Pick Your Yoga Style For Optimum Results
Practicing the style of yoga that best fits your needs in the moment is a key component to reaping the most benefits from it. What you need could change day-to-day, even hour to hour, or could be steady throughout a lifetime. Listening to your body, mind and spirit for guidance will help you decide what will serve you best. This article is meant to help you understand some the different styles of yoga so you can incorporate them into your home practice or know which class to pick when going to a studio. There are many more styles than can be listed here.
What are your goals?
Before you can know the best practice for you, consider what you goals are and what is your current skill level. A few common reasons people practice yoga are:
Improve flexibility
Improve balance
Emotional Regulation:
Relaxation and stress relief
Improve overall wellbeing
Improve self-understanding and spiritual growth (More on that here)
The Styles
1. For Beginners and General Well-being: Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga, in its broadest sense, refers to any form of yoga that incorporates physical postures and conscious breathwork. While the term traditionally encompasses a wide range of practices, in Western contexts, Hatha has evolved into a distinct style of yoga. When you come across a class labeled as Hatha, you can generally expect a balanced sequence that weaves together both standing and seated postures. Practitioners move mindfully from one pose to the next, pausing to hold each posture for several breaths, allowing time to deepen awareness and alignment. Because of its measured pace and focus on foundational principles, Hatha yoga is especially well-suited for those new to yoga, people who are looking for overall well-being and seeking a balance of flexibility, strength and mindfulness.
2. To De-stress: Restortative or Yin Yoga
Restorative yoga and Yin yoga are both gentle, meditative practices rooted in stillness and introspection, typically practiced seated or laying on the floor. While they share a calming, unhurried pace and offer a sanctuary for rest and renewal, each style serves a distinct purpose. The primary intention of Yin yoga is to enhance flexibility and mobility, inviting gentle stress to tissues for greater suppleness.
Restorative yoga, in contrast, is devoted to profound relaxation of both body and mind. The use of props is even more generous. The goal is not to stretch deeply, but to create an environment where tension can melt away and the nervous system can recalibrate. Each posture is held for an extended period—often ten minutes or longer—allowing a deep sense of ease and restoration to unfold.
Both practices invite you to slow down, turn inward, and experience the quiet power of stillness, so they are perfect when you are looking for more relaxation, rest and interospection.
3. To Sweat and Stretch: Heated or Bikram Yoga
Practices like Bikram and hot yoga are set in heated studios and are known for their intensity and physical challenge. Bikram yoga, developed by Bikram Choudhury, follows a strict format: a 90-minute class in a room heated to 104°F (40°C), featuring a sequence of 26 specific postures and two breathing exercises performed in the same order every session.
Hot yoga, by contrast, is more flexible in its approach. While it also takes place in a heated environment, the class structure, sequences, and intensity can vary widely depending on the teacher and studio.
The warmth of these practices helps muscles relax and lengthen, allowing for deeper stretching than might be possible in a cooler room. However, the high heat leads to significant sweating, making hydration especially important. Because the combination of heat and exertion can be taxing, hot yoga is generally recommended for those in good health and with some prior yoga experience
4. For Balance and Stability: Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga, founded by B.K.S. Iyengar, is designed to be inclusive and adaptable, making it suitable for practitioners of all ages and abilities. This method emphasizes a deliberate, steady pace, with both standing and seated postures held for extended periods to build strength and stability.
A defining feature of Iyengar yoga is its innovative use of props—such as blocks, straps, and chairs—which support practitioners in achieving each pose with safe and precise alignment. These tools make the practice accessible, allowing individuals to experience the benefits of yoga regardless of flexibility, strength, or physical limitations.
5. To Focus and Move: Flow or Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga, often referred to as "flow," is a dynamic and energizing practice that weaves movement and breath into a seamless, moving meditation. In a Vinyasa class, you transition smoothly from one posture to the next, guided by the rhythm of your breath. Sequences are often repeated, creating a sense of continuity and flow, while each pose is held only briefly before moving on. This style emphasizes fluidity, presence, and breath-based movement, offering an invigorating experience that keeps both body and mind engaged. Due to it’s fast-paced, dynamic nature it is not advised for beginners or people with injuries or other significant limitations.
6. For Routine and Discipline: Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic and structured practice composed of six progressive series, each with a set sequence of postures that must be mastered before advancing to the next level. While the system ranges from beginner to advanced, even the primary series—the entry point—offers a rigorous challenge, taking about 90 minutes to complete and incorporating postures such as backbends and headstands. As with other forms of yoga, maintaining steady breath and focused attention is essential as you move through the sequence.
This style is well-suited for those who appreciate a physically demanding class and the discipline of repeating the same sequence each session. Ashtanga’s intensity can be adapted to individual abilities, but it’s important to familiarize yourself with the practice and seek guidance from a knowledgeable instructor before beginning, ensuring a safe and supportive introduction to its demanding nature.
7. To Heal and Adapt: Therapeutic Yoga
Therapeutic yoga is not a distinct style, but rather a personalized approach that draws from various yoga traditions to meet the unique needs of each individual. This practice is especially beneficial for those recovering from physical or emotional trauma, managing significant injuries or illnesses, or belonging to special populations such as prenatal clients or older adults. Typically, therapeutic yoga is offered in a one-on-one setting with a certified yoga therapist who has undergone rigorous training and certification, equipping them to offer clear, detailed guidance and hands-on support.
While group therapeutic yoga classes are less common in traditional yoga studios, they are increasingly available through nonprofits, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations. Learn more about therapeutic yoga read this article.
Now that you know about how to find the right style for you, check out this article on how to find the right teacher you.
You can also take an online quiz to get a sense of your ideal yoga style.