Even though yoga originated in India, its demand is currently worldwide. More and more people are getting involved in yoga every day as it is beneficial for both physical and emotional health. However, the problem is that people have no idea what types of yoga there are or what type they should approach for their specific reasons.

That’s why it gives a simple and vivid idea about the yoga type and the benefits of that specific yoga. This article is here. This way, you can understand which yoga type is good for you, and then, based on that, you can share your knowledge and queries with a gym instructor. So,

Top 9 types of yoga

Multiple types of yoga are available, but in this article, we will discuss the ten major Yoga types.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa yoga is a common yet interesting method of yoga. Many people call it “Vinyasa Flows” as it mainly focuses on flowing sequences of poses. This method was adopted from Ashtanga yoga around the 1980s. It is challenging yet beginner-friendly, so it’s a great type to start with.

 Method of Practice:

In this yoga, you have to be a little fast-paced. As with breathing, this yoga involves quickly transitioning to the next yoga posture. So, with each breath, you will do different poses and maintain a flow or rhythm with each transmission.

Benefits:

By doing yoga consistently, you will notice flexibility and increased strength. This will reduce stiffness throughout your body. Also, it helps with cardiovascular health, which is very important for a healthy life.

 Suitable for:

If you are a beginner or just want to practice yoga for relaxation, this is a good choice for a gentle introduction to yoga.

Hatha Yoga

People generally get confused between Vinyasa Yoga and Hatha Yoga. But Vinyasa Yoga is slightly different from Hatha Vinyasa Yoga. The term “Hatha” comes from the Sanskrit terms “ha” (sun) and “tha” (moon), symbolizing the balance of opposing forces.

 Method of Practice:

This method of yoga mainly focuses on practising different asanas and Pranayama. This means that while doing different yoga poses, your body will practice breathing exercises simultaneously. Also, meditation will be practised for the mind.

 Benefits:

The main reason people do Hatha yoga, as it is good for health, is that it increases flexibility and muscle strength, which generally leads to better balance. Also, this yoga is very helpful for reducing stress and anxiety and achieving a sense of clarity.

 Suitable for:

It is suitable for people of all age groups and especially for beginners. So, if you want a yoga type that is good for your physical and mental health, this is the one.

Ashtanga yoga

It is a type of yoga that people can practice at their own pace. It was founded by K. Pattabhi Jois and defines “eight limbs” in Sanskrit. It is mostly a Mysore-style yoga style that has now gained great popularity.

 Method of Practice:

In order to practice yoga, you have to synchronize your breath with the progression of your posture. So, if you are doing yoga poses slowly, then your breathing also has to be slow, and vice versa. Yoga produces intense internal heat and allows your muscles and organs to detoxify through sweat.

 Benefits:

By practising this yoga on a regular basis, you will notice that your stamina and muscle buildup have increased. It will also improve your flexibility and remove toxins from your body, as well as improve overall physical and emotional health.

 Suitable for:

The Ashtanga exercise is suitable for beginners to intermediate levels. Those who want to improve their cardiovascular fitness, lung capacity, and Physical health can do this yoga.

 Kundalini yoga

Kundalini Yoga is a unique and powerful style of yoga that focuses on awakening and controlling the energy at the base of the spine. Yogi Bhajan introduced this yoga style during the late 1960s. In Sanskrit, Kundalini is defined as “life force energy.”

 Method of Practice:

Unlike most yoga types, Kundalini yoga involves chanting mantras while practicing physical postures. In addition to the physical postures and mantras, this yoga combines reading techniques and meditation. The aim of this yoga is to promote spiritual enlightenment and experience peace.

 Benefits:

By doing this yoga, you will definitely experience an increase in stamina. But most importantly, it is a great yoga choice for experiencing mental focus and clarity. Kundalini yoga helps in managing stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts. It ultimately improves emotional health and promotes spiritual growth.

 Suitable for:

Those who are stressed and experiencing emotional imbalance can try Kundalini yoga for personal growth. Anyone, from beginners to advanced, can do this yoga to improve flexibility and strength.

 Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar Yoga is an arrangement of Hatha Yoga developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. Although the method is simple, this yoga requires props like wall blocks, chair benches, etc.

 Method of practice:

In order to do this yoga properly, you have to perform the yoga posture and the breathing control exercise systematically while using props. Then, you have to hold the asana while focusing on Pranayama. This yoga requires patience and attention to detail.

 Benefits:

The most important benefit of this yoga style is that it helps with body posture and alignment. Injuries can be treated slowly by following the steps taken in Iyengar yoga. Also, it helps build concentration and focus.

