The Main Types of Yoga: A Yogi Manual Part II.

Getting lost in the world of yoga is not that hard considering the fact that there are so many branches of this form of movement. We decided to curate all of the main types of yoga and write a manual to educate you on what you can expect from each branch!

Bikram Yoga: the Hot-Headed Sibling within the Main Types of Yoga

Get ready to sweat a lot. And when we say “a lot,” we mean: sweating even when you are lying down. Yes, Bikram became a big yoga trend in the last couple of years. Also known as hot yoga, the movements are the same as something you would find at a traditional or a bit more dynamic yoga class. There is a big difference, however! The fact that the room where the class is held is heated up with infra lamps to 40.6 degrees Celsius and the humidity is set at 40%. Which means that by the end of class, you’ll be wringing water out of your clothes. The aim of this main type of yoga is to be able to stay in the classroom without leaving, especially for the new ones.

Sivananda Yoga, the All-Encompassing Lifestyle Guide

This branch of yoga is based on an understanding that our spiritual growth and excellent health is achieved by a combination of things. These five elements are: good exercise, proper breathing, suitable relaxation and diet (vegetarian) and positive thinking. The exercise part of this equation is focused on twelve asanas (yoga poses) in particular. These are to be carried out in a slow, relaxed manner to help students achieve the proper postures. It helps you stretch and bend all parts of your body. Thus, it is a pretty good way to keep yourself fit and healthy – especially if you live with the five rules in mind!

Vinyasa Yoga: It’s All About the Flow, Baby!

You might often come across this type of class, but with a different name, like Yoga Flow or just simply: Flow. The emphasis here is on the connection of the flow of movement between the different yoga poses and the breathing. It is quite an energetic type of yoga, with a lot of rapid movement and muscle assertion. It can safely be said that this is the most vigorous type of yoga! Each class depends on how the teacher made up his or her choreography. And, since there is no set number of postures, classes may differ a lot. You don’t have to be a YogaYogi to practise this type of class, but keep in mind that you’ll have to pay attention due to the rhythm of it!

Power Yoga, Where Dynamics is Everything

Well, it’s kind of in the name, isn’t it? It is one of the most dynamic of all the main types of yoga. This school is quite similar to vinyasa and one we already talked about: ashtanga yoga. (LINK TO PREVIOUS PART) The American-born style was created to bring the aforementioned classes to the Western world. Instead of having a very set series of poses, they favor a kind of liberty where the yoga instructor can decide on the progression of movements. The only requisite is that the class should be dynamic and vigorous. The rest, however, is up to the teacher, and this is why most classes vary. You will never get the same kind of teaching from two different yogis.

Prenatal Yoga, For the Sporty Babies!

This is the type of yoga that you’ll find in most of the best yoga studios in Budapest. Increasingly, prenatal yoga has become a favored way for pregnant ladies to keep active even close to term. It is said to have a wonderful effect on future mothers. Here, they can practice proper breathing, focus on pelvic work and in general, connect with their babies. Prenatal yoga is said to facilitate giving birth when the time comes, because by then, the ladies are so conscious about how to breathe and move that they can survive labor and delivery like champs!

We hope you liked our two-part manual to yoga styles. If you are interested in our experiences in some of these types, check out our stories!

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