Yoga forms
Explore the same pose families through different teaching traditions. Names, supports, breathing and transitions need to be compared separately.
Ashtanga yoga
A system of poses, transitions, breath and directed gaze. The six series belong to a living teaching tradition with variations between teachers.
Read about this approach →Hatha yoga
Hatha names a broad tradition of bodily yoga practice. Older texts discuss posture, breath and other disciplines. Today’s classes using this name can differ in content and pace.
Read about this approach →Iyengar yoga
Iyengar yoga pays detailed attention to how the body is placed. Supports such as blocks, belts and blankets can change the task and make a particular action easier to study.
Read about this approach →Vinyasa yoga
In vinyasa practice, transitions connect postures with breathing. The order, pace and selection of poses can vary between classes.
Read about this approach →Yin yoga
Yin practice uses comparatively still, longer-held positions. A familiar shape may have a different name, support or degree of muscular effort from an active yoga version.
Read about this approach →Restorative yoga
Restorative practice uses support to reduce the effort needed to remain in a position. The placement of blankets, cushions or other props is part of the form.
Read about this approach →Sivananda yoga
Sivananda teaching commonly places a set of twelve basic postures within a wider practice that includes preparation, breathing and rest.
Read about this approach →Older descriptions of individual poses
The older references document particular historical forms. They do not establish every modern variation, class sequence or teaching method.
- Svātmārāma: Haṭhayogapradīpikā, with the Jyotsnā and Manobhilāṣiṇī commentaries (1895)1.23; 1.28; 1.30; 1.32; 1.44–45 · 1895 · Wellcome Collection
Practising with care
If you have an injury or a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have another circumstance that may affect your practice, consult a qualified healthcare professional about suitable activities and necessary adaptations.
Learn new and demanding poses with a qualified yoga teacher. Adapt the range to your body and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. A short video illustrates movement; its length does not prescribe how long to hold a pose.
Headstands, shoulder stands and lotus are not starting poses for beginners. Injuries, balance problems or glaucoma are examples of reasons to assess suitability individually. Do not force a bind or use the body as leverage against the knee.