You’ve got the mat, the stretchy pants and the water bottle. Now, what’s the perfect yoga style for you? Here’s a breakdown of yoga personalities.—K.C.
Target your "heart space" or your heart rate, depending on what kind of yoga you practice.
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Anusara. The focus is on opening up the “heart space,” with a fairly free attitude toward the postures. It’s great for beginners and best for those who want to de-stress, reflect and spend time with like-minded people—it’s a communal style (i.e. brief chanting). Where: ACAC, Ashtanga Yoga of Charlottesville, Gold’s Gym.
Ashtanga. Strengthening, toning, and pushing limits are common goals for Ashtanga devotees with its challenging set routines and quick flow—breath work is key. “We use breathing (with sound), steady gaze and the bandas, or inner locks that hold energy in place, to draw energy up through the body and get the stagnant parts moving again,” says Jennifer Elliott from Ashtanga Yoga. Where: ACAC, Ashtanga Yoga of Charlottesville, Studio 206.
Bikram. If you appreciate hot temperatures (105 degrees), a good cleansing sweat and an unvarying routine, this is the one for you. “Because the postures and heat are always the same, it’s very easy to recognize the changes that your body goes through,” according to Lizzie Clark at Bikram Yoga. Where: Bikram Yoga Charlottesville.
Hatha. Most yoga falls under this category, so classes vary widely. It’s best to contact the teacher if you’re wondering whether you’re up for it—many are gentle, beginning-level classes, with detailed posture explanations and individual corrections. Where: ACAC, Body Mind Spirit Center, Studio 206.
Iyengar. Form is everything. It’s not like flow yoga; you’ll move slowly through a sequence, doing each posture precisely before moving to the next. Props, such as blocks or straps, help you along. Where: Blue Ridge Yoga.
Kripalu. The goal here is often transformation, because it’s intensive work for both body and mind. Be ready to get to know your physical thresholds and unlock your powers
of concentration. Not for the casual yoga practitioner. Where: ACAC.
Vinyasa. Another form of flow yoga, like Ashtanga—just more forgiving. You’ll use the rhythmic breath to focus your awareness, you can tailor the level of difficulty of each pose to your body’s needs, and you’ll learn a variety of poses, since the routine is generally switched up each time. Where: ACAC, Ashtanga Yoga of Charlottesville, Studio 206.