A guide to the various style of Yoga
With so many different styles of yoga to choose from nowadays, it can be hard to know where to get started or what to expect when stepping into a class.
Some will argue that Yoga is just Yoga but each style of yoga can vary in suitability depending on your existing ability! Find out more about the most popular style of Yoga taught today.
Remember that all pathway to yoga are great pathways, some start with hot yoga other with Iyengar or meditation.
All the pathways are great and none is better than the other.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha is a traditional term used to describe any of the physical practices of yoga. The Sanskrit word Hatha means force and alludes the system of physical techniques.
There are many different types of yoga included under the Hatha label, all are concerned with using your body in some physical way. The styles of yoga as we know them today are derived from traditional Hatha Yoga. It just takes one authority aka ‘a guru’ to add his spin or sequence to eventually become a new Yoga style.
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga is named after and developed by B.K.S. Iyengar who was a direct disciple of T. Krishnamacharya who is known as the father of modern Yoga. Together with Pattabhi Jois (who developed Ashtanga yoga) he was partly responsible for bringing the practice of modern yoga, as we know it now, to the West.
Iyengar Yoga focuses on three aspects: alignment, sequencing and timing.
Alignment is everything in this practice, a good Iyengar teacher will tell you how to engage in your left big toe while in Trikonasana, it’s precise. Often labelled furniture yoga because of the usage of a lot of props to get in perfect alignment (think chairs, blocks, bolsters etc..).
Sequencing is important to enable a safe structured progression in the poses. The pace is slow and you will hold the poses longer than the 5 traditional breath of Ashtanga Yoga or the fast pace of Vinyasa. The timing of the poses is important in Iyengar yoga for stability to be achieved in a pose. Once stable in a posture it is then possible to safely intensify the depth of the posture.
Iyengar is a great practice to begin with and learn proper alignment, it helps develop strength and flexibility, along with sensitivity and awareness between the body and mind.
ASHTANGA YOGA
The Ashtanga practice was created by Pattabhi Jois who (just like Iyengar) was a direct disciple of T. Krishnamacharya. Ashtanga Yoga particularly stress the importance of combining breath with postures using Ujaii breathing technique.
The practice is strict and composed of six series (think sequences), all of which build on each other. In most cases, only the first series is practised over months or years, the first serie is composed of 41 poses (asanas). Unlike Vinyasa, in Ashtanga you will always practice the same sequence and you will be allowed to move to the next asana only when the previous one is mastered. Each pose and breath count is called in Sanskrit. Ashtanga is strict, you need discipline and be ready to fail in order to progress.
You will find two different types of classes: “Ashtanga Led” and “Ashtanga Mysore”. During Ashtanga Led classes, the participants are led by a teacher through the primary, intermediate and/or advanced series.
Mysore-style Ashtanga is an open practice time where students move through the same sets of asanas in each sequence but at each students own pace. You still have the guided help of a trained yoga teacher, but you will need to learn and memorize the asanas and sequences more in this studio class first.
Rocket Yoga
Rocket Yoga, also known as 'The Rocket', is a style of yoga developed by Larry Schultz in San Francisco during the 1980s. Larry was “a frustrated” Ashtanga practitioner who developed a sequence to “get there faster’.
Rocket Yoga is a modification of the traditional Ashtanga series composed of 3 series which are mainly derived from Ashtanga series 1 and 2, some call this yoga style the rebellious sibling of Ashtanga yoga. Larry Schultz’s objective was to make yoga more accessible to westerners, to do so he had to break the Mysore rules. Unlike Ashtanga, students are encouraged to make their own interpretation of the traditional asana and can remove or modify postures. This makes the sequence more accessible to all, even those who may have structural disabilities who would otherwise not be able to practice traditional Ashtanga.
Rocket Yoga classes are rather fast paced, arm balances and inversions are at the core of Rocket Yoga which is why the practice can be intimidating to beginners. Following the style of Larry Shultz, rocket yoga classes are usually rather fun and light hearted (unlike Ashtanga which is strict and serious).
Rocket is known to be the original form of Vinyasa flow and Power Yoga which are nowadays the most popular form of yoga practice in the west. Thank you Larry :)
Vinyasa Flow / POWER YOGA
Vinyasa Yoga is probably the most popular style of Yoga nowadays, alike Ashtanga Yoga the postures are flowing at the rhythm of the breath and are in most cases held for 3-5 breath. However sequencing and intensity will change from class to class depending on the style of the teacher. As a result one vinyasa yoga class can be completely different to the next and you have to find the teachers who resonate with you. Each classes usually follow the framework of sun salutations, standing and balancing postures, sitting postures and backbends before laying down for Shavasana.
