初学者最适合哪种瑜伽？
📖 逐句对照翻译
The activity called yoga means different things to different people around the world.
瑜伽这项活动对世界上不同的人来说意味着不同的东西。
The word itself comes from the Sanskrit language and means “union.”
这个词本身源自梵语，意为“结合”。
For some, yoga is an exercise centered on mindful breathing and slow movement.
对一些人来说，瑜伽是一种以正念呼吸和缓慢动作为中心的锻炼。
For others, it is a series of difficult body movements and positioning designed to improve health and fitness.
对其他人来说，它是一系列旨在改善健康和体质的困难身体动作和姿势。
Still others consider yoga a spiritual exercise.
还有一些人认为瑜伽是一种精神修炼。
And there are many people for whom yoga is a combination of all or some of these things.
而对许多人来说，瑜伽是这些元素中全部或部分的结合。
So, yoga takes many different forms around the world.
所以，瑜伽在世界各地有着多种不同的形式。
All kinds of yoga involve positions known as poses (asanas).
所有类型的瑜伽都包含被称为体式（阿萨纳斯）的姿势。
But the positions and training can differ even under yoga methods, or styles, of the same name, including hatha, vinyasa, Iyengar and others.
但即使是在同名瑜伽方法或流派下，如哈他、流瑜伽、艾扬格等，其体式和训练也可能有所不同。
So, what is the best kind of yoga training for a beginner?
那么，对于初学者来说，哪种瑜伽训练最好呢？
“The best is the one that works for you,” said Tim Senesi, who has been teaching yoga in Orange County, California, for 22 years.
在加利福尼亚州奥兰治县教了22年瑜伽的蒂姆·塞内西说：“最好的就是适合你的那种。”
“There are many different paths leading toward the same aim,” he added.
他补充道：“通往同一目标有许多不同的路径。”
The hatha/yin yoga styles
哈他/阴瑜伽风格
Hatha, meaning “force,” describes any kind of yoga class involving asanas.
哈他，意为“力量”，描述了任何涉及体式的瑜伽课程。
A sun salutation, for example, is an important series of 12 asanas that begin many kinds of yoga classes.
例如，拜日式是一套重要的12个体式组合，许多瑜伽课程都以它作为开始。
Training under the hatha name, however, is usually gentler than others and more centered on breathing exercises, called pranayama.
然而，以哈他瑜伽之名进行的训练通常比其他类型更为温和，更侧重于呼吸练习，即所谓的调息法。
Poses are held for a few breaths and students usually move more slowly.
姿势会保持几个呼吸的时间，学生通常动作更为缓慢。
Hatha can be good for beginners who are looking to relax while improving flexibility and balance.
哈他瑜伽适合那些希望在放松的同时提高柔韧性和平衡能力的初学者。
Another style, yin, pays even more attention to recovery by working to stretch the muscles’ connective tissue.
另一种风格，阴，更加注重恢复，通过拉伸肌肉的结缔组织来实现。
Students hold poses for 5 minutes or more, permitting the body to settle into a pose rather than pushing it.
学生保持姿势5分钟或更久，让身体自然适应姿势，而非强行用力。
The vinyasa/ashtanga styles
流瑜伽/阿斯汤加风格
A more difficult, flowing form of yoga is known as vinyasa.
一种难度更高、动作流畅的瑜伽形式被称为流瑜伽。
It mixes movement with breath over a series of asanas.
它在一系列体式中将动作与呼吸相结合。
Some higher-level vinyasa classes move at a rate of one movement per breath.
一些高级流瑜伽课程的节奏是每次呼吸对应一个动作。
In the United States, these classes are often called Flow or Power yoga.
在美国，这类课程通常被称为流瑜伽或力量瑜伽。
They can be good for people who are more athletic.
它们对比较擅长运动的人有好处。
Still, teachers suggest that even athletic students start with a beginner level.
尽管如此，老师们建议即使是运动型的学生也要从初级水平开始。
“I wouldn’t really encourage them to start in a higher level vinyasa flow class because they’re not going to have the foundation to move safely through that,” said Anne Van Valkenburg, of Lanai, Hawaii.
夏威夷拉奈岛的安妮·范·瓦尔肯伯格说：“我并不鼓励他们一开始就上高级流瑜伽课程，因为他们不具备安全完成动作的基础。”
She has been training yoga teachers in a mix of methods for 18 years.
她以融合多种方法的方式培训瑜伽教师已有18年。
Ashtanga yoga is similar to vinyasa.
阿斯汤加瑜伽与流瑜伽相似。
However, ashtanga involves a set series of poses that students repeat day after day, often going at their own speed.
然而，阿斯汤加瑜伽包含一系列固定的体式，学生日复一日地重复练习，通常按照自己的节奏进行。
As students get stronger and more skilled, they move up to a higher series with more difficult poses.
随着学生变得更加强壮和熟练，他们会晋升到更高阶的系列，练习更难的体式。
The Iyengar style
艾扬格风格
Iyengar style involves the same poses as vinyasa, but classes usually move at a slower pace.
艾扬格风格包含与流瑜伽相同的体式，但课程通常以较慢的节奏进行。
However, the poses are not necessarily easier.
然而，这些姿势并不一定更简单。
Iyengar yoga pays special attention to carefully moving or aligning parts of the body.
艾扬格瑜伽特别注重身体各部位的精准移动与对齐。
Poses are held for longer and students often use supportive equipment during the exercise.
在练习过程中，体式保持的时间更长，学生常常使用辅助器材。
Iyengar is especially good for people recovering from injuries.
艾扬格瑜伽对伤后康复的人尤其有益。
It can also be a good fit for physically active people who want to get the basics of yoga before moving into different styles.
它也非常适合那些身体活跃、希望在转向不同风格之前掌握瑜伽基础知识的人。
Find a good fit
找一个合适的人选
These days, teachers often mix different yoga methods in a single class.
如今，老师们常常在一堂课中融合不同的瑜伽方法。
And many classes are not named under any traditional method.
而且许多类并没有按照任何传统方法命名。
The AP suggests that if you are interested in starting to practice yoga, you should look for a beginner series.
美联社建议，如果你有兴趣开始练习瑜伽，应该寻找初学者系列课程。
But if you cannot find one that is right, do not worry.
但如果你找不到合适的，也别担心。
Most teachers are happy to have beginners in their classes and will alter the training to meet the needs of students new to yoga.
大多数老师都乐于在课堂上接收初学者，并会调整训练内容以满足瑜伽新学员的需求。
Most of all, try a few classes until you find the method or teacher who is a good fit for you.
最重要的是，多尝试几节课，直到找到适合你的方法或老师。
“I feel sad when someone tries yoga once or twice and they’re like, ‘Eh, I don’t like it,’” Van Valkenburg said, adding, “there’s just so much out there that you might be missing...”
“当有人尝试了一两次瑜伽后就说‘呃，我不喜欢’时，我会感到难过，”范·瓦尔肯堡说道，并补充道，“外面有太多东西你可能都错过了……”
I’m John Russell.
我是约翰·拉塞尔。
Albert Stumm reported on this story for the Associated Press.
阿尔伯特·斯图姆为美联社报道了这一事件。
John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.
约翰·拉塞尔为VOA英语学习频道改编了它。
