What Are the Types of Yoga?

As a beginner starting with yoga, you may be overwhelmed with information and myths about yoga. The question you may be asking yourself is, where will I start? Which type of yoga is the most suitable for me?

Fortunately, this article discusses different types of yoga, what they entail, and the people they are most suitable for.

Read on to find out!

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a set of exercises known as poses in combination with breathing techniques and meditation principles. Props used in yoga include blocks, straps, and blankets and help you get the most out of the poses.

Contrary to popular opinion, yoga is not a one size fits all technique; there are different poses to suit your needs and goals

Benefits Of Yoga

Yoga has many benefits, including;

• Keeping your back and joints healthy
• Improving your posture
• Stretching and strengthening your muscles
• Improving your balance
• Relaxing and rejuvenating your body
• Calming your body and increasing mindfulness
• Reducing stress
• Relieving depression

Types of yoga

As a beginner, understanding the different types of yoga can help you determine the one that most suits your needs. Types of yoga include;

Hatha Yoga

Hatha refers to the balance between the body and physical posture. This type of yoga is gentle and requires you to hold each pose for a few breaths. Hatha yoga has a slow pace, making it great for beginners.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa yoga Is dynamic; It links movement and breath together in a dance-like way. With Vinyasa yoga, the paces are quick, and you won’t linger in each pose. This type of yoga is best for HIIT, runners, and endurance athletes.

Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar yoga focuses on precision, detail, and your body’s alignment with each pose. With Iyengar yoga, you will have to hold your pose for some time and use props to work within a safe and effective range of motion. Iyengar yoga is best for detail-oriented yogis and people who love anatomy, form, and movement.

Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is a challenging but orderly approach to yoga; It consists of six sequential poses. With Ashtanga yoga, you have to flow and breathe through each pose to build your internal heat. Ashtanga yoga is best for perfectionists because of its routine and strict guidelines.

Bikram Yoga

Bikram yoga is A 90-minute sequence that can feel strenuous because of the heat. Bikram yoga makes you sweat; It consists of 26 poses and two breathing exercises carried out in a room with 40% humidity and 105 degrees temperature. Therefore, if you are new to Bikram yoga, hydrate before the session and rest when you need to. 

Bikram yoga is suitable for people who like set routines.

Hot Yoga

Hot yoga is similar to Bikram yoga because it is done in a heated room. However, there is no constraint to the number of poses. It is easy to overstretch during hot yoga because of the heat. Nevertheless, don’t push beyond your capacity.

What yoga is best for hardcore sweat lovers and people who love tough workouts.

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is physically and mentally more challenging than other types of yoga; It consists of repetitive physical exercises, intense breathing, singing, chanting, and meditating. Kundalini yoga aims at breaking through your internal barriers to release untapped energy and bring you to a higher level of self-awareness.

Kundalini yoga is ideal for people looking for spiritual practice.

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is for calming and balancing the mind; it consists of poses that linger for several minutes at a time. Furthermore, yin yoga is meditative, targeting your deep connective tissues to restore their length and elasticity.

Yin yoga is best for people who need to stretch and unwind. However, it is not recommended for super flexible people or anyone with connective tissue disorder.

Restorative Yoga

Restorative yoga is a mellow-slow moving practice that allows you to experience deep relaxation; The poses linger to enable your body to tap into your parasympathetic nervous system.

Restorative yoga is suitable for everyone, especially people who struggle with anxiety or have insomnia

Conclusion

Everyone’s yoga needs are different; therefore, there are several types of yoga. It is best to choose the one you resonate with and dedicate yourself to its practice.