11 Common Types of Yoga

11 Common Types of Yoga

  1. Ashtanga
    1. 6 series of specific moves that moves with breaths
    1. Hands-on adjustments
    1. Work at your own pace/advancement
    1. Very routine
    1. Great for someone who does not like a lot of change and wants to measure their advancement using the same poses and strengths
  2. Yin
    1. Slower style
    1. Postures are held for 1 minute and advances to 5 minutes or more
    1. May use a lot of props and focuses more on lower body
  3. Hatha
    1. Gentle
    1. Focuses on poses with breaths
    1. Meditation
  4. Kundalini
    1. More traditional style regarding spiritual heritage: singing & chanting
  5. Vinyasa
    1. ‘Flows’ (movements) with breath
    1. Not routine necessarily
    1. Will be moving more than being still and holding poses
    1. May use props, classes may be similar or each one different depending on teacher
    1. Great for someone who likes to mix things up and does not like constant routine
  6. Iyengar
    1. Uses props and focuses on ideal alignment with holds
    1. Great for someone who likes and pays attention to very fine details
  7. Bikram
    1. Most commonly known as Hot Yoga
    1. Mostly a series of certain poses in a sequence. (26 poses)
    1. Poses usually use two breaths each.
    1. Temperatures elevated above 92. Intensity level depends on the teacher.
    1. Not for individuals who have difficulty breathing in hot and humid environments.
    1. Great for those who love to sweat in hot and humid environments.
  8. Aerial
    1. A style with a partner.
    1. Known as anti-gravity yoga
    1. Great for someone who loves fun workouts and inversions.
    1. Can also be for couples wanting to increase trust and intimacy, but also fun for two friends to overcome fear by the anti-gravity off the ground movements.
  9. Power
    1. Roots with Ashtanga yoga
    1. May be hot temps or may be intense faster movements, this will depend on the teacher
    1. This would be good for any individual who is looking for a good workout to build strength and overall workout.
    1. Tends to be more physical and less spiritual (if any)
  10. Restorative
    1. May be temporary class for injury or recovery
    1. May be permanent for ongoing ‘off’ or ‘relax’ days to recuperate between intense workouts
    1. Classes may be focused on certain areas such as lower back, neck and shoulders, knees, etc.
    1. This class would be for individuals looking to heal or focus on strengthening a certain area.
  11. Prenatal
    1. Classes would most likely focus on stretching and movements that would not be too intense for mom or baby.
    1. Classes would focus on encouraging movement and breathing.
    1. Great for moms who are pregnant or for moms who are recovering from a pregnancy.
Mandi