10 Types of Yoga: Which Style is Right for You?
A beginner’s guide to the most popular styles of yoga.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I tried yoga once, but it’s not for me?” Or maybe you’ve had that thought after taking a class that you weren’t really into. The beautiful thing about this practice is that there are several different types of yoga and they all have different styles, meaning there’s something for everyone. Whether you enjoy fast-paced, cardio-heavy workouts that challenge you or you enjoy slow-paced, mindful movement, read on to learn about the different styles of yoga and find the best type to match your energy.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is a broad category that covers the physical aspect of yoga. Yoga, which has eight limbs, is often only associated with physical poses even though there’s so much more to it (Read More: A Full Guide to the Eight Limbs of Yoga). When most people think of yoga, they’re thinking of Hatha yoga.
Hatha yoga involves traditional poses, slow-paced stretches, and breathwork to balance your body and mind. If you see a Hatha yoga class, you can expect to find a more classic style of practice.
Try Hatha yoga if:
You’re new to yoga
You enjoy slower-paced movement
You’re building up strength or recovering from injury (and are cleared to practice yoga by your doctor)
You enjoy spending time in each stretch
A few of our favorite online Hatha
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
1,2,3 Hatha
with Claudine Lafond
Strength and Stretch
with Calvin Corzine
Morning Flexibility Flow
with Eleonora Zampatti
2. Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa means “to place in a special way,” which speaks to the flowing and creative nature of this style of yoga. Vinyasa yoga links breath to movement, often making it a faster-paced style. However, there is plenty of room in each pose to hold and feel the stretch. In addition to incorporating traditional poses, you might also find more modern poses and variations, such as Wild Thing and Fallen Angel.
Try Vinyasa yoga if:
You have a background in dance or creative expression
You enjoy faster-paced movement
You get easily distracted — the breathwork helps tremendously here
You’re interested in peak pose sequencing, or gradually opening up to a challenge pose
A few of our favorite online Vinyasa
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Vinyasa 360: Mandala Flow
with Ashley Galvin
Aligned Yoga Vinyasa
with Briohny Smyth
Be Water Vinyasa
with Andrew Sealy
3. Power Yoga
When it comes to the difference between Power yoga and Vinyasa yoga, it’s mostly down to intention. Both styles can be fast-paced, but Vinyasa is more focused on the breath and Power yoga is more focused on the body. It’s all about tapping into tapas, or building that inner heat through vigorous flow and fast-paced movement. In Power yoga, you might find pose variations that involve a fitness element, like Side Plank variations or Boat Pose variations. Under this umbrella of Power yoga includes fitness-focused styles like Yoga Sculpt with weights and Yoga HIIT.
Try Power yoga if:
You're looking for a great workout and you want to sweat
You like a straightforward style with a focus on the physical
You want to be challenged in your strength, balance, and flexibility
A few of our favorite online Power
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Power Yoga Flow
with Jonah Kest
Power Vinyasa: Beginner Strength
with Briohny Smyth
Power Hour
with Ashley Galvin
4. Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is an athletic form of Hatha yoga popularized by Sri K. Pattabi Jois of Mysore, India. This traditional style involves a set sequence of postures that includes Sun Salutations, standing poses, floor poses, and inversions. Ashtanga is broken down into six series, and one series must be completed (you’re able to comfortably do each pose) before you’re able to move onto the next. If you’re someone who is ambitious and competitive with yourself, you might be drawn to the Ashtanga style. It’s easy to measure your progress when you complete the same poses each time, and you’re able to drop into a flow state easier when you know what’s coming next.
Try Ashtanga yoga if:
If you are a competitive person who loves a personal challenge
You are athletic and interested in building endurance and flexibility
You’re interested in set poses rather than a new, flowing sequence every time
A few of our favorite online Ashtanga
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Ashtanga Half Primary
with Laruga Glaser
Ashtanga Full Primary
with Laruga Glaser
Introduction to Ashtanga lecture
with Laruga Glaser
5. Yin Yoga
Slow your roll with Yin yoga, a style that is characterized by long, passive holds and mostly floor-based poses. While Yin is not a set sequence, it does rotate through a specific collection of poses designed to target the deep connective tissue of your body. While it seems like it would be an easy practice, it’s not necessarily just for beginners. Oftentimes the challenge of holding a pose and quieting your mind in stillness for 3-5 minutes at a time can be one of the hardest things you ever do on the mat. It’s also a cozy practice with yoga props like blankets and blocks being an essential part of the experience.
