It’s easy to get confused when starting to look into yoga. You may find yourself worrying about whether you’re ‘right’ for it, or whether you’ll ever reach the skill level shown by some of the more well-known yoga enthusiasts on social media. Or you may have heard about ‘hot yoga’, ‘Ashtanga yoga’ or ‘Vinyasa’ and just sat there bewildered. There are about 13 distinct styles of yoga that are widely practiced; Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Yin, Restorative, Kundalini, ‘power yoga’, and then rocket, hot, prenatal, acro and aerial yoga, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Several off these are esoteric and will most likely not be tried out by those who have been into the world of yoga for some time, and others are composites or Western constructs. That said, there are a few of the above that are ideal for starting your yoga journey.
Vinyasa yoga needs to be mentioned here, as it is an offshoot of Ashtanga that came about in the 1980s and ended up more widely practiced than its predecessor. Ashtanga, power yoga, and prana also use many of the same flowing techniques as Vinyasa. This is the form of yoga for you if you want to practice co-ordinating your breath with movements and poses. It’s all about moving into poses in an athletic fashion, but similarly, many Vinyasa teachers will also suggest holding poses for longer to really work the joints and back and to increase athletic ability overall. If you want something that bridges the gap between breathing exercises, relaxation and athletic movement, Vinyasa is about as good as it gets.
Kundalini yoga is a popular type of yoga amongst those with lower back problems and lumbago. Kundalini energy is said to be the energy that is ‘coiled’ at the base of the spine and needs release. Whilst this is a very specific type of focus, the practice of Kundalini yoga can still be enjoyed by anyone who wants to get into yoga with an intention to improve back and core strength overall.
Bikram yoga, which is now often branded as hot yoga, is focused on exercises in artificially produced heat of around 105 degrees, with humidity added to that to make a truly intense workout. It’s intended to sweat out toxins and also really give the body an overall athletic run for its money. It’s focused around 26 key moves that are normally done twice. This is quite the fad at the moment and many gyms and health clubs offer hot yoga as their only type. However, it is not for the faint hearted and, as a starter’s form of yoga, it may prove too much at first.
Yin yoga is a great form of yoga for those seeking peace and contentment rather than a full-on workout. The poses last a lot longer (from 45 seconds to two minutes) and, rather than get into all manner of positions, most of the routines and poses are seated. The idea is that gravity does the work whilst you focus on you breathing and reach some form of spiritual calm.
Lastly, restorative yoga is now making waves as a way to focus on winding down after the day’s stresses and grinds. This is not just about relaxation but actually taking on stress and fighting it with comfort, a state of calm and breathing exercises. Many offices and coworking spaces run restorative yoga as a form of workplace wellness. Cushions, pillows and blankets are combined with eye pillows and other plush items to really get cosy. If you don’t fall asleep, the moves are slow and aimed around getting back to a state of peace.
So as you can see, there’s a form of yoga for just about every mindset. If you’re looking to burn off energy, or sort out your knotted back, you’ve got several forms right there. If you’re feeling like you have brain fog, ditto. Before you start your yoga journey, think about your desired result and what you want to achieve before heading off and picking the appropriate type of yoga.
