoga should precede Vinyasa Yoga as the yogic principles suggest that one should always begin with slow-paced movements before attempting the more vigorous ones. Hatha yoga is practiced at a slower pace, focussing on breath, controlled movements, and stretching. Whereas, Vinyasa yoga tends to be set at a faster pace and focuses on connecting this breath to movements. Both have positive effects and determining which one is better for you depends on your unique metabolism, ability and your current glycemic status.

Scientific Rationale

Yoga is an ancient discipline that combines physical and mental exercises to boost energy, provide relaxation, and improve flexibility. Hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga are two popular yoga practices that differ from each other in physical intensity and breathwork. Both forms benefit your body in different ways, depending on the type of yoga your body needs.

Hatha yoga is practiced at a slower pace, focusing on the breath with controlled movements based on stretching exercises. Vinyasa yoga involves quicker movements, and typically focuses on synchronising your breath with your yoga postures.

It has been proven beyond doubt that regular practice of yoga provides significant health benefits, such as lowering your diabetes levels, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing endurance, and improving muscle tone. Both hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga give significant health benefits for regular practitioners. 

Hatha yoga is ideal for lowering your stress levels. With regular practice, your stress and anxiety levels will begin to decline. Just a 90-minute session of hatha yoga can bring forth a marked difference and reduce your stress and anxiety levels. Hatha yoga is also helpful in giving flexibility and strength  to your body. If you have an issue with diabetes, this form of yoga can be very beneficial as it not only lowers your stress and anxiety levels, but massages your internal organs in a way that fresh oxygenated blood supply increases and this leads to an improved functioning. Further, hatha yoga improves your abdominal strength and enhances your power to balance.

Vinyasa yoga is comparable to an aerobic exercise as it improves the heart’s pumping function, thereby improving heart health. Regular practice of this discipline enhances your strength, endurance, and muscle tone. As vinyasa yoga involves mindfulness, it helps improve the functions of the sensory system and reduces anxiety and stress levels. If you are an active smoker, practicing this yoga form can help you to quit smoking.

Bottomline

Both hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga are excellent practices for making you fit as a fiddle. Including them in your daily routine can bring immense health benefits. However, you need to choose which form best suits you depending on your body type, its needs, and age. If you are a novice, hatha yoga is the better option, as the postures are slow-paced and very relaxing to the body and mind. 

Meanwhile, if you want to physically challenge your body, choose vinyasa yoga as your regular discipline. It boosts your energy levels and helps lower bad cholesterol, besides providing various other health benefits. But Vinyasa is not easy for beginners, you need to have practised the postures and perfected them in order to perform the fixed flow.

FAQs

1. Is Hatha Yoga better than Vinyasa Yoga?

Both yoga forms provide a range of health benefits. If you want a fast-paced, energetic yoga form that will make you sweat, go for vinyasa yoga. And if you want to stretch your body muscles in a subdued and relaxed manner, hatha yoga would be the better option.

2. How does Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga help control Diabetes?

Hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga have no direct effect in regulating blood sugar levels. However, they help reduce stress and anxiety levels, and improve cardiovascular health and the body’s immunity power, which are directly related to blood sugar levels.