What style of yoga should you choose?

If you are completely new to yoga, it is recommended that you do Hatha yoga first. You will learn the basic yoga asanas or postures, which will help you with the various other styles offered in yoga classes.

All yoga styles will eventually lead to the same goal; you can consider the various styles as different paths towards the same destination. Different styles emphasise on different aspects in a yoga practice, like body alignment, breath and flow of movement. Which style is suitable for you really depends on your personal preference. Try them and continue with the one(s) that you feel most comfortable with.

Here is a list of the most common types of yoga, with brief descriptions:

Ananda Yoga
Developed by an American named Donald J. Walters, known as Swami Kriyananda. This gentle yoga combines breath awareness, affirmations, and yoga postures to move from body awareness through energy awareness to, finally, silent, inner awareness. Ananda means bliss in Sanskrit.

Anusara Yoga
A modern school of yoga started by John Friend in 1997; it is a popular hatha yoga style with a Tantric philosophy. The emphasis of the school is on a set of "Universal Principles of Alignment" which underlie all postures, "heart opening" postures and the spiritual/meditative benefits of hatha yoga.

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
The focus of this style is on vinyasa (or flow of movements). The student moves into and out of each asana in a well-defined set of movements, called Suryanamaskara or Sun-Salutation, which are combined with specific breathing patterns (ujjayi breathing). The purpose of vinyasa is to create heat in the body, which leads to purification of the body through increased circulation and sweating. It also improves flexibility, which allows the student to practice advanced asanas without risk of injury.

Other components of Ashtanga Yoga include bandhas (internal locks) and drishti (gaze).

There are six series altogether. Practice begins with a set number of Sun-Salutations and standing poses, then the student moves to either the Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, B, C, or D, depending on his or her skill level, and closes his practice with a group of finishing poses. Ashtanga Yoga is traditionally taught in Mysore style (supervised self practice). Each student moves through their practice at their own pace and level.

Bikram Yoga
Developed by Bikram Choudhury who designed a sequence of 26 yoga postures (or asanas) and two breathing exercises that are performed in a heated room. The postures are vigorous and demand a lot from the students. The heated room, typically around 35–40°C, makes muscles more pliant and encourages sweating which purportedly acts as a purifier. People of all levels, ages and body types practice together with a teacher acting as a guide, taking the class through the ninety-minute series.

Iyengar Yoga
Created by B.K.S. Iyengar, it is a form of yoga known for its use of props, such as belts and blocks, as aids in performing asanas. It is also characterized by great attention to detail and precise focus on body alignment. Iyengar pioneered the use of "props" such as cushions, benches, blocks, straps, and even sand bags, which function as aids allowing beginners to experience asanas more easily and fully than might otherwise be possible without several years of practice. Props also allow tired or ill students to enjoy the benefits of many asanas via fully "supported" methods requiring less muscular effort.

Standing poses are emphasized in Iyengar Yoga. They build strong legs, increase general vitality, and improve circulation, coordination and balance, ensuring a strong foundation for study of more advanced poses.

Kundalini Yoga
This practice is designed to awaken kundalini energy, which is stored at the base of the spine and often depicted as a coiled snake. Kundalini mixes chanting, breathing practices, and yoga exercises. The emphasis is not on asana, but rather on chanting and breathing. Kundalini should always be taught by a teacher who practices and understands this powerful yoga.

Power Yoga
This is actually a variation of Ashtanga yoga, similar to Vinyasa yoga. It is a rigorous type of yoga and practiced by moving from one pose to another in a fast pace. It was given the term Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch, an Ashtanga Yoga teacher and the author of Power Yoga.

Sivananda Yoga
Sivananda Yoga offers classical hatha yoga, includes breathing exercise, sun salutation, 12 basic postures with its variations and relaxations. This type of yoga emphasis on building strong foundation with simple approach but maximum benefits for achieving physical, mental and spiritual well being. Founder Swami Vishnu-devananda summarized the wisdom of yoga in 5 principles: proper exercise (asanas), proper breathing (pranayama), proper relaxation (savasana), proper diet (vegetarian), positive thinking and meditation..

Vinyasa Yoga
This is a flow type of yoga which often places great emphasis on the breath and coordinating breath with movement. It is is similar to Ashtanga’s dynamic series of poses, but may not follow a specific or set sequence in each practice.