How to Determine What Style of Yoga is Best for You

When I first started yoga, I didn't give it much thought as to what yoga style was best for me. Through friends I heard about different types of yoga, including Bikram, which intrigued me. Having been born on a tropical island, like the Philippines, I'm used to and thrive in hot weather. And when I heard that Bikram is a style of yoga where the room temperature is set at 40.5 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit), my interest was piqued. Also, living in Toronto, where temperature in the winter can reach -10 to -15 degrees Celsius easily, hot yoga
would be a nice escape from the cold.

Soon after, I looked for the nearest hot yoga studio and to this day it's my preferred discipline. I'm lucky that I found a style that I like, however, hot yoga is not the only type of yoga that I practice. I have dabbled in several yoga disciplines including Sivananda (classic hatha), Restorative, Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Yin yoga.

If you're a beginner at yoga, you're probably wondering what style of yoga is best for you. Before you sign up for your first yoga class, you have to ask yourself why you want to practice in the first place. The answer will be very revealing and it'll give you an idea which yoga style is most suitable for you at this moment. Notice that I emphasized "at this moment". I found over the years that as I changed so did the yoga discipline. I started with Bikram, which I really enjoyed. Bikram yoga has strict guidelines that define the style such as the 26 asanas, 2 pranayama exercises and the room temperature at exactly 40.5 degrees Celsius - this combination makes Bikram a physically challenging practice, and at the time it satisfied my need to get physically fit. But as I continued to practice Bikram, I noticed that I received not only physical but also emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. This was when I got curious and started to experiment with other styles of yoga.

Aside from pinpointing your objectives for practicing yoga, you also need to factor in your current fitness level into the equation. For example, if you have an injury or have a medical condition, you may want to try a gentler practice such as Hatha or Therapeutic yoga. If you're an athlete, a yoga style that focuses on flexibility and stretching may be more suited for you such as Yin yoga.

To get you on the right path, I've put together some questions that you can ask yourself to determine your goals. In the past I've asked myself these same questions whenever I needed a change in my yoga practice.

1) Is my goal to increase my fitness level? Do I want to lose weight?

If you're already a fit person or want to be fit, and want a physically challenging practice, then select a style that is focused on strength, power or cardio. Some yoga styles to consider are Ashtanga (also known as Power Yoga), Bikram or hot yoga, Vinyasa, and AcroYoga (incorporates acrobatics).

2) Do I have an injury or medical condition? Am I out of shape?

If the answer is yes, then choose a style that is more gentle and is focused on proper body and posture alignment. Some yoga styles such as Iyengar, Restorative/Therapeutic and Yin emphasize correct postures that take into account each student's shape, size and condition. Often, yoga props such as blocks, straps and bolsters are used in order to achieve optimal alignment.

3) Am I curious about the meditative and spirituality aspects of yoga?

If the answer is yes, then there are yoga styles that focus on meditation, chanting and philosophy such as Sivananda, Kundalini, Jivamukti and Raja.

4) Perhaps you have a personal goal, which you want to achieve through yoga?

For example, someone who wants to achieve more compassion and love towards oneself and others may look to Anusara yoga as it integrates heart-centric postures in its methodology.

Here's an explanation of some of the more common yoga disciplines. Of course, you also have to consider what is available in your area. If you're in a small city, you may not have a lot of choice, but if you live in a big city like Toronto, there is plenty to choose from. Most yoga studios offer an introductory special, which I recommend you take advantage of. This will help you determine if that yoga style suits you, but also you'll find out which instructor you connect with. The yoga instructors may teach the same discipline, but each brings a unique energy to the class.

No matter what style of yoga you select there are common benefits such as improvement in balance, flexibility, quieting the mind and relieving stress. The most important benefit in my opinion, is that yoga allows you to go to a place in which I can only describe as bliss. It is a deep, quiet loving feeling and connection with something that is authentic and pure. I hope you'll find that place as well.

Helpful resources:

List of Yoga Studios in Canada
List of Yoga Studios in the US