Vinyasa means moving into a special place in a special way. The goal is to align breath and movement to reach an active meditative state or Vinyasa Krama. Vinyasa and power yoga classes are rather fast-paced style of yoga that's focused on building strength, endurance and flexibility.
Vinyasa Yoga is accessible to all levels as there is something for students at every level of their practice. This also means that difficulty will vary from class to class. It is a great style to get started as a beginner to build stamina flexibility and strength without feeling too intimidated.
Vinyasa Yoga has both physical and mental health benefits. The physical aspects of this practice help to energise the body, strengthen the muscles and increase flexibility, whereas mentally it can help to focus the mind and encourage clarity.
Hot Yoga / Bikram Yoga
Hot yoga has become a popular practice in recent years. On a personal level this is what got me into Yoga. This form of yoga offer the same traditional benefits than a regular yoga practice but the heat will also give your heart, lungs and muscle a greater workout.
You may hear the terms “hot yoga” and “Bikram yoga” used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing. Bikram yoga was developed by a yogi named Bikram Choudhury, the practice is done in a room heated to 40°C with 40 percent humidity and consists of 26 poses and two breathing exercises that are done in the same order in every class. Bikram yoga sessions typically last 90 minutes. Bikram yoga has lost followers in recent years due to assault allegations against its founder. Yoga also has its Me Too movement and misbehaved Gurus!
Hot yoga, on the other hand, really just means that the room is heated above normal room temperature. The heat can be set to whatever the yoga instructor/studio wants, though it’s typically between 27 and 38°C. Hot yoga sessions can include any variety of poses, and the time of each class will vary from studio to studio. Where I teach at Triyoga the room is heated at 36/38°C. and the sequence is inspired from Bikram without having the same forceful approach than Bikram. We also do stick to the same(ish) sequence allowing student to see the progression from class to class. The heat improves the flexibility, allows you to burn calories and build bone density. Hot yoga is a sweaty practice, it will benefit your skin by improving circulation, bringing oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to skin cells. So you’re not only getting a class but also a facial :)
Hot yoga is a great way to start your yoga journey as it is accessible to beginners.
DHARMA Yoga
Dharma Yoga is named after Sri Dharma Mittra, a classical Hatha-Raja Yoga Master founder of the Dharma Yoga Center in New York. Dharma Yoga combines many schools of yoga well beyond Hatha Yoga. It’s a complete practice.
Dharma yoga is based on Ahimsa – non-violence or love: love towards ourselves, towards others, which include all living beings and extends beyond our pets! Sri Dharma Mittra is an engaged ambassador of veganism. However he never imposes any ideas or views. Dharma Yoga weaves together many teachings in order to bring all students closer to the goal of Self-realisation.
Dharma Yoga as an asana practice is a graceful and challenging practice. Most poses are held for a longer period of time than in vinyasa practices, which adds a level of difficulty. Expect lots of backbends and inversions, especially headstands. According to Sri Dharma Mittra, the asana practice is to bring “radiant health”, physical power and to become free from all diseases. They purify the body and help to settle the mind. This said the asanas are just a preparation for meditation in Dharma Yoga and all forms of Yoga. The ultimate goal of yoga is to limit the fluctuations of the mind.
Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga is completely different than everything else listed above. Yin Yoga is a modern lineage with different roots than the traditional Yoga practices.
Yin yoga is inspired by ancient Chinese Taoist practices in which stretches were held for long periods of time. Sometimes referred as Tao Yin, these practices have been incorporated into Kung Fu training for thousands of years!
Yin Yoga poses are generally sited or laying down postures and are held for between 3 to 5 minutes, using props such as blocks, bolsters and pillows to support the body. The objective is to relax the muscles during the poses allowing to stretch the connective tissues (facia, joints, ligaments..) allowing more ease in any other kind of yoga or sited meditation.
The challenge of Yin yoga is to find stillness and remain still in the poses as you feel the physical and mental sensations arising. You learn to stay still and increase your own resilience threshold as you learn to relax in what sometime is a feeling of growing discomfort.
