Yoga Styles Directory

Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic, physically demanding style that links breath with movement through a fixed sequence of postures. Each pose is held for five breaths before moving to the next, creating internal heat and promoting purification of the body and mind.

Bikram Yoga consists of a fixed sequence of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises performed over 90 minutes in a room heated to 95–104°F (35–40°C). The heat promotes muscle flexibility, deep stretching and profuse sweating to flush toxins.

Iyengar Yoga emphasizes meticulous anatomical alignment in each posture, using props such as blocks, blankets, straps and chairs to allow practitioners of all abilities to access poses safely. Postures are held for longer periods than in flow styles, building deep body awareness.

Jivamukti Yoga is a physically vigorous and spiritually-oriented style that integrates chanting, meditation, scripture reading and music with a challenging vinyasa practice. Each class follows a monthly focus theme drawn from yogic philosophy.

Kundalini Yoga combines dynamic breathwork (pranayama), repetitive movements (kriyas), mantra chanting, mudras and meditation to awaken and move energy through the body's chakra system. Classes are intense, rhythmic and often deeply transformative.

Yin Yoga targets the deep connective tissues — fascia, ligaments, tendons and joint capsules — through long, passive holds lasting 3–10 minutes per posture. It is the polar opposite of yang styles: quiet, still, introspective and profoundly restorative.

Power Yoga is a vigorous, fitness-oriented vinyasa style influenced by Ashtanga but without a fixed sequence. Classes are physically demanding, fast-paced and varied, making it highly accessible to gym-goers and athletes seeking both strength and flexibility.

Restorative Yoga uses props to fully support the body in passive postures held for 5–20 minutes, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and encouraging complete physical and mental release. It is medicine for the modern overstimulated body.

Viniyoga is a highly individualized approach that adapts postures, breath and practice duration to suit each student's unique constitution, age, health condition and life stage. It is fundamentally therapeutic and personal, rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach.

Suspension Yoga uses silk hammocks or swings to support the body in inversions, aerial postures and deep spinal decompression. It makes inversions accessible to all levels while adding a playful, circus-inspired dimension to yoga practice.

In modern studios, Hatha usually means a slower-paced, foundational postural practice with time to learn alignment, breathing, and transitions. Technically, many physical yoga styles fall under 'Hatha,' but a 'Hatha class' is the widely recognised accessible baseline for newcomers.

Vinyasa (often called 'flow') links breath with movement through sequences that typically change class to class. The pace is generally quicker than Hatha and feels like a moving meditation when well-taught. Vinyasa is the most widely offered class format in modern Western studios.

Sivananda is a classical, holistic approach taught through a consistent 'open class' structure that includes pranayama, Sun Salutations, a sequence of 12 foundational postures, and deep relaxation, alongside lifestyle and philosophical teachings rooted in the five points of yoga.

Kripalu emphasises self-inquiry and compassion, teaching a progression from form and alignment toward deeper internal awareness and 'meditation in motion.' Programming ranges from gentle to dynamic, but the inward attentional stance is the defining characteristic of the practice.

Anusara is a modern hatha system emphasising detailed alignment principles within a 'heart-centred' thematic teaching approach. Classes blend precise biomechanical cueing with philosophical reflection and a celebration of the innate goodness in every practitioner.

Ananda 'Yoga for Higher Awareness' is a hatha-based approach that works explicitly with subtle energy awareness and uses affirmations paired to postures to cultivate specific mental and emotional qualities. It is gentle, inwardly focused, and grounded in the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda.

Yoga Nidra ('yogic sleep') is a systematic guided relaxation and meditation practice typically done lying down, aiming for deep rest with maintained awareness. It is one of the most accessible and evidence-supported yoga practices for stress, sleep, and anxiety, requiring no physical ability whatsoever.

AcroYoga blends yoga, acrobatics, and partner-based balance with a strong emphasis on trust, spotting, and coordinated movement. It is practised in trios — base, flyer, and spotter — and ranges from therapeutic partner yoga to advanced dynamic acrobatics.

Integral Yoga is a gentle, whole-system approach blending postures with pranayama, deep relaxation, meditation, and often chanting, aiming to integrate yoga into daily life and ethics. It is community-centred and teaches yoga as a path toward peace — within the individual and in the world.