Types of Yoga: A Guide to 12 Different Styles
Most people think that yoga is a slow-style exercise that doesn’t use many muscle groups but that’s far from the truth. Yoga requires strength both in mind and body as you are working with your body weight and your breath. There are so many styles of yoga so you’ll be sure to find one that aligns with your goals. In this post, discover 12 types of yoga!
What is Yoga?
First and foremost, yoga is a mental, physical, and spiritual exercise. This exercise consists of low-impact physical activity such as holding postures called asanas, breathing techniques called pranayama, and meditation. The goal of yoga is to achieve complete harmony and balance with your mind, body, and soul.
12 Types of Yoga
Most people think that yoga is a slow-style exercise that doesn’t use many muscle groups but that’s far from the truth. Yoga requires strength both in mind and body as you are working with your body weight and your breath. There are so many styles of yoga so you’ll be sure to find one that aligns with your goals.
Kundalini Yoga
“Kundalini” in Sanskrit means “life force energy”, also known as prana or chi in the yoga community. Kundalini energy is believed to be a tightly coiled energy force at the base of your spine. The yoga sequences in this type of practice are designed to stimulate and unlock this energy and reduce stress and negative thinking. This practice involves intertwining both mind and body by pairing poses with chanting, singing, and meditation.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga also called “flow yoga”, is a style of yoga where the poses are in a continuous rhythmic flow while in sync with the breath. This yoga flow is most common and provides lots of movement rather than stillness for your yoga practice.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga comes from the Sanskrit words ‘sun and moon’. This yoga flow is designed for balance so there is a perfect mix of asana (poses), pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. This is one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly flows.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga is very physical consisting of six series of specific poses practiced in order for a period of time. The key here is to memorize the sequence and move at your own pace while following your own breath – it’s about aligning with your mind, body, and soul.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is a slow-style practice in which poses are held for a minute or more at a time. It’s designed to increase joint circulation and improve flexibility while focusing on the hips, lower back, and thighs. This flow encourages stillness which is essential for enlightenment.
Iyengar Yoga
This alignment-based practice was founded by B.K.S. Iyengar. Iyengar yoga is known for the high level of training required of its teachers and for its creative use of props – including chairs, walls, and benches, in addition to more common props like straps, blocks, and bolsters. This practice is best for older practitioners because it emphasizes alignment and longer position holds.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram Choudhury developed Bikram yoga – this is hot yoga. This flow is similar to ashtanga in the sense that you are doing a specific pose sequence repeatedly but there’s a fun little twist – heat. A true Bikram Yoga flow is 90 minutes, with 26 postures and two breathing exercises, and the room is 105° Fahrenheit with 40 percent humidity. Because this practice can be intense, it is advertised as ‘hot yoga’ so studios can tweak what they need yet keep the theme of a hot room.
Power Yoga
Similar to vinyasa yoga, power yoga is influenced by ashtanga flow but is less regimented and more open to interpretation by the individual. Since it has a wider variety of sequences this flow keeps the brain engaged while working all muscle groups and improving flexibility.
Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda yoga is based on the teachings of Hindu spiritual teacher, Swami Sivananda, and is a form of hatha yoga. This flow starts with Sivananda pose (corpse pose), then moves into breathing exercises with sun salutations, and then 12 basic asanas. This practice is great to promote spiritual and energic work.
Restorative Yoga
As you may have guessed, restorative yoga places its focus on down-regulating the nervous system and reaching complete relaxation. Poses are held for at least five minutes but often longer while using props to support the body, which is why many people tend to drift off to sleep. This flow is perfect when you need to decompress after a long day.
Aerial Yoga
Aerial Yoga is new and gaining popularity quickly. It involves the support of a strong, silky hammock that hangs from the ceiling while practicing traditional yoga poses – sounds fun, right? The hammock is used as a supportive prop in more dynamic poses like pigeon and downward dog. It also helps you perform inverted poses such as headstands and handstands more easily and allows you to go above your abilities.
Acro Yoga
Acro yoga is a more interactive flow as you have a partner to practice with. This flow takes traditional poses and makes them a two-person job so you can build a mind-body connection with your partner.
Final Thoughts
Yoga poses aren’t silly little positions and movements – they are calculated postures and flows that honor the Divine Feminine in the most powerful way possible, with our entire being. Yoga combines all three aspects – mind, body, and soul – and takes every fiber of my physical and emotional being on a metaphysical adventure.