The physical benefits include a reduced tension in the joints and improved flexibility. The main benefits are mental as Yin Yoga teaches us to slow down and increase our sense of self awareness. The relaxing and meditative aspects of Yin Yoga is deeply healing and contribute to an improved sense of wellbeing.
Yin Yoga is suitable for everyone, those who engage in high intensity sports, or those who experience high levels of stress during their day, can find relief for the body and mind through this practice. The asanas involved with Yin Yoga are themselves not generally considered to be difficult, but the length of time that the poses are held could initially be considered difficult for beginners. However, as you persist with your practice your mind will soon adjust, just as your body will!
I teach warm yin yoga classes at TriYoga twice a week, you can join me in the Chelsea studio or online from anywhere in the world too give it a try.
Kundalini Yoga
In Sanskrit, kundalini means “coiled snake. It is believed that some divine energy resides at the base of the spine and one of Kundalini Yoga objective is to connect us with that energy.
Kundalini incorporates poses (asana), pranayama (breath work), mantra (chanting), meditation and sometime a bit of Gong meditation. Many of the postures are designed to activate the spine with the goal to build physical vitality, increase consciousness and awaken the flow of Kundalini energy. There is a strong focus on stimulating and awakening the 7 chakras of the body to release energy and heal yourself. Kundalini’s current incarnation was first brought to the United States by Yogi Bhajan in 1969.
He believed that the color white expend your aura by an extra foot and project positive energy which is why Kundalini Yogis are wearing a white outfit.
Unfortunately, the Kundalini school took a serious toll when reports in 2020 detailed decades of abuse, sexual assault and harassment claims from students against Yogi Bhajan (note he died in 2004, 16 years before the scandal).
I know this is disappointing… The main issue of Yoga is the Guru… but pls trust the Yoga.
Kundalini yoga is open to all levels no matter what your yoga practice has been before, and for those who want to try something a bit different in their yogic practice.
After a Kundalini class you will leave feeling like you've gone to therapy, had a great workout and enjoyed singing with friends around you. Give it a go.
Pregnancy Yoga
As the name would suggest, Pregnancy Yoga is a style of yoga to be undertaken during pregnancy.
Pregnancy Yoga helps to promote relaxation, as well as improve flexibility and keep the muscles loose. It is specifically designed to support the body through the changes experienced during pregnancy. This type of yoga can also help to relieve the symptoms of common problems experienced during pregnancy, such as lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and sleep problems.
Because Pregnancy Yoga is designed to be a gentle and inclusive practice that any pregnant woman can participate in, it is totally suitable for absolute beginners and is generally not difficult at all.
Kids Yoga
This is a great way to help your children to relax and calm down whilst nurturing strength, flexibility and balance. It has also been proven to help with developing self-confidence and body awareness. Kids yoga is a great way to bond with your child and experience the joys of yoga and meditation with them, or it can be a way for you to have some alone time and leave them for an hour!
For a child to enjoy yoga, the classes have to be fun and engaging. They can learn about and enjoy deep breathing techniques using fun exercises and experiencing yoga practice through a mix of stories, books, songs and games.
Meditation
You might be surprised to see Meditation as a type of yoga, but the ultimate reason why we practice yoga is to be able to meditate! If you find it hard to sit still for meditation, you could instead try sound healing meditation which is more accessible to relax. (I have a full blog post on sound healing)
There are so many scientifically documented changes that occur in the mind and body when you meditate, including brain growth, increased immune function and decreased stress hormone production. The beneficial outcome of these changes are feeling less stressed and more energised.
When you’re stressed, the brain activates what is known as the ‘fight or flight’ response. In this state, you instinctively sense danger and pre-empt something bad is about to happen. You move into ‘get things done’ mode and forget that the process is just as important as the outcome. But when you meditate you can reduce your stress levels and the 'fight or flight' response switches off.
As you make meditation a daily practice, you naturally find yourself more present, calm and curious. You realise that the real joy in life comes from being fully engaged in the present moment. The practice in itself creates the perfect conditions for your mind and body to rest. Your stress levels naturally reduce and brain function increases. You also begin to access a deeper part of yourself that is strong, stable and confident.
Feeling more relaxed and less under pressure, you’re able to meet life’s challenges with enthusiasm and creativity.
Developing a daily practice of meditation will grow your brain and cognitive ability that increases self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
You then shift from living reactively and start living life creatively, enjoying life in the present moment without fear or stress. C’est magique :)