Iyengar yoga is a form of yoga best known for its use of props, including blocks, straps, and cushions. Props allow for greater support of the body and make many yoga postures, or asanas, easier for beginners or for the less flexible. Iyengar practice focuses on building physical strength and stamina, mental peace, and balance.
Iyengar yoga was invented by Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, one of the world's most well known practitioners of yoga. He began teaching yoga in 1937, at the age of 19 in Pune, India, which is now home to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, opened in 1975. Iyengar is often credited with making yoga popular in the West, both through his instruction and through his books, especially his 1966 bestseller Light on Yoga. Iyengar began teaching his personal style of yoga in Europe in 1952 and officially retired from teaching in 1984, though he is still active in the world of Iyengar yoga. His goal has been to make the ancient Hindu practice of yoga accessible to a wider group of people.
The props used in Iyengar yoga allow practitioners to focus on perfecting their posture rather than on balance or flexibility, as in more advanced practice. Standing poses, which build strength, are the core of the practice. Iyengar yoga is designed to allow anyone to practice, regardless of age, fitness level, or natural flexibility. Like other forms of yoga, it seeks to integrate the body with the mind and is a form of meditation as well as physical exercise. The sequence in which poses are performed is also an important aspect of Iyengar yoga.
Iyengar yoga instructors must train for at least two years and may complete up to ten years of training to gain a senior level of certification. They must guide students with precise, detailed instruction and correct misalignment and mistakes in posture throughout each class. Instructors also ensure than students are completely involved in the practice, physically, mentally, and emotionally.