Whether you’re looking to tone up or calm down, there’s yoga out there for you. But before heading off with your yoga mat, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the different kinds of yoga so you can find the right one for you.
ASHTANGA
Created by Pattabhi Jois, this rigorous Hatha yoga is also known as Power Yoga. It’s popular with athletes (and Madonna), since the emphasis is on strength and stamina. The pace is quite fast as students move from one pose to another, combining breath with each movement. The teacher will guide you through a series of poses that are a combination of standing, seated, inversions, twists, balances and back bends. The sequence remains the same until the student has perfected each movement and can move onto another series. Ashtanga is not suitable for anyone with physical limitations or those looking for a less gruelling workout.
BIKRAM
Known as the "sweaty" yoga, Bikram is the newest trendy yoga. Created by Bikram Choudhoury, an All-India National Yoga Champion and current yoga guru to the stars, Bikram Yoga is practised in a room that is 38° C or hotter. But don’t expect to just sit around sweating - there are two sets of 26 very challenging poses done within 90 minutes, each designed to stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons while building strength and stamina. Sweating profusely is supposed to release toxins from the body as well. Bikram is recommended for yoga veterans or extremely fit people who don’t mind being pushed to their limit.
HATHA
This is the most classical yoga, focusing on simple poses that flow from one to the other. Hatha promotes flexibility and tones the body as it improves strength, endurance and concentration. There are many schools and teachers of Hatha yoga. The recognized founder was Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), and three of his most famous students have developed their own styles, which are currently the most popular in the West: Iyengar, Ashtanga and Viniyoga. Sometimes when an instructor has blended several styles together, the class is advertised as simply a Hatha yoga class, so you should check out the instructor’s training and ask about the pace of the class before signing up.
IYENGAR
Created by B.K.S. Iyengar, this gentle version of Hatha yoga is perfect for beginners and anyone with back or joint problems. You work at your own pace and the focus is on proper alignment for each pose. There are helpful props such as blocks and belts to get you into a particular pose that you hold for a period of time while breathing. Meditation is also used to help students become aware of their body. Practising Iyengar gives you a basic understanding of the fundamental yoga poses while providing overall toning and strengthening. Teachers must complete a rigorous two to five years of training before receiving their certification, so classes are usually of a high caliber.
KRIPALU
An offshoot of Hatha, Kripalu is often called the yoga of consciousness and compassion. It’s a very gentle, introspective practice that co-ordinates breath and movement while working within your own limits. Students learn how to focus on both the psychological and physical reactions of poses in three distinct phases. Stage One focuses on learning the poses, Stage Two on holding the poses and Stage Three on deep meditation while doing the poses. Kripalu is highly effective for relieving chronic tension, reducing stress and anxiety while increasing flexibility and concentration.
SIVANANDA
One of the largest schools of yoga, Sivananda was developed by Indian yoga master Swami Sivananda. It follows a series of 12 poses based on the classic Hatha sun-salutation routine that has been combined with mantra chanting. This is an all-encompassing yoga with a five-point system for "health and happiness" that focuses on proper exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet and meditation. It’s sometimes confused with the controversial Swami Satchitananda, a former student of Sivananda, who formed the cult-like Yogaville.
VINIYOGA
Created by T.K.V. Desikachar (son of the founder of Hatha yoga), Viniyoga is perhaps the most flexible style of yoga. It uses a refined methodology based on the individual needs and physical condition of each student. Classically known as "yoga by prescription," Viniyoga is ideal for beginners, seniors and those with chronic pain or recovering from an injury. The pace is slower, with more repetition, and the focus is on co-ordinating the flow of breath with each movement rather than having perfect form or moving quickly. Teachers must be highly trained to assess the needs of the students and tailor the sequence, length and intensity of the poses to suit the class.
ASHTANGA
Created by Pattabhi Jois, this rigorous Hatha yoga is also known as Power Yoga. It’s popular with athletes (and Madonna), since the emphasis is on strength and stamina. The pace is quite fast as students move from one pose to another, combining breath with each movement. The teacher will guide you through a series of poses that are a combination of standing, seated, inversions, twists, balances and back bends. The sequence remains the same until the student has perfected each movement and can move onto another series. Ashtanga is not suitable for anyone with physical limitations or those looking for a less gruelling workout.
BIKRAM
Known as the "sweaty" yoga, Bikram is the newest trendy yoga. Created by Bikram Choudhoury, an All-India National Yoga Champion and current yoga guru to the stars, Bikram Yoga is practised in a room that is 38° C or hotter. But don’t expect to just sit around sweating - there are two sets of 26 very challenging poses done within 90 minutes, each designed to stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons while building strength and stamina. Sweating profusely is supposed to release toxins from the body as well. Bikram is recommended for yoga veterans or extremely fit people who don’t mind being pushed to their limit.
HATHA
This is the most classical yoga, focusing on simple poses that flow from one to the other. Hatha promotes flexibility and tones the body as it improves strength, endurance and concentration. There are many schools and teachers of Hatha yoga. The recognized founder was Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), and three of his most famous students have developed their own styles, which are currently the most popular in the West: Iyengar, Ashtanga and Viniyoga. Sometimes when an instructor has blended several styles together, the class is advertised as simply a Hatha yoga class, so you should check out the instructor’s training and ask about the pace of the class before signing up.
IYENGAR
Created by B.K.S. Iyengar, this gentle version of Hatha yoga is perfect for beginners and anyone with back or joint problems. You work at your own pace and the focus is on proper alignment for each pose. There are helpful props such as blocks and belts to get you into a particular pose that you hold for a period of time while breathing. Meditation is also used to help students become aware of their body. Practising Iyengar gives you a basic understanding of the fundamental yoga poses while providing overall toning and strengthening. Teachers must complete a rigorous two to five years of training before receiving their certification, so classes are usually of a high caliber.
KRIPALU
An offshoot of Hatha, Kripalu is often called the yoga of consciousness and compassion. It’s a very gentle, introspective practice that co-ordinates breath and movement while working within your own limits. Students learn how to focus on both the psychological and physical reactions of poses in three distinct phases. Stage One focuses on learning the poses, Stage Two on holding the poses and Stage Three on deep meditation while doing the poses. Kripalu is highly effective for relieving chronic tension, reducing stress and anxiety while increasing flexibility and concentration.
SIVANANDA
One of the largest schools of yoga, Sivananda was developed by Indian yoga master Swami Sivananda. It follows a series of 12 poses based on the classic Hatha sun-salutation routine that has been combined with mantra chanting. This is an all-encompassing yoga with a five-point system for "health and happiness" that focuses on proper exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet and meditation. It’s sometimes confused with the controversial Swami Satchitananda, a former student of Sivananda, who formed the cult-like Yogaville.
VINIYOGA
Created by T.K.V. Desikachar (son of the founder of Hatha yoga), Viniyoga is perhaps the most flexible style of yoga. It uses a refined methodology based on the individual needs and physical condition of each student. Classically known as "yoga by prescription," Viniyoga is ideal for beginners, seniors and those with chronic pain or recovering from an injury. The pace is slower, with more repetition, and the focus is on co-ordinating the flow of breath with each movement rather than having perfect form or moving quickly. Teachers must be highly trained to assess the needs of the students and tailor the sequence, length and intensity of the poses to suit the class.
