Overview of Hatha Yoga Styles

There are many styles of Hatha Yoga to choose from.  A Hatha yoga class will always be quite gentle and slow-paced with breathing exercises but will not follow a certain set of postures.  If you are looking for a relaxing practice this yoga can work for you.

In a Hatha yoga class you may expect to get a blend of different styles.  Hatha yoga is also sometimes referred as Classical Indian yoga.

Strengths:
- gentle class good for de-stressing at the end of the day
- depends very much on who is teaching the class
- you should expect a balanced, moderately intense class
- usually include breathwork together with posturework

Weaknesses:
-  you may want to check teacher’s experience and qualifications
-  you may want to find beforehand about level of the class as they can be widely different.
-  often lack of proper postural awareness

What are the Most Challenging Styles of Yoga ?
Any style of yoga can be physically challenging.  In some classes, you may be asked to hold a posture for a long time, in others the postures will flow smoothly into each other without stopping.  It all depends on how the teacher conducts the class and on the level of the class (beginner, intermediate or advanced).  Astanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga and Jivamukti Yoga are generally very strenuous.  Astanga Yoga and Bikram Yoga follow a set series of sequences so you know what to expect.  Vinyasa, dynamic and power-style yoga give you a strong workout – though not as strong as Astanga yoga - but there are no set sequences.

Vinyasa refers to a graceful flowing series of postures synchronised with the breath for an intense body-mind practice. Vinyasa-style yoga borrows elements from other schools of yoga, in particular from Astanga and Iyengar and will very much depend on the teacher's creativity.  A typical vinyasa class will start with sun salutations to warm up the body and to prepare for more intense stretches.  Vinyasa creates heat- tapas - which allows the body to open and become more flexible. Tapas burn off fat, get rid off toxins and get endorphins moving, making for an exciting, and slightly intoxicating practice!   

Astanga Yoga

Strengths:

-  flowing practice which can become meditation in movement
-  energizes the body
-  develops strength, stamina, coordination and balance and focus
-  makes you very fit and very toned up (good cardio-vascular exercise).
-  improves circulation
-  good for detoxing
-  gives you a light and strong body
-  all students breathe together using victorious breath (ujyai breathing)
-  strong use of bandhas (locks ) especially mula bandha and uddiyana bandha and drishtis (focus points)
-  good for developing a home practice

Weaknesses:
-  tends to encourage competitiveness, very goal-oriented
-  rigid sequences
-  no time for adjustments
-  fast-paced practice with high risk injury factor (especially wrists and knees)
-  promotes strength particularly in the upper body but not flexibility as some other styles do (no strong backbends in the first series!)
-  little meditation
-  few instructions
-  little concern for alignment
-  highly regimented classes, everybody does exactly the same thing at the same time
-  little room for modifications or for catering to individual needs
In Mysore-style Astanga Vinyasa Yoga, the classes are not teacher-led, the student practices at his/her own pace under the supervision of a teacher who gradually introduces him/her to new poses.  This form of yoga requires dedication as the student is supposed to know the sequences by heart and the classes are often held in the early hours of the morning (starts at 6.30am!).  Students are given individual attention in the Mysore Style form of Astanga Yoga.
NB:  Astanga Yoga is sometimes referred to as Astanga Vinyasa Yoga not to be confused with Vinyasa Yoga which does not follow a given set of poses.