Whether you want a physically demanding yoga class, or a relaxing, meditative one, there are plenty of different yoga styles to suit a variety of skill levels and needs.
Each style is a bit different from the others, plus you’ll find variations depending on the teacher. That said, giving a few styles and teachers a try before settling on your favorite will enhance your overall yoga experience and challenge you to break out of your comfort zone.
Curious to learn more about each type? This guide will help you understand the basics before diving into a class.
Yoga has many benefits
Yoga is an excellent way to get sweaty and centered, whether you’re a total newbie or longtime pro. Plus, there are some seriously awesome health benefits of yoga that you can score from a daily practice.
Studies show that yoga can improve physical health by lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease1, and aiding digestion. It may also help practitioners sleep better and manage stress2. Not to mention, recent research indicates the mind-body practice supports mental health, specifically; one study found regular yoga may help ease depressive symptoms.
Vinyasa yoga
Vinyasa yoga is often considered the most athletic yoga style, and was adapted from ashtanga yoga in the 1980s. Many forms of Yoga are also considered “vinyasa flow.”
How to Practice
Vinyasa classes require you to coordinate your movements with your breathing to move from one pose to the next. Vinyasa classes can differ depending on their teacher and can include different poses. I teach an alignment-based vinyasa style and choreograph different flows every time. I also hold some of these poses for a little longer after warming up.
Hatha Yoga
Sanskrit “hatha” is a term that covers all yoga postures.Hhatha Yoga simply refers to all the other styles of Yoga (ashtanga, Iyengar, etc.) There are many styles of Yoga that have a strong physical foundation. There are also other branches of Yoga, such as Kriya, Raja, and Karma Yoga, which are not based on physical practice. Physical-based Yoga has many styles and is the most popular.
How to Practice
Hatha classes are the best for beginners, as they are generally slower-paced than other styles of Yoga. Hatha classes are still a traditional approach to breathing exercises and Yoga. Hatha yoga is an excellent way to start if you’re new to Yoga.
Iyengar Yoga
B.K.S. Iyengar focuses on precise and detailed movements as well as alignment. Students in an Iyengar course perform various postures while controlling their breath.
How to Practice
Poses are generally held for long periods of time to allow the minute details to be adjusted. Iyengar uses props extensively to help students improve their form and explore poses deeper in a safe way. You will get a great workout, and you’ll feel open and relaxed when you leave an Iyengar session. This is a great style for those with injuries that need to move slowly and methodically.
Kundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga practice is equal parts spiritual and physical. This type of Yoga is about releasing kundalini, which is said to be coiled in the lower back.
How to Practice
With fast-paced, invigorating poses and breathing exercises, a kundalini yoga class will work your core. These classes can be intense and may include chanting meditation or mantra.
Ashtanga yoga
In Sanskrit, ashtanga is translated as “Eight Limb Path.” People gather in Mysore to practice this yoga form together at their own speed. If you see Mysore-led ashtanga, you are expected to know the series. Vinyasa is a flowing style of Yoga that links breath with movement.
How to Practice
Ashtanga involves a physically challenging sequence of poses, so it is not suitable for beginners. Only an experienced yogi can truly love it. Ashtanga begins with five sun salutations A and five sun salutations and then moves on to a series of standing and floor positions.
Bikram yoga
Bikram yoga is named after Bikram Choudhury and features a sequence of set poses in a sauna-like room–typically set to 105 degrees and 40% humidity. Choudhury was sued for sexual harassment and assault in the U.S. in 2017 and fled to Mexico. In an attempt to distance themselves from the founder, many studios that used to be Bikram have switched over to hot Yoga.
How to Practice
This sequence is never changing and includes 26 basic postures. Each one must be performed twice. These poses focus on correct alignment. Hot Yoga is a great way to experience Yoga in a heated environment.
Yoga Yin
Yin yoga is a slow-paced style of Yoga with seated postures that are held for longer periods of time. Yin yoga can be a meditative practice that helps find inner peace.
How to Practice
Yin classes are great for beginners as the postures can last anywhere between 45 seconds and 2 minutes. Classes are laid-back, with gravity doing most of the work.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative Yoga focuses on winding down after a long day and relaxing your mind. This style is primarily based on the relaxation of the body. Restorative Yoga also helps you to free and cleanse your mind.
How to Practice
Restorative Yoga classes will spend more time on fewer poses. The poses are altered to make them easier and more relaxing. As with Iyengar, many props, such as eye pillows, blankets, and bolsters, are placed exactly right. The props will help you relax.
Prenatal Yoga
Prenatal yoga is carefully adapted for moms-to-be, and is tailored to women in all trimesters. Prenatal Yoga is a popular form of exercise among expectant mothers because it focuses on the pelvic floor, breathing and helps them bond with their growing child. Prenatal Yoga helps prepare mothers for childbirth.
How to Practice
In this class, stability is more important than flexibility.
Anusara Yoga
Anusara is the modern version of hatha-yoga. It’s similar to vinyasa, in that it emphasizes alignment. However, there’s a greater emphasis on mind-body connection. John Friend, who developed a unique alignment system known as the Universal Principles of Alignment, founded it. In 2012, he resigned after allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual misconduct. Friend is now teaching the Bowspring Method in partnership with Desi and Micah Springer.
How to Practice
Anusara is known for its focus on spirals, how to move each part of the body and heart opening. You can expect to stop class in order to gather around one student while the instructor breaks down an exercise.
Jivamukti Yoga
Sharon Ganon and David Life founded Jivamukti in 1984. Jivamukti consists of vinyasa flow classes that are infused with Hindu teachings. This style is based on the connection with Earth as a living creature, and most Jivamukti followers follow a vegan philosophy.