8 Popular Types of Yoga
There are many variations of yoga in western culture. Many hark back to Iyengar yoga, created by B K S Iyengar, from his learnings with T Krishnamacharya, a highly respected and influential guru. Like all good things yoga continues to change and develop to meet the needs of practitioners. Here is a run through of eight of the most popular types of yoga:
Ashtanga Yoga
Overview
First introduced in the 1970s by Pattabhi Jois a yogi from southern India, Ashtanga yoga is a highly rigorous style of yoga. Ashtanga has specific pose sequences to challenge the mind, body, and soul. Ashtanga is a physically demanding practice that concentrates on asana through six sequences.
Benefits
Ashtanga increases stamina, strength, flexibility, concentration and mental clarity.
Style
Ashtanga yoga classes are physically challenging high energy following the poses within each sequence in the same order. Ashtanga yoga links every single movement to the breath.
The six sequences of Ashtanga yoga are:
- Primary
- Intermediate
- Advanced 1
- Advanced 2
- Advanced 3
- Advanced 4
Ashtanga classes are most similar to a Vinyasa style class, but much more rigorous with the strict class sequence.
Although Ashtanga classes are mostly teacher led, they are also sometimes available as Mysore classes. Mysore classes give the advantage that students practice an Ashtanga series at their own personal pace. The teacher walks around the classroom offering individual instruction and adjustments as needed, unlike other classes when the teacher cues the sequence.
Traditional Ashtanga classes don’t use props or offer modifications for poses.
Bikram and Hot Yoga
Overview
Hot Yoga was previously called Bikram Yoga. It was created by Bikram Choudhury in the 1970s. There have been a lot of “Bikram” studios and classes, trade marked by the Bikram brand. Bikram classes are always practiced in a sauna-like environment with a temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius or up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Bikram Yoga brand has a 26 pose sequence that are always sequenced the same with each pose practiced twice.
Hot yoga, is a version of “Bikram” yoga that has been adopted by other yoga studios and teachers in the West. They are also performed in a hot room with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The main difference between Bikram Yoga and Hot yoga is that Hot yoga classes do not restrict poses and are not sequenced in the same fixed way. The focus of most Hot yoga classes is flow. The main difference from other types of yoga is the temperature.
Benefits
Hot yoga Regulates metabolism and promotes body detoxification, whilst increasing flexibility, immunity and strength.
Style
Both Bikram and Hot yoga classes utilise heat to aid in loosening stiff joints and strengthening muscles. They promote detoxification of the body through sweating.
Hot yoga usually follows a high energy Vinyasa style flow. Bikram yoga classes will typically follow a preset of a 26 pose sequence done twice in one class.
Due to the demanding nature of these types of yoga it is essential to be aware that the combined heat and hard exercise can impact on health. There is a risk of dehydration, heat stroke, dizziness for everyone and it is especially important to consult your health care provider if you have any known chronic health conditions. If in doubt about the suitability of a Hot yoga class for you, then select another type of yoga class. All types of yoga offer amazing health benefits, so don’t risk doing something detrimental to your health.
Hatha Yoga
Overview
The origins of Hatha Yoga are thousands of years old. Hatha was popularised by Tirumalai Krishnamacharya in the early 20th century. Broadly, Hatha harks back to ancient yogic texts. Hatha yoga influences can be identified in most types of yoga.
The aim of Hatha yoga is to cleanse and connect the mind and body through a combination of physical poses and breath work. The asanas and pranayama are the main aspects of Hatha yoga that bring variations under the Hatha umbrella. However, for many practitioners their Hatha yoga includes a yogic lifestyle, meditation and philosophy. Hatha is distinguished by the combination of breath and physical poses.
The original Hatha yoga philosophies, pranayama and asanas were meant to achieve a meditative state of oneness with the self.
Hatha was also anticipated to achieve oneness with a higher power, God, the Universe or high consciousness. Today modern Hatha yoga is still considered a spiritual practice by many within the scope of their own belief system. It is the physical benefits of Hatha yoga are the most widely recognized and sought in Western culture, it is not essential to encompass the spiritual aspects of practice.
Benefits
Hatha yoga increases strength, balance, flexibility, bone density, aids concentration and promotes calm and inner peace.
Style
The most common yoga class offered is Hatha yoga that frequently encompasses all the other major styles of yoga. Most Hatha classes are gentle, steady classes featuring basic yoga asanas.
Hatha is not usually considered high energy or fast-paced. Hatha yoga combines the use of deep breathing and different postures. For many it brings the opportunity to move inwards and to achieve a moving meditative state.
Kundalini
Overview
Kundalini Yoga was first popularized in the west through famed yogi Bhajan in the 1960s. Yogi Bhajan who was famed for translating ancient yoga philosophies into modern Western morals. Kundalini Yoga is strongly rooted in Hatha Yoga. Kundalini means “Coiled Snake” in Sanskrit and conjures the imagery of a snake coiled at the base of the spine representing raw untapped energy in our bodies. The coiled snake image is from Hindu philosophy, first mentioned in the Upanishads. Kundalini practice is known for spiritual benefits and the idea is to uncoil and activate the energy there through a series of poses, pranayama, sounds, and meditation.
Kundalini yoga usually focuses on poses that relate to the core and lower back and with a specific focus on meditative yoga. Kundalini asanas are also structured in kriyas, a set of asanas, pranayama, and mantras connected that are in a set order. The aim of Kundalini practice is to achieve inner peace and a higher state of consciousness.
