The New Year is the perfect time to pursuit a sport you haven’t tried before. As we believe that everyone could find a yoga style that perfectly matches their identity, we recommend you to devote some time to this popular body and mind training. Let us present you a guide to the world of yoga.
1 Hatha
The Sanskrit term “hatha” refers to any type of yoga that teaches physical postures. Hatha yoga classes are best for beginners since they usually consist of the most basic yoga postures that focus on breathing and exercises with a slower pace than other yoga styles. At the end of the class, you should feel looser and more relaxed.
2 Iyengar
Iyengar yoga was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar and concentrates on finding the proper alignment in a pose as well as detailed and precise movements. To help students perfect their form and go deeper into poses, yoga props are widely used during these classes, including blocks, straps, and bolsters. You won’t jump around in an Iyengar class, but you’ll definitely feel relaxed afterwards. This style is perfect for people with injuries who need to work slowly and methodically.
3 Ashtanga
Based on ancient yoga teachings, Ashtanga involves a physically demanding sequence of postures that are performed in the exact same order during every class. Just like in Vinyasa yoga, every movement is linked to a breath, which may seem easy to deliver first, but this yoga style is not for beginners.
4 Vinyasa
Adapted from Ashtanga yoga in the 1980s, Vinyasa classes include fluid movement flowing from one pose to another and coordinated with your breath. With music playing in the background, the teacher usually covers many different types of poses in different sequences, so one thing is for sure: you won’t be bored!
5 Bikram
Are you up for a sweaty yoga class in a sauna-like room set to 40 Celsius and 40 percent humidity? Then Bikram classes are for you. Named after Bikram Choudhury, it follows a set sequence of 26 basic postures with each one performed twice.
6 Restorative
Restorative yoga is all about body and mind relaxation. During the classes you’ll use bolsters, blankets, and blocks to help you sink deeper into relaxation. The postures are often modified to be easier for students, so that they can focus on the cleansing of their mind. It is said that, if done right, restorative yoga is more refreshing than a nap.
7 Anusara
Developed by American yogi John Friend in 1997, Anusara is a modern-day version of hatha yoga. Anusara seeks to help students let their inner goodness shine through with the help of a specific sequence of poses focused on the mind-body-heart connection. Don’t be surprised if the classes are stopped from time to time when the instructor strikes a new pose.
