What Kind of Yoga Should I Do – Styles and Classes

How it works

A studio timetable lists classes by style, and the names say little. Press the button for one style or school to try, from gentle hatha to energetic Ashtanga, each with what happens in a class.

Read the full guide

Slow, flowing or set

Yin and restorative classes hold a few poses for minutes at a time. Vinyasa classes join poses into one flow, timed to the breath. Ashtanga follows a set sequence of poses that students learn by heart.

What a class looks like

Wikipedia’s article on yoga as exercise says a session in most styles lasts an hour to an hour and a half. It starts with gentle warm-ups, moves on to more vigorous poses and slows down again, often ending with relaxation lying down.

Many teachers blend styles under no name at all, so ask a studio what a class is like before you book.

Questions and answers

What school of yoga should I practice?

Schools differ in what they stress. Wikipedia’s article names alignment in Iyengar yoga, spiritual practice in Sivananda yoga and the awakening of energy in Kundalini yoga. Pick the aim closest to yours and try one class.

What kind of yoga is best for beginners?

By Wikipedia’s descriptions, hatha is a gentle class and Iyengar works slowly, with props that help beginning students do the poses. Ashtanga and Acroyoga are vigorous.

What is the difference between hatha and vinyasa yoga?

On a studio timetable, hatha is a gentle class in which the teacher combines poses in their own way. Vinyasa joins the poses by smooth transitions into a flow, with each movement paired to the breath.

What is the slowest kind of yoga?

Restorative yoga. A session may hold only four to six poses, some for twenty minutes, supported by blankets and bolsters. In yin yoga, practiced students stay in one pose for five minutes or more.

All 32 kinds of yoga

Styles and schools 16

Accessible yoga Adapted poses for people who cannot follow a standard class through age, illness or disability.
Ashtanga yoga An energetic class: a set sequence of poses linked by flowing movements, in time with the breath.
Chair yoga Poses done sitting on a chair, or standing with the chair for support.
Hatha yoga A gentle class outside the big schools. The teacher puts together their own mix of poses.
Hot yoga Yoga in a hot, humid room. Expect to sweat a great deal.
Iyengar yoga Slow, exact work on the alignment of each pose, with belts, blocks and blankets as aids.
Kundalini yoga Meditation, breathing exercises and chanting, with poses chosen to go with them.
Mysore style Ashtanga in a shared room: each student works through the sequence at their own pace, helped one by one.
Power yoga A spin-off of Ashtanga yoga in the same flowing style.
Restorative yoga Only four to six poses in a session, each held a long time on blankets, blocks and bolsters.
Sivananda yoga Twelve basic poses, with Sanskrit chanting, breathing exercises, meditation and relaxation in each class.
Viniyoga Taught in small groups: movements are matched to the breath and fitted to each student.
Vinyasa yoga Poses joined by smooth transitions into one flow, each movement paired with the breath.
Yin yoga A slow-paced class. Poses are held longer than in other styles, five minutes or more with practice.
Yoga for children Poses with games, animal sounds and creative names, in a class meant to be fun.
Yoga nidra Called yogic sleep: a guided meditation that leads to a state between waking and sleeping.

Flowing and energetic 1

Acroyoga Yoga with group acrobatics, more vigorous than many kinds. One person is the base and one the flyer.

Breathing, chanting and meditation 2

Laughter yoga Laughter exercises with breathing exercises in between. No jokes are needed.
Mindful yoga Yoga joined with Buddhist-style mindfulness practice, so the exercise is also a meditation.

With props or equipment 5

Aerial yoga Yoga poses, Pilates and dance in a silk hammock.
Paddleboard yoga Poses on a stand-up paddleboard, usually on calm water such as a lake.
Slackline yoga Yoga mixed with slacklining.
Yoga with barre work Yoga mixed with work at the barre, as in ballet preparation.
Yoga with weights Yoga mixed with weight training.

Mixed with another activity 4

Aqua yoga Yoga done in water.
Hiking yoga Yoga mixed with a hike.
Snowga Yoga mixed with snowshoeing.
Yogalates Yoga mixed with Pilates.

Outdoors or with animals 4

Cat yoga Yoga with cats in the class.
Doga Yoga with pet dogs alongside. The dogs do not do the poses; people enjoy having them there.
Goat yoga Yoga with goats in the class.
Horseback yoga Yoga poses on horseback.