Benefits
Kundalini increases relaxation, flexibility, mental clarity, promotes calm and inner peace.
Style
Kundalini Yoga classes are usually opened and closed with a mantra and then structured as a warm up, kriya which is a series of asanas, breathing, and sounds, relaxation and meditation.
Iyengar
Overview
Founded by B K S Iyengar, one of the key influential figures of yoga during the 20th century. The focus of Iyengar Yoga classes is correct alignment, precise teaching cues and language. The focus is to achieve alignment and a progressive philosophy starting with basic beginner foundation classes that are then built on to progress to the more advanced alignment of the poses focussing on correctness. With little exception modern Western types of yoga all have influence from Iyengar yoga.
Benefits
Iyengar increases flexibility, muscular strength, flexibility, concentration and mental clarity.
Style
Highly structured on proper alignment Iyengar Yoga classes are structured around gradual progression of the practice over time. The aim is to achieve the correct alignment in each pose and to incorporate breath connection to the poses. Iyengar classes utilize props to aid in perfecting the shape for each pose. Props such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs and other props are used frequently for adjusting poses. Iyengar classes are usually a slow pace with corrections and holding poses for long periods of time.
Restorative Yoga
Overview
Developed from Iyengar yoga, Restorative yoga was first introduced in the 1970s by Judith Lasater a yoga teacher and student of Iyengar Yoga. The focus of Restorative yoga is the slow-paced style that Lasater originally developed for students recovering from illness or injury. Restorative yoga is also considered as a balancing practice to aid our hectic and stressful modern lifestyles.
Benefits
Restorative yoga calms the mind and increases flexibility, stamina, concentration, and mental clarity.
Style
Restorative yoga classes are always very calm and slow-paced. Restorative classes focus on props such as bolsters, cushions, blankets and blocks whilst using poses that calm and promote healing in the body. Usually restorative yoga classes only have 5-8 poses, held for five minutes or longer periods of time. The purpose of these classes is to relax and rest. The poses involved are calming and require minimal effort. Restorative is one of the slowest and relaxing of the types of yoga.
Vinyasa Yoga
Overview
Vinyasa Yoga has a wide definition and encompasses many different yoga sub genres. Whilst in Hatha Yoga practitioners often hold a pose for several breaths, striving for a meditative state and perfecting a posture before moving into the next pose, Vinyasa yoga is a flow of and between poses without holding for any length of time. The synchronization of breath and movement is an important aspect of Vinyasa classes.
Vinyasa sequencing varies, offering the teacher freedom of creativity and flexibility. Alternatively, Ashtanga that is a derivative of Vinyasa always follows the same sequence.
Benefits
Vinyasa gives cardiovascular and respiratory benefits, increased muscle strength, flexibility and bone density.
Style
Vinyasa, is frequently referred to as Vinyasa Flow, clarifying the main focus of this type of practice. The flow is usually fast paced with flowing transitions. The structure of Vinyasa flow varies between teachers and classes due to the broad scope of poses and transitions available.
The faster pace of Vinyasa appeals to people seeking fitness style classes. Vinyasa and Hot are the fastest paced types of yoga.
Yin Yoga
Overview
Founded by Paulie Zink, who came from a background of martial arts and Taoist yoga. Yin yoga stems back to the 1970s, when Zink introduced it to his martial arts students. Zink believed that flexibility drawn from his yoga offered suitable applications to martial arts practitioners. Yin yoga was later further popularised by Paul Grilley, incorporating his anatomy knowledge into the practice. Later Sarah Powers helped to bring Yin yoga mainstream through her Insight Yoga Institute.
Benefits
Yin yoga decreases anxiety and stress, increases flexibility, circulation, concentration, joint mobility, improves joint, fascia and tissue health. Improves mobility in the body and joints.
Style
Yin yoga is a slow meditative style of yoga. Yin yoga practice involves holding poses for longer, usually one to two minutes to gain a deeper stretch. Sometimes some poses are held for up to 5 minutes. Holding poses for long periods of time targets the deeper body tissues; such as connective tissue, ligaments, joints, and fascia.
The Yin yoga philosophy believes that we improve and remove blocked Chi or energy in our body by releasing our tissues by holding in this way. Additional Yin benefits include that static poses are a safer way to apply stress to the joints and increase accessibility to those with low fitness levels or chronic conditions.
Yin Yoga has its roots in Taoist philosophy from the Yin-Yang symbol, Yin represents the feminine side. Yin poses are soft and gentle contrasting with yang poses that are energetic.
Yin Yoga is often described as a compliment to the high energy yang style classes such as Hot and Vinyasa practices that are common western yoga classes. When you are aware of the different types of yoga you can incorporate a type of yoga relevant to your lifestyle at the time, or offset a fast paced class with one of the slower types of yoga.
Yin classes don’t have a warm-up, the emphasis is the connective tissue rather than the muscles. Yin cues and format are different from Hatha style classes. Yin also has different names for the asanas. The poses may look similar, but the focus and application is different and target different body elements. Frequently gravity is an important factor of getting into a pose, rather than relying on muscle stretch and strength.
Finally
There are many variations within the above eight types of yoga. Many experienced teachers undertake courses on the different yoga types and incorporate varying styles within their classes.
Yoga is an antithesis in this modern world, an opportunity to connect with yourself and something higher if you want to.
Whichever type you choose twenty-first century yoga offers a brilliant form of exercise and self care. Its just a case of choosing which type is suitable for your life stage and life style where you are now.
Whichever type of yoga you choose, enjoy and stick at it, the results to your welbeing may well astound you.