What has now become a popular fitness regimen originated 5,000 years ago in India. The ancient inhabitants of that region followed this practice to prepare their mind and body for meditation. Since yoga helps a person with his body and his thoughts, it was the totality of this traditional method that led to its recognition throughout the world. So if you’re sick and tired of your home gym machine and want to move on to something lighter, but just as effective, yoga is the way to go. Like exercise, yoga also has different types. Each type has a specific purpose, so here is a list of the different types of yoga and their purposes.

hatha yoga

If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you start with hatha yoga, rather than opting for a form of yoga that demands greater strength and posture. The word Hatha means effort, or strength, and is slow and therefore relaxing. It focuses on each pose in detail and helps beginners with precision and focus.

Iyengar yoga

The pioneer of this form of yoga is BKS Iyengar. This is another form of yoga that is good for beginners and those who are looking to heal their physical and mental injuries. Use different poses and props, like blocks and belts, to help with correct positions.

bikram yoga

If you lack physical and mental strength, and you want to learn to control your weaknesses and gain strength, this is the best style of yoga for you. However, it’s best not to jump in before you’ve prepared your body and worked for it. This type of yoga is carried out in a room with a high temperature and the heat teaches your body to control itself and helps to release toxins through the skin. Doing yoga in a 40°C room is not for beginners, and if heat isn’t your thing, don’t worry, there are still plenty of other yoga techniques to choose from.

vinyasa yoga

Another type of yoga, to increase the strength and resistance of the body, is Vinyasa yoga. Unlike Bikram yoga, it has nothing to do with temperature. There are different poses that you go into with continuous heavy breathing. The link between posture and breath is what drives the cycle. Fast movements make this form of yoga increase energy.

Svaropa Yoga

Svaroopa yoga is a type of yoga that is mainly for those who are recovering from surgery. In recent years, it has been considered an alternative to physiotherapy, since it consists of a series of postures on a chair, and may even be beneficial for people with joint problems.

Kundalini-Yoga

If you want to reach a level of spiritual awareness after seeing this aspect of yoga glorified in the media, then surely you must know a little about this system, if not, you may know the name and some of the details. For this form of yoga, you adopt different postures, along with continuous breathing and chanting. This will help the energy to move up from the base of the spine and spread to the entire body. It may take time to achieve the desired result, as it is a long process, but once you go through it, it is purifying and healing.