One of the biggest hurdles to starting yoga is figuring out what style of yoga you want to try. It’s often confusing for beginners because the class names and options are so broad. While almost all styles use the same physical postures, each has a particular emphasis. This cheat sheet highlights the differences so you can determine which type is most appealing to you. If you’re seeking out online videos, search specifically for beginner-level classes—almost all online yoga video platforms let you search by ability-level. Just keep in mind, if you don’t like your first yoga class, that doesn’t mean that you and yoga aren’t meant to be. Because there are so many different styles of yoga and so many different instructors with their own approaches to teaching, it may take a few attempts before you find the right fit.
Monthly Update – April If you want to try a vinyasa class, seek out a beginner-level version. This will give you a better idea if the class is vigorous or more meditative. This is the trademark of Iyengar Yoga—an intense focus on the subtleties of each posture.
Ashtanga yoga was rediscovered in. Hot Yoga The hot yoga style is very similar to that of Yofa yoga. At its core, Sivananda Yoga is geared toward helping students this case, yoga postures.
There are so many different types of yoga out there, whether you want a more physically demanding class or an easy, relaxing, meditative class. With each style a bit different from the others, you’ll find variations depending on the teacher. Giving a few styles and teachers a try before settling on your favorite will enhance your overall yoga experience and challenge you to break out of your comfort zone. While lineages aren’t as relevant today as they once were, if you’re looking for a traditional style, this guide will help you understand the basics before diving into a class. Vinyasa means “to place in a special way” and, in this case, yoga postures. Vinyasa is the most athletic yoga style. Vinyasa was adapted from ashtanga yoga in the s. Many types of yoga can also be considered vinyasa flows such as ashtanga, power yoga, and prana.