Different yoga styles
By WALTER ANG
If you're considering taking up yoga, here is a short guide to the different kinds of
yoga commonly offered by commercial/for profit yoga studios.
Yoga is popularly known as a series of physical poses that
combines breathing and, sometimes, a bit of meditation/chanting.
Most people who are new to yoga go into it for its physical exercise/conditioning aspects. Most yoga studios and teachers do not incorporate chanting,
but even if they do, it's not religion-based, so anyone can still do the
chanting or choose not to.
The classics
Hatha yoga
A blanket term that means "physical yoga." Though
usually, this is used to describe a moderately paced class using Vinyasa Flow (see below
for description), ask your instructor.
Ashtanga yoga
- Vigorous style with set poses and sequences. First timers are usually
led by an instructor, though eventually, are encouraged to practice by
themselves (which is called Mystore style).
- Developed by K. Patthabi Jois (a student of Krishnamacharya)
Iyengar
- Focuses on correct alignment, poses are held longer
- Developed by BKS Iyengar (a student of Krishnamacharya)
Most commonly offered styles
Vinyasa/Vinyasa Flow/Flow
- Recommended for first-timers/beginners as an entry-level yoga style, once you've tried a class, you can decide if you prefer a more vigorous or slower style.
- Derived from Ashtanga, "freestyle Ashtanga," uses different poses for each session depending on sequence given by instructor
- Derived from Ashtanga, "freestyle Ashtanga," uses different poses for each session depending on sequence given by instructor
- Vinyasa also means "combining breathe with
movement" and it also refers to a particular sequence of poses
Power yoga
- Same as Vinyasa, though usually at a slightly faster or more vigorous pacing
- Popularized in the 1990s by Americans Bryan Kest, Beryl
Birch and Baron Baptiste
Bikram yoga
- 26 postures in a 104F/40C room, usually with
no ventilation except when the instructor will open a window or door during the session. Studios
in countries with dry climates use humidifiers (up to 40%). The sequence stays the same.
- Developed in the 1970s by Indian Bikram Choudhury, who has
been accused of sexual harassment (see below)
Hot/Heated yoga
- Vinyasa Flow or Power Yoga in a heated room
- Usually offered by studios/instructors in lieu of Bikram
because of trademark issues. The sequence does not follow the set poses of Bikram yoga.
Gentle/Passive/Meditative/Restorative/Yin
- Usually based on Vinyasa Flow sequences but slower and
more gently paced
- May focus more on breathing, relaxation poses and
meditation/chanting
Newer styles
Pre-natal
- based on Vinyasa flow with adjustments for pregnant bodies
Acro/Aerial/Anti-Gravity
yoga
- combines yoga poses with poses done in/hanging from a hammock
Less Commonly Offered Styles
Bhakti/Bhakti Flow/Urban Bhakti
- uses music, sometimes chanting is included
Kundalini
- less physical
- repetitive motions, meditation/focusing, chanting
Less Commonly Offered Styles
Bhakti/Bhakti Flow/Urban Bhakti
- uses music, sometimes chanting is included
Kundalini
- less physical
- repetitive motions, meditation/focusing, chanting
Yoga styles with creators
or teachers accused of sexual harassment/exploitation or having sex with
students
By Indians
Bikram yoga
- read about the cases here.
By Americans
Jivamukti
- based on Vinyasa Flow
- developed in 1984 by Americans David Life and Sharon Gannon
- usually involves chanting in Sanskrit
- emphasizes vegetarianism and love for animals
- read about the case here.
- developed in 1984 by Americans David Life and Sharon Gannon
- usually involves chanting in Sanskrit
- emphasizes vegetarianism and love for animals
- read about the case here.
Anusara