Asthtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is an athletic and challenging style of yoga that follows a set sequence. This type of yoga was taught and popularized in the mid 1900s by Indian yoga guru, K. Pattabhi Jois.
It’s actually a form of Vinyasa yoga, with ‘Vinyasa’ referring to the flowing movement of linking one pose to another.
Ashtanga follows the same six series of specific asanas that flow into each other accompanied by synchronized breath–work.
It’s a physically demanding technique that has been said to improve the body’s endurance and flexibility.
It also potentially has mindfulness benefits due to the need to be present while moving through the challenging sequences.
Ashtanga is often confused with power yoga, which is similarly athletic but does not follow a set pattern. Teachers often like to design their own vinyasa flow routines in order to increase the challenge and give advanced students a more demanding practice.

Bikram Yoga (Hot Yoga)

Bikram yoga was founded by Indian-born American yoga guru Bikram Choudhury who emigrated to America in 1971 and gained worldwide popularity in the 1990s with a number of celebrity advocates.
This type of yoga consists of a set 26-posture series and two breathing exercises performed in a room heated to 104℉ (40℃) in 40% humidity, to help recreate the Indian climate Choudhury knew.
Hot yoga classes, while probably inspired by Bikram yoga, may not follow the set sequence of poses of Bikram.
The heat is said to help participants increase their flexibility, detoxify through sweating and make their cardiovascular system work harder to keep them cool.

Iyengar Yoga

Founded by B.K.S Iyengar in India in the 1970s, this type of yoga focuses on the precision and alignment of the postures.
Participants may use a number of props including yoga blocks, bands, blankets and cushions to help their body achieve the correct postural alignment.
Though a slower style of yoga than both Ashtanga or Bikram, it takes immense concentration to achieve the correct alignment of each posture as well as an ability to hold the asanas for longer periods of time.
This style of yoga can benefit those recovering from injury or who find themselves very inflexible, as the props aid in achieving the desired postures without over–stretching.

Kundalini Yoga

Thought to date back to around 1000 BC, Kundalini yoga was first brought to the US by Yogi Bhajan in the 1970s, though its exact origins are unknown.
It combines movement, breath and sound in the form of chanting or song.
Kundalini is designed to activate your spiritual energy known as shakti, located at the base of the spine.
A typical class begins with an opening chant followed by a series of postures with breathing techniques before closing with meditation or song.
The idea is that through the practice of Kundalini yoga we can send energy upwards from the base of our spine and out the top of our head, stimulating our chakras (energy centers) on the way to provide a number of health benefits such as improved mood, greater focus, lower blood pressure, balanced metabolism, and improved strength.

Restorative Yoga

This type of yoga could be seen as Iyengar’s calmer baby sister.
Developed by renowned American yoga instructor, Judith Hanson (a student of B.K.S Iyengar), she adapted his use of props to help assist and support the body as it calms and rests.
Each pose can be held for up to 20 minutes, meaning very few poses might be achieved during a class, but the time spent being guided by a yoga teacher and relaxing into the asanas can have profound effects as participants achieve a state of deep relaxation.