There are countless types of yoga, and it's not easy to keep track of them all. Especially since there are now such crazy trends as goat yoga or yoga in stilettos.

With such a huge selection, how do you find the right form of yoga for you – especially if you prefer to be barefoot and do without animal fellow yogis?

We'll give you an overview and make your choice easier. Below, we present ten well-known yoga styles.

1. Hatha Yoga

Hatha yoga is the best-known and most widespread form of yoga. The traditional style is characterized by the powerful and slow execution of the individual yoga exercises.

In Hatha yoga, the yogi strives for balance between body and mind through physical exercises (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation (dhyana) and deep relaxation (savasana).

The movements are built up very slowly and held for up to ten breaths . This style strengthens and stretches your entire body. It also improves concentration, body awareness, and balance. Hatha yoga often uses props such as straps or blocks.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced practitioners. Anyone who values ​​slow exercises and a traditional yoga practice.

2. Kundalini Yoga

This type of yoga originated with the Indian yogi Bhajan, who invented it in the 1960s. Kundalini yoga is playful and relaxing. In addition to physical exercises, it incorporates chanted mantras, relaxation exercises, and breathing techniques. The style focuses on mindfulness, strength, and joyful letting go.

Therefore, this type of exercise is ideal for you if you experience a lot of stress in your daily life . The exercises are dynamic, fun, and allow you to focus on your inner self. Excessive stretching and extensions are avoided.

This style is ideal for beginners and people who are not very flexible. Even they will find the simple exercises easy to manage, as they require less flexibility than other yoga styles.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced practitioners. Anyone who values ​​relaxation and mindfulness, regardless of whether they are inflexible or particularly flexible.

3. Yin yoga

In this style, relaxation and passive stretching are paramount. In Yin yoga, you perform most poses while sitting or lying down and hold them for several minutes. This increases your flexibility and promotes deep relaxation . This style also stimulates the fascia.

The individual asanas have a meditative effect and help you release stress and tension. Yin yoga is a good complement to all more dynamic styles.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced students. Anyone with limited mobility who wants to gently improve it. Stressed individuals who want to deeply relax and find inner peace.

4. Bikram Yoga/Hot Yoga

Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga, was invented by the competitive athlete Bikram Choudhury. This style is a real challenge, as the individual exercises primarily serve to effectively train the entire body. Hot yoga consists of a sequence of 26 exercises, all of which build upon each other and strengthen and stretch the whole body.

You'll work up quite a sweat: To optimally protect tendons and muscles, this form of exercise is performed at a room temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius. You should therefore be able to tolerate high temperatures well.

In hot yoga, you benefit from effective exercises that strengthen and detoxify your entire body . The spiritual aspect of yoga plays only a minor role. The consistent sequence of exercises makes it easy for even athletic beginners to get started, and initial progress is quickly noticeable. However, this type of yoga should not be underestimated due to the high temperatures.

In our article: Hot Yoga - Tropical temperatures and sweaty asanas you will find detailed information about this special type of yoga.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced users who want to strengthen and stretch their bodies and like to exercise even in high temperatures.

5. Ashtanga Yoga

This traditional style is strenuous and demanding. It particularly appeals to yoga purists. The sometimes very difficult exercises are always performed in harmony with the breath. Ashtanga yoga has six series, which become progressively more difficult and build upon one another. Usually, only the first series is taught.

During the yoga class, you practice at your own pace within the group. The teacher walks around and corrects each student individually. There are no instructions for the whole group in this style.

Suitable for: Yoga purists with discipline. Anyone who wants to really challenge themselves on the mat.

6. Iyengar

Yogi B.K.S. Iyengar developed this style over many years. Iyengar's teachings have clear structures, paying particular attention to the precise alignment of the body in each yoga posture, which is always held for a specific period of time. Props such as straps, cushions, and other aids are frequently used. for use.

Iyengar primarily pursues therapeutic goals; the various exercises gently alleviate pain and postural problems. Thanks to gentle aids, even people with limited mobility or physical limitations can easily adapt to this style.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced users who want to practice patience. People with physical limitations. Anyone who wants to correct poor posture and strengthen their back.

7. Vinyasa Yoga

This physically demanding style is characterized by its fluid movements and athletic requirements. Proper breathing is an integral part of each exercise.

There's no set sequence of poses in Vinyasa style; instead, the individual asanas flow seamlessly into one another. This can be quite challenging and strenuous. Nevertheless, Vinyasa not only provides a physical workout but also calms your mind.

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced practitioners who want to push their physical limits in yoga and improve their coordination and balance. Anyone who prefers flowing and dynamic movements.

8. Sivananda

This spiritual and holistic style of yoga originates from Yogi Swami Sivananda Saraswati. As a traditional form of yoga, Sivananda yoga encompasses physical exercises, breathing techniques, meditation, positive thinking, and a vegetarian, healthy diet.

This rather tranquil style focuses primarily on the balance between body and mind. The individual practices are intended to promote positive thinking and help practitioners achieve more energy and harmony .

Suitable for: Beginners and advanced practitioners who appreciate a holistic spiritual approach. Anyone who wants to harmonize body and mind but places less emphasis on physical exertion.

9. Jivamukti Yoga

This style from the 80s is dynamic and holistic – it combines yoga with traditional Indian music. It differs from classical Hatha yoga, but the exercises are not rigid; instead, they are performed like a choreography. Jivamukti is extremely stimulating and challenging for both body and mind.

In addition, there are spiritual practices such as chanting mantras and visualizations. The spiritual aspect is therefore clearly pronounced in this style. Jivamukti strives for a connection between body and mind and aims to encourage greater compassion for oneself and others.

Suitable for: Anyone who enjoys dancing and is looking for a physical challenge, wants to practice yoga to music and deepen their spirituality.

10. Hormone Yoga

This style of yoga is aimed at women and uses exercises from Hatha and Kundalini yoga to counteract hormonal imbalances . It is intended to help women with PMS, infertility, or going through menopause to restore hormonal balance.

This can be achieved through a combination of selected yoga exercises, breathing techniques and relaxation exercises.

Suitable for: All women suffering from hormonally related complaints and seeking alternative treatment approaches.

Yoga for men

Yoga is generally open to everyone, and there are no gender-specific differences – with the exception of hormone yoga, which is specifically aimed at women. However, men, especially those with little prior experience in yoga or gymnastics, often struggle with exercises that require flexibility in the hips and legs.

Therefore, styles that avoid intense stretching or use props are particularly suitable for men. Iyengar, Bikram, Yin, or Kundalini are ideal examples.

Yoga for pre-existing conditions

If you suffer from pre-existing medical conditions, you should have your plans checked by a doctor for safety reasons. Gentle styles like Iyengar or Yin yoga are generally a good way to carefully work on flexibility and strength, even with physical limitations.

If you have heart or circulatory problems, you should probably avoid styles like hot yoga or the strenuous Jivamukti. If you have back problems, a style like Ashtanga can sometimes be too demanding for your back.

Therefore, it's best to choose practices like Kundalini, Yin, or Iyengar – they are beneficial and suitable for almost everyone. In any case, always listen to your body. Once you've found the right style, yoga can improve your overall health and well-being.

Incidentally, yoga is also excellent for preventing back or neck problems caused by too much work at the computer. The key phrase here is: yoga in the office. Many asanas can be easily performed during a short break – often even while sitting . It's best to ask your instructor to show you some suitable exercises that you can integrate into your daily work routine.

Find your center – with the right style

And who knows, maybe one day you'll want to practice in stilettos or relax with a goat by your side.