There are many different styles of yoga and while all yoga will certainly benefit you, if is important to find a style that you are comfortable with and that suits you. Here is a quick guide to the styles of yoga that are most popular. This should help you find which practice is right for you.
Hatha
Hatha is a term used to describe many different types of yoga – but any yoga style known as ‘hatha’ will be gentle and conducted at a slow pace. Hatha is ideal for beginners yoga and anyone wanting a good introduction to yoga.
Vinyasa
Vinyasa also describes many different syles, but vinyasa yoga is based more upon breath-synchronised movement. A slightly more vigorous type of yoga than hatha, vinyasa makes use of sun-salutations, whcih are a sequences of poses with specific breathing requirements. These warm up your body for the intense stretching that vinyasa yoga brings in later in the class.
Ashtanga
Ashtanga is often called Power Yoga and this style is a fast-paced, intense form of yoga. It is quite a demanding style because although only a set series of poses is performed, the focus is on the ‘flow’ – moving through them quickly and staying in constant motion.
Iyengar
Iyengar yoga is based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar and is the style of yoga that focusses most completely on bodily alignment. The thought is that your body must be properly positioned in each each pose – when it is, you recieve maximum benefit from the pose. Where other styles often speak of ‘flow’ from one yoga pose to the next, in Iynegar yoga each pose is usually held for a much longer period of time. Iyengar also uses yoga props, such as blankets, blocks and straps to hold the body in place and achieve a more perfect alignment.
Kundalini
Kundalini yoga is extremely focused on breath and energy. While all poses involve some kind of breathing instruction, Kundalini yoga uses controlled breath with physical movement to free energies trapped in the lower body and allowing them to move upwards through your body.
Bikram or Hot Yoga
Bikram yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury. This is the style known as Hot Yoga and is practiced in a 95-100 degree room. The idea behind this is that the heat loosens your muscles (which should make injury less likely) and the enormous amount of sweating you’ll do promotes cleansing. Only 26 poses are used in Bikram yoga, generally in the same sequence each time.
