So you want to take a yoga class, but aren’t sure which yoga type to choose? As soon as you scratch the surface of yoga philosophy, descisions abound. Should I go with a classic I’ve heard so much about like hatha yoga? Or maybe I should try something more challenging like that Bikram Yoga that’s all the rage right now…
While this brief classification will not replace true research into what the various types of yoga have to offer, it’s a good place to start in your attempt to find the type of yoga class that you’re likely to get the most out of.
Read through the personality descriptions and decide which ones sound the most like you. For most people, there will be more than one yoga type that seems to match. For tie breaking, start with the yoga type that you feel the stronger affinity toward. You can always come back to another yoga style later on.
For information on more obscure yoga styles, please refer to the yoga glossary.
Self Motivated
Just teach me some moves and I’ll take it from there, thank you.
Detail-Oriented
The more attention paid to detail, the more precise the instruction, the better.
Traditionalist
I’m really only interested in yoga styles that were developed by Indian gurus.
Fitness Buff
I feel most alive when a challenging activity gets my heart pumping.
Type A
I’d like to know what I can expect from x-amount of yoga practice, as well as what I can expect from the experience in general.
Physically Flexible
I’m really already quite flexible. I’d like to challenge my flexibility with a suiting yoga style.
Mellow
Yoga is about stretching calmly and taking things slow, right?
Spiritual
I enjoy eclectic perspectives and experiences. Prefer variation over rigid instruction.
I am interested in delving deeper into the philosphical and spiritual aspects of yoga.
Singer
I live for sound! Which yoga style incorporates sound?
For information on more obscure yoga styles, please refer to the yoga glossary.
