Hatha or hot? Vinyasa or yin?
If it’s a stretch figuring out which yoga best suits you, this breakdown should help
Whether you do yoga at the local Y, a trendy fitness studio or on your living room floor, there are plenty of ways to get into the flow. But figuring out which practice best suits your physical and mental goals can be tougher than holding half-moon pose.
Yoga — which comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, and means “to yoke” or “to unite” — is a discipline that dates back thousands of years to India. Over the years, classical forms have been adapted to be more fitness-focused. Now there are so many options, it can be difficult to keep up. Here’s the breakdown.
Hatha yoga
Hatha focuses on basic postures such as downward-facing dog or the warrior poses. Sometimes the poses are combined into a set or series — for example, sun salutations — with each pose held for several breaths. Breathing is also rhythmic, with inhaling and exhaling as drivers of motion, as well as a way to find stillness. It’s great for beginners and for anyone looking for a good stretch or work on their alignment.
Anusara yoga
This type of yoga, closely related to hatha, was developed in the late 1990s. Sequences are challenging and aimed at opening not just the body, but the heart and mind. If you’re looking for a workout with a deep focus on both the inner and outer sense of self, this might be a good option.
Hot yoga
There are different styles of yoga designed to make you sweat. Bikram consists of 26 postures, mostly done twice in a row, in a hot, humid room where temperatures can exceed 37 C. The idea is that the heat helps protect your muscles from injury while also allowing you to deepen the poses. Hot yoga is derived from Bikram, but is flexible in format. The room is typically between 26 C and 37 C. People with conditions including cardiovascular disease, back pain, asthma, diabetes, low blood pressure or pregnancy should consult with a doctor before trying this practice.
Iyengar yoga
Pronounced eye-yen-gar, and developed by the esteemed teacher B.K.S. Iyengar in the 1970s, this practice is regimented, form-focused and prop-centric. (Yoga props that help you modify poses or support your body, include blocks, straps, bolsters and blankets.) It can be practised by students at all stages. Poses are held for stretches of time and do not flow from one to the next: The goal is to achieve proper alignment, as well as build strength and balance. This is a good style to explore if you’re trying to truly understand postures from the inside out.
Vinyasa yoga
If you’ve ever been to a yoga class where the word “flow” was a dominant part of the instructor’s vocabulary, it was probably a vinyasa class. In this type of yoga, the emphasis is on performing poses that are fluid from one to the next. Mindfulness of breath, and marrying your breath to movement, is a part of this practice, too. Vinyasa can be physically challenging (you can always ask your instructor for modifications), but once you get the hang of it, the feeling is powerful.
Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga is similar to vinyasa — you’ll flow from one pose to the next and be guided by your instructor to link your breath to the movement of your body — but the difference is that it’s always the same poses, in the same progression. Expect a good workout; you’ll challenge yourself and get sweaty.
Yin yoga
If you’re looking for a practice that will help support you during other styles of yoga, and you’re patient enough to stay in a posture for long periods of time, then yin might be for you. In these classes, the instructor will have you hold a posture for several minutes, which helps connective tissue such as tendons, ligaments and fascia become more flexible.
Restorative yoga
Have you ever walked into an unfamiliar yoga class and left an hour later wondering why you didn’t do a whole lot of moving?
You may have been in a restorative class. The goal of this practice is relaxation, rejuvenation and healing. It is a slow-paced, meditative style that focuses on stretching by holding poses for up to several minutes, sometimes with supportive props such as blankets and bolsters, and turning attention inward.
There’s a reason restorative classes often happen in the evening with the lights turned down: They’re like non-sleeping naps that aim to leave you feeling — you guessed it — restored.
Aerial yoga
If there is a part of you that regrets never running off to join the circus, aerial yoga, a style that can be found in specialty studios, offers you the opportunity to feel like you’re swinging from a flying trapeze (or at least being suspended in mid-air under slightly less stressful circumstances).
With its goal of stretching, aerial yoga adds elements of Pilates and dance to traditional yoga poses, supplemented with a hammock so that practitioners can hold the postures while hanging in the air.
Even so, it may not be right for everyone. Pregnant women, and anyone with an injury or medical condition, should consult a health professional before pursuing this practice.