WHAT KIND OF YOGA IS RIGHT FOR ME?

You'd like to try a yoga class. You've heard how stretching, meditation and breathing techniques can combat stress, improve sleep, relieve back pain, and soothe tight, overworked muscles. But with so many different classes available you don't know where to start. You'd like to know, "What Kind of Yoga Is Right for Me?"

The practice of yoga originated in India , about 6,000 years ago. The word "yoga" is generally translated to mean "union." At its essence, yoga is a system of self-improvement comprised of several interlocking elements, each intended to bring harmony (or union) to the body, mind and spirit. Hatha Yoga, the physical element, is most commonly practiced in the United States .  Other elements include Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion; Karma Yoga, the path of service; and Mantra Yoga, the path of sound vibration.

While all physically oriented yoga can be defined as Hatha, not all Hatha Yoga classes are the same. Especially since it was imported to the United States in the 1800s, Hatha has grown many distinct branches. While all styles of yoga originate from the same postures, there is a vast spectrum of possibilities for what you might encounter in a particular class. Some focus on alignment, while others devote their time primarily to breathwork. Some classes are designed to challenge your strength and endurance while others seek to calm and relax you.

What follows is a primer on the styles of yoga most popular today. Even if you know exactly which style is best for you, it is important to bear in mind that every yoga teacher, and thus every yoga class (even Bikram!) is different. It might take a few tries before you find a teacher who is right for you. I recommend you choose a yoga teacher who has been certified by a Yoga Alliance-approved training program, and who maintains his or her certification by taking additional training courses each year.

Anusara Yoga is one of the newer styles, developed by John Friend in 1997. It is known for pairing good sense with a playful spirit. While teachers follow a strict training course, creative freedom and individuality are encouraged. The postures can be challenging.  Overall, the message Anusara aims to impart is to open your heart and connect with the divine in yourself and others.

Ashtanga Yoga - Developed by various teachers in India but made popular by Pattahbi Jois, Ashtanga is an athletic practice that aims to build heat in the body to cleanse it of toxins (and thus make you sweat). There are six different Ashtanga series; all focus on combining breath with movement. The Primary Series is most commonly taught. It begins with 10 Sun Salutations, and moves into a strenuous but flowing sequence of postures. The routine is the same in every class. Once you get the hang of it, you can try a Mysore style class (named for the city in India where Jois is based), where students move through the series at their own pace, without instruction.

Bikram Yoga - Developed by Bikram Choudhury, this is the only copyrighted yoga class. The 26-posture sequence is meant to be exactly the same, no matter who teaches it (Bikram personally trains and certifies each of his instructors). Each posture is performed twice. The room is heated to a minimum of 105 degrees, so expect to sweat through the intense 90-minute series, designed to increase your cardiovascular workout and cleanse your body of toxins. There are no inverted poses such as shoulderstand, and no meditation or chanting.

Hot Yoga - An umbrella term for any type of yoga performed in a heated room, anywhere from 80 degrees up. Usually a Vinyasa style class (or a variation on Bikram), intended to build strength and cardiovascular health. The heat will make your muscles more flexible, but take care not to overstretch and injure yourself.

Iyengar Yoga - Developed by BKS Iyengar, this style focuses on correct alignment. Typically, you will spend much more time in an Iyengar class determining - for example - at exactly what angle your feet should be placed in a given posture. Props such as blocks, chairs, cloth straps, and folded blankets - to help modify postures to fit your body - are common. If you are a detail-oriented person, you will love Iyengar yoga.

Kripalu Yoga - Based on the teachings of Swami Kripalvananda, and fine-tuned by Amrit Desai and the teaching staff at the Kripalu Center , this is a compassionate form of yoga that teaches you to be more mindful. Classes flow through warm-ups, traditional postures, breathing and meditation, and focus on doing what feels right in your body in a given moment. The postures may be gentle or quite challenging, but will always address the fundamentals of proper alignment, the coordination of movement and breath, and simply being present.

Kundalini Yoga - Brought to the west in 1968 by Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini is guided by the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization). Most teachers dress in white and wear a turban; many of them are Sikhs. This style combines chants and breathing exercises with repetitive movements, along with traditional yoga postures. Each class aims to awaken your kundalini (spiritual energy) and bring "emotional balance, mental clarity, stress relief, and personal transformation."

Pilates - Although similar in some ways, Pilates is NOT yoga. Originally developed by Joseph H. Pilates, and adopted by professional dancers as a way to strengthen their core (back and abdominal) muscles, Pilates focuses on improving flexibility and strength in the body, with an emphasis on reducing back pain and injury. One of the chief features is that it lengthens, tones and strengthens muscles without adding bulk.

Power Yoga - see "Vinyasa"

Pre-Natal Yoga - A very gentle yoga class, and an ideal way for women to prepare for labor, birth, and mothering. The focus is on stretching, strengthening and relaxing the body while quieting the mind. Learning how to breathe deeply and relax around "sensation" helps to prepare students for the rigors of labor.  These classes can also help reduce the effects of morning sickness, insomnia, fatigue, and water retention. They are generally suitable for women in any stage of pregnancy, with doctor's permission.

Restorative Yoga - This style is sometimes called "Guided Napping." Bolster pillows, folded blankets, foam blocks and cloth straps are employed in modified postures to encourage the muscles to passively relax. In a restorative class, poses are held for a long time (5-10 minutes is not uncommon), but the body is supported in such as way that the practice feels effortless. A long, guided relaxation, and sometimes breathing exercises and meditation, are included. The results: deep stretches, stress reduction, healing, and profound relaxation.

Vinyasa Yoga- Vinyasa is an active, challenging style, where one posture flows into the next. Most Vinyasa teachers are former Ashtangis who wanted to break away from the standardized Ashtanga sequence. Expect lots of sun salutation and chaturanga (the yoga push-up). Believe it or not, downward-facing dog is employed as a resting pose!

Viniyoga - Commonly used as a therapeutic practice for those who have suffered injuries or are recovering from surgery, this gentle, subtle yoga developed by T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar, emphasizes the breath. Viniyoga classes are often small, or even taught one-on-one, where the teachers can address the student's specific needs. The aim is to restore balance to breath, body and mind.