Different Types of Pranayama

Pranayama means force of life energy. It has three different types: Adhama, Madhyama and Uttama. Adhama means inferior, madhayama means middle and Uttama means superior. The first type of pranayama i.e., Adhama comprises of 12 mantras and Madhyama comprises of 24 mantras whereas Uttama comprises of 32 mantras. Pranayama has two basic steps: Puraka and Rechak. Puraka signifies inhalation and Rechak signifies exhalation. There is also an intermittent step called Kumbhaka which signifies retention.

It should be clear to the person doing pranayama that the ratio between these three steps is 1:4:2. In the initial phase, one should practice Adhama for approximately a month. Then, one should get started with Madhyama and continue practicing it for nearly 3 months.

Pranayama is generally regarded as a long procedure that has three components to it. However, the retention time is subject to variations in terms of space, time and frequency.
It is good to do it during early hours of the morning