Try Yin yoga if:
You are looking for a chill style of yoga to help you unwind
You need help quieting your mind and releasing stress
You are an active person seeking balance and release
A few of our favorite online Yin
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Yin: Hips & Hamstrings
with Ashley Galvin
Yin Sound Bath: Heart
with Phyllicia Bonanno
Yin for Flexibility
with Josh Kramer
6. Restorative Yoga
At first glance, Restorative yoga might seem similar to Yin yoga. But there is a difference between restorative and yin. Just like Power and Vinyasa, it all comes down to intention. Yin yoga works more subtle tissues and can often be intense, while Restorative yoga is designed to give you complete relaxation and recovery. You might amp up the comfort level in a Restorative class with extra props to promote healing.
Try Restorative yoga if:
You’re seeking deep relaxation and healing
You want to prepare for deep, restful sleep
You want to ease into movement in a more gentle way
A few of our favorite online Restorative yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Restorative Hip Stretch
with Naya Rappaport
Unwind Lucid Spine: Restorative Yoga
with Andrew Sealy
Sacred Body
with Talia Sutra
7. Kundalini Yoga
If you’re all about energy work and the spiritual aspect of yoga, you’ll love the Kundalini style that involves movement, breath, mudra (hand positions), chanting, and sound. It is said that we all have coiled energy at the base of our spine, and through the Kundalini yoga practice, we awaken and release that energy through our seven chakra centers and out through the crown of our head.
Try Kundalini yoga if:
You’re interested in the energetic aspects of the yoga practice
You want to connect to your intuition
You want to tap into feelings of peace and tranquility
A few of our favorite online Kundalini
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Tune In: Mantra Meditation
with Susy Markoe Schieffelin
Uplift Your Energy
with Susy Markoe Schieffelin
Life Is a Flow
with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
8. Classic 26
Stemming from the Bishnu Ghosh tradition, the Classic 26 poses are part of a set sequence meant to be practiced in a certain order. Just like Ashtanga, these poses are intentionally sequenced with breathwork, standing poses, balances, folds, backbends, and twists. What makes this style different is that it emphasizes stillness in between periods of activity, introducing Savasana multiple times throughout practice before it is even over. This underscores the importance of effort and ease, tension and release. Much like a HIIT class, weaving between activity and rest can give you an amazing cardio boost.
Try Classic 26 if:
You thrive off consistency and would enjoy a set sequence
You’re craving a sweaty, athletic practice that gets your heart rate up.
You want to build strength, stability, and flexibility.
Try our Classic 26 yoga class on Alo Moves.
9. Prenatal Yoga
If you’re pregnant and looking for a low-impact way to strengthen, stretch, and prepare your body for birth, look no further than Prenatal yoga. While most yoga styles can be modified for pregnancy, a Prenatal yoga class is specifically geared toward expecting folks with a slower pace, frequent modifications, and tailored sequences and poses depending on your trimester.
A few of our favorite online
Prenatal yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Prenatal Yoga: Feel Your Power
with Claudine Lafond
Yoga Flow for Energy: 2nd Trimester
with Caley Alyssa
Starting Your Journey
with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa and Wah Khalsa
10. Kids Yoga
Yoga is for everyone, and we stand by that! Case in point: Kids yoga. You can have yoga fun with the whole family with short sequences designed for kids to help activate their imagination, get them moving, and help them tap into their feelings in an engaging way. Oftentimes, traditional yoga pose names are swapped out for animal- and nature-inspired names to reinforce that connection to the natural world. And when you practice with them, it’s a fun way for everyone to get in a bit of movement.
A few of our favorite online Kids
yoga classes on Alo Moves:
Tree Power
with Calvin Corzine
Fast Slow High Low
with De’Andre Sinette
Animal Yoga
with Koya Webb
Try all these classes and more for two weeks FREE with a trial to Alo Moves.
