Yoga: For Each One, The Right Style

There are almost as many styles of yoga as there are yoga teachers. PT lists a few popular styles and their features so you can find one that's suitable. Whatever you choose, find a good teacher who has undergone hundreds of hours of training.

Flow a.k.a Vinyasa

• Can be soft and slow, or a vigorous, strength-building cardio workout, depending on the teacher and the class.
• Probably the most popular style in a Western culture that values achievement over spirituality; this style developed into "power yoga."
• Recommended for "Type A" competitive folk who like sports or work in demanding, high-pressure jobs (harder classes), and low-stamina folk hoping to build strength and endurance.

Iyengar

• Slower, stretchy movement that emphasizes precise alignment of the body in each posture; employs lots of props and body inversions.
• Unforgiving of losing "correct" alignment.
• Recommended for those with back problems or people not interested in the spiritual component of the practice.

Kundalini

• Seeks to unlock the body's potential by focusing on chakras.
• The quest for spiritual and psychological growth is central; lots of meditation and chanting.
• Recommended for the open-minded (Kundalini strikes some as dogmatic and overtly religious) and the pregnant (it's low-impact).

Yin

• Focuses on opening the joints and interior tissues of the body.
• Seems like a softer style—until you try holding a camel pose for 20 minutes.
• Recommended for people who want to gain flexibility more than muscle or are "tight" mentally from working in a high-pressure environment.

Anusara

• One of the youngest and fastest-growing styles; it means "following your heart."
• Seems hippie-ish at first—each class begins with a chant in Sanskrit—but it's also powerfully athletic, with meditation.
• Recommended for those interested in trying meditation and relaxation techniques.