Yoga Styles | What is the best yoga style for beginners?

It may seem like every time you turn around you’re hearing about a new form of yoga. For a beginner, it can be confusing to know where to start, how to choose and which is best for you before you invest in a class. Hatha or Bikram, Hot Yoga or Vinyasa…so many options. Well, we will take a look at some of the most popular yoga forms and will help you make sense of it all.

Yoga in general has many benefits including helping you to stay fit, better manage stress and anxiety, it’s a great social activity and for many a truly spiritual experience. With all the benefits, it’s no wonder it has become so popular and the number of yoga practitioners is ever increasing. With that being said, you should be able to find a school on Long Island that teaches your preferred yoga style. But which form of yoga is best for you? Well that all depends on what you’re looking for and what your goals are. Let’s take a look at a few of the more popular forms:

Hatha

Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga on Long Island. Most schools will offer it in some form because it is also the foundation of many other styles. It is mostly comprised of a combination of movement, holding postures and conscious breathing that helps with focus and mental concentration. If you are looking to develop body strength, balance and flexibility, Hatha may be a good choice for you.

Bikram

A form of Hatha that is often times referred to as the original hot yoga style. There are strict guidelines that are followed for this style which can only be taught by a Bikram certified instructor. In each class you will be performing a set of 26 postures along with 2 breathing exercises in a room set to 105 degrees fahrenheit. Bikram yoga is meant to balance the body and restore it to good working order. The heat is meant to warm up the muscles, increase blood circulation and ultimately help your body sweat the toxins and impurities out. Bikram is good for anyone with bad joints because it is considered a low impact activity. This yoga style may prove to be a bit challenging for beginners depending on your level of physical fitness prior to starting.

Vinyasa

Vinyasa is another very popular yoga option, especially on Long Island. This style is best characterized by its steady flow from one pose to the next. This continuous flow of dance like postures helps to increase strength, flexibility and stamina. In Hatha, you do not perform the poses in any particular order, so the sequence may be different in each class. One important aspect of this style is that it links your breathing to movement. Often times the instructor will incorporate music, chanting or meditation. In general, Vinyasa yoga places less emphasis on precise alignment and posture and more focus on flow. 

Ashtanga

This is known to be one of the most physically challenging yoga types. With this yoga style, you will progress through each series of poses while being instructed under the Mysore style. Similar to a martial art, you do not move on to the next series until the current form is mastered. While this may all sound a bit intimidating for a beginner, you can assure that under the Mysore style you can progress at your own pace and you will get individual attention to help perfect your poses.

Kundalini

This yoga style is a bit different than the others we’ve talked about so far. It’s often called the yoga of awareness and some may consider it to be the most spiritual yoga practice that exists today. Kundalini yoga uses meditation, focused breathing, mantras, dance and asana to raise the kundalini energy up from the base of the spine or root chakra all the way through to the crown chakra. The end result creates an overall sense of well being and awareness. If you are looking for a more spiritual experience, you may want to consider kundalini style yoga. But don’t be fooled, these classes can be physically challenging for someone who is not very fit.

Iyengar

This is another popular yoga form that you can find in many Long Island studios. Derived from the Hatha style, it combines poses and breathing. One of the big differences is that in Iyengar an emphasis on stillness  while holding postures. You will be holding poses frequently as opposed to a constant flow of different postures. It primarily focuses on proper body alignment during each pose. To that end, props like yoga blankets, straps and blocks are used extensively. This is an ideal yoga practice if you have injuries or other physical limitations. Iyengar teachers are generally well versed in human anatomy so they know how to keep you safe from injury. 

Restorative

Much like the name implies, Restorative yoga is designed to restore your balance and help the body and mind recuperate. It is a great way to relieve stress and unwind from the chaos of daily life. This yoga style uses props extensively to help hold poses for long periods of time. You will find that it allows for a more relaxed experience. I wouldn’t say that it’s an easy form of yoga but it’s far less dynamic than some of the other popular styles. It is hinged on mindfulness because it forces you to slow your pace and heighten your awareness. You will relax deeply into each pose without the muscle strain by using pillows and blankets to support you body. By the end of class you will certainly feel loose and open after the deep stretching.

There are many more styles of yoga, but these are just a few that you’ll find in local Long Island studios. The best thing you can do is pick one and give it a try. Most studios have affordable drop in classes that will give you a sense of what the style is actually like. Remember, each studio is different, and each instructor in the studio will be different. If you go in with an open mind and an open heart, I’m sure you’ll find the yoga style that suits you best.

Namaste