 Suitable for:

This yoga style is suitable for beginners and advanced. Your yoga instructor will guide you with the perfect yoga routine based on your body type and requirements. Those with conditions such as back pain, arthritis, and concentration issues can try Iyengar yoga.

 Bikram yoga

Bikram yoga is a succession of 26 postures (asanas) and two breathing practices (Pranayama) done in a room heated to roughly 105°F (40°C) with a humidity of 40%. Bikram Chaudhary developed this yoga style.

 ethod of Practice:

This exercise can be difficult as it requires a sauna or heated room. There, a person will practice a series of 26 poses and two breathing exercises in identical order. This yoga session lasts 90 minutes.

 Benefits:

There are so many benefits of this yoga style. The first one is that true sweating removes toxins from your body and detoxifies it. Then, the heat will promote better body flexibility, allow weight loss, and improve body strength. Also, these yoga poses and heated room experiences together will improve your heart health and circulation.

 Suitable for:

This exercise is suitable for those who want to lose weight and detox their bodies from toxins. If you want more physical practice in your routine, you can try Bikram Yoga.

 Restorative yoga

If you are trying yoga just for relaxation, restorative yoga is the one for you. It involves using props to support the body in various poses, allowing for deep relaxation without physical effort. The main goal of this yoga is to promote relaxation.

 Method of Practice:

For this workout, you will first need a prop like a block, blanket, eye pillow, etc., to help your muscles relax. Then, you have to hold that position for 5 to 20 minutes while lying down or holding a relaxing position and maintaining a gentle breathing pace. Throughout the class, you have to follow only a few poses. This exercise is a method of relaxing your body and your mind. It’s also a method of meditation.

 Benefits:

The main purpose of day yoga is to promote relaxation and reduce stress. It helps in improving sleep by getting rid of insomnia and stress. It gives you the mental stability to balance your thoughts and emotions. Also, due to this relaxing yoga, your muscles will get a chance to relax and reduce stiffness.

 Suitable for:

This exercise is suitable for beginners to advanced everyone. Those who have stress and face issues with sleeping can definitely try this type of yoga. Also, for elderly people, it is gentle yoga that is easily adaptable.

 Anusara Yoga

Well, those who tried Anusara Yoga, meaning those who tried it, say that it is the same as Hatha Yoga. Well, actually, it is. Anusara Yoga is a current version of Hatha Yoga, founded by John Friend in 1997. Anusara defines “flowing with grace” or “following your heart,” reflecting its focus on finding harmony and connection within each pose and in life.

 Method of Practice:

This method of yoga focuses on physical alignment with a philosophical approach. It focuses on the inner and outer spiral, physical energy, and all these poses, followed by a heart-oriented philosophy. Poses are sequenced in a way that builds progressively, leading to a peak pose and then winding down. The main purpose of this yoga type is to open the heart and Jain and align with the body.

 Benefits:

Doing this yoga will definitely improve your strength and flexibility, and your body posture will improve as well. But it’s severely helpful in building emotional and spiritual growth if it promotes emotional healing that passively helps reduce stress.

 Suitable for:

Yoga is suitable for beginners and especially for those who want to better understand the body and spiritual alignment.

 Yin yoga

The roots of yin yoga come from traditional Chinese medicine and the Taoist concept of yin and yang. In the yin and yang symbol, the yin represents stillness, passive energy, and cooling aspects. That’s why yin yoga focuses on the physical benefits of gentle and sustained pressure.

 Method of Practice:

This yoga type involves holding a pose for 45 seconds to 2 minutes. Most of the poses are seated or lying down, as the processes are severely low intensity and require minimal muscular effort. This type of yoga targets connective tissues to promote flexibility and joint health. It allows gravity to do most of the work.

 Benefits:

This yoga is great for better joint and connective tissue health. Better joint health and issues will improve balance and joint health. In some places, as a part of Yin Yoga, people also practice meditation, so for stress relief and mental clarity, it’s a good choice of yoga.

 Suitable for:

Yin yoga is suitable for elderly people, old adults, athletes, etc. For them, stable and strong joint and tissue health is essential. Also, as it’s a slow-paced yoga, beginners and people who want to relieve stress can also try it.

Conclusion

In the end, it is easy to understand that all these yogas have their own style and benefits. But all of them are good for physical and emotional health. So, if you want to approach a beginner-friendly and simple activity to keep yourself busy and your mind engaged, then yoga is definitely a great idea. Also, if you have a lot of stress and physical weaknesses, then you should definitely consider yoga in your daily routine.

So, decide which one is your preferred yoga style and which is suitable for your emotional and physical well-being. If you are facing any confusion or have any queries, then you should definitely discuss it with the yoga teacher or instructor.