Yoga

There are so many kinds of yoga practices you can try.  Some may be more physically demanding and some may be easy, relaxing and more like a meditation class.

Each style is a little different from one another and sometimes the variations are due to the teachers adjustments in the delivery of the class.  It is best to try a few different types of yoga and teachers before settling on your favourite style.

Yoga lineage isn’t as relevant today as it once was but traditional yoga styles are still the foundation of modern yoga. Here we will briefly explain some of the yoga styles practiced today so you can be a little more familiar with what style of yoga you are practicing when you are trying out a class.

Vinyasa Yoga

This is considered the most athletic yoga style like ashtanga. In vinyasa classes movement is co-ordinated to coincide with your breath and each pose flows from one to another. These can vary depending on your teacher and therefore you may find that there are many types of poses practised in different sequences from one class to the next.  What is certain is that in this class there is no break between breaths. Instead, "you're just energetically moving from one pose to the next,"  As you inhale you are lifting yourself and opening up your movement and as you exhale you twist yourself into the movement a little further.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is about balancing the body and mind and refers to all other yoga styles like ashtanga, Iyengar and Vinyasa which are more focused on physical yoga poses. Physical based yoga is by far the most popular. These yoga classes are best for beginners as they are often conducted at a slow pace.  Modern Hatha classes are great for combining and balancing breathing techniques and exercise.  

Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar yoga focuses on pose alignment as well as precise movement while controlling the breath. In Iyengar yoga postures are held for a long time.  This style uses props to help students perfect their form as you strive to go deeper into the poses safety and effectively. You will definitely feel like you had a work out during a Iyengar Yoga class. This style is ideal for anyone who has suffered an injury and needs to work out slowly but carefully to regain their fitness.  

Kundalini Yoga

This yoga is a spiritual and physical yoga practice. It focuses on releasing the kundalini energy in your body that is said to be trapped in the lower spine. The classes focus on core breathing exercises and fast moving energizing poses. This class can involve mantras, meditations and chanting and can be quiet intense but well worth the effort.  

Ashtanga Yoga

Vinyasa yoga stems from Ashtanga yoga and is a flowing style of yoga linking breath and movement.  It involves a range of physically challenging movements and is not considered a style for beginners. It starts with five sun salutation A’s and five sun salutation B’s before moving into a variety of standing and floor postures. 

Bikram (Hot) Yoga

This yoga style features a range of yoga poses all conducted in a sauna like climate in a yoga room. Typically the temperature will be set around 40 degrees Celsius with the humidity at 40%. In Hot yoga there are 26 basic poses with each performed twice in a class. Many studio’s are now called Hot Yoga in an attempt to disassociate from the Bikram Choudhury (founder) who faced sexual assault and harassment charges in 2017.

Yin Yoga

This is a slow paced yoga which generally practices seated poses that are held for around 45 seconds to a minute. This yoga uses the forces of gravity to help you do most of the work. Yin yoga can also use meditative yoga techniques that help relax and balance the mind. This is great for beginners and elderly people. 

Restorative Yoga

The focus with this style of yoga is relaxation. It helps relax, cleanse and unwind the mind and body.  This style is great for those wanting to relax and forget about the difficulties and stresses of the day. The class focuses on few poses and they can be modified to your skill level. Props can also be used here such as pillows and bolsters.  

Prenatal Yoga

This yoga is tailored for pregnant women in all trimesters and can be one of the best exercises for mums to be. Movement focus on pelvic floor, breathing and bonding with baby. You can use props in this class to help modify your pose and help with your stability.  

Anusara Yoga

This is a modern version of hatha yoga and is very similar to vinyasa yoga. It focuses on alignment and the heart, mind and body connection. Anusara focuses on spiral movements to open up the heart chakra.