Start Making Choices: Yoga Decoder

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Simple ideas for living healthier on a budget.

Iyengar, Vinyasa, Kundalini...huh? Find the yoga class or style that fits you best.

Ashtanga

What it is: Classes go through a sequence of as few as 25 poses (also called asanas) that include back bends, inversions (think headstands and handstands), balances, and twists.
Degree of difficulty: Expect an invigorating work-out. This style builds strength, stamina, and flexibility.
Keep in mind: Most classes follow the same prescribed order of poses.

Bikram (a.k.a. Hot Yoga)

What it is: Classes are held in a room heated to about 105 degrees, which helps loosen muscles and joints. The 26-pose series is designed to stretch and strengthen your muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Degree of difficulty: Classes are demanding, since you cycle through the series twice.
Keep in mind: Be prepared to sweat. Bring a bottle of water and a towel to class. Afterward, continue to drink water to help replenish electrolytes. If you are pregnant or have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before taking a class.

Hatha

What it is: A slower-paced class that includes simple breathing and meditation exercises.
Degree of difficulty: Hatha classes are typically mellow, with an emphasis on balancing strength and flexibility.
Keep in mind: This is a good place to learn basic asanas, relaxation techniques, and the ways to move from pose to pose.

Iyengar

What it is: The emphasis is on sustaining precise poses. Students use props, such as straps, blankets, wooden blocks, and chairs, to help them attain the ideal positions.
Degree of difficulty: Classes are intense but not as grueling as, say, Ashtanga. You hold the poses for 30 seconds to two minutes (longer than in many other yoga classes).
Keep in mind: Iyengar teachers go through a multiyear training program (compared with as little as a few months for many other styles).

Kundalini

What it is: A typical class starts with a series of breathing exercises and chants, then segues into practicing poses. The classes are designed to release a form of energy (called Kundalini) that is believed by practitioners to be stored at the base of the spine.
Degree of difficulty: It's less athletic than some styles, but the poses are performed in tandem with specific breathing patterns, which can be tricky to master.
Keep in mind: Practitioners believe that by releasing Kundalini energy, you will awaken intuition and gain mental clarity over time.

Vinyasa (a.k.a. Flow Yoga)

What it is: Vinyasa uses breathing as an integral part of movement and is close to Ashtanga in style—except that the instructor selects the poses and pace.
Degree of difficulty: The difficulty depends on the sequences chosen by the teacher.
Keep in mind: Vinyasa classes may feel westernized. Some teachers play pop music and use the colloquial names for asanas rather than the Sanskrit ones.