.Power Yoga

In 1995, Bender Birch published her book on “Power Yoga”, based on the challenging and disciplined sequences of Astanga Yoga.  The practice aims at developing a strong energy flow and heat, which will promote strength and flexibility. This style of yoga is one of the most popular in the States and it is fast gaining in popularity in the UK.
Strengths:
- students know what to expect when going to a Power Yoga class.  The name says it all.  Be prepared to sweat!
- Not as structured as an Astanga Yoga class so more room for variations
-  good for building muscles and cardio-vascular fitness
Weaknesses:
-  Same as for Astanga Yoga- little focus on correct postural positioning – few counterposes

Bikram Yoga 'Hot Yoga'
Vigorous and athletic workout, developed by Bikram Choudhury, the "yogis to the Stars" in his Beverly Hills College in India which will make you sweat.  In a hot and steamy environment (temperature ranging between 85-100 degrees), students perform twice a simple series of 26 traditional Hatha yoga poses, always in the same order.  The sauna-like environment raises the students’ body temperature enabling them to stretch that much further, giving them more flexibility and cleansing the body from the inside out.   

.Strengths:
-  powerful workout designed to bring the body to maximum health and fitness
-  enhanced flexibility
- enables you to stay healthy from the inside
- focus on physical and breathing practices

Weaknesses:
-  high injury  factor as the heat enables you to stretch beyond your limits without you being aware of it.
- not very spiritual
- not a nurturing style

Iyengar Yoga

One of the best-known Yoga teachers and the founder of one of the most popular forms of yoga in the world.  BKS Iyengar is the first person to bring yoga to the west and his book “Light on Yoga” ranks as a classic.
Unlike other yoga styles, Iyengar Yoga students stay in each pose for longer and stop rather than flow between poses.  Props such as belts, blankets and wooden blocks are used in classes to help the less flexible have an idea of what a given pose should feel like. This type of yoga is renowned for its great attention to muscular and skeletal alignment.
In a class, teachers will often demonstrate a posture and move round to correct students’ alignment.  This is an excellent style to get you started and to avoid injury.  Many prefer this style of yoga to those where you are left to your own devices to try and emulate the teacher’s example.