In order to truly know, one must first experience. This means that you should try as many classes as you can. Not only will you figure out for yourself which style of yoga that works for you, you’ll work with a variety of teachers.  Often it doesn’t matter what type of yoga a teacher offers—if you like the teacher, you’ll enjoy the class.

Yoga has been taught for thousands of years.  As the understanding of the physical practice has developed, so have the methods for teaching it.  In the past few decades, there has been a yoga boom, so to speak, in which dozens of new schools have been created. Each one offers a different perspective on a shared vision. Like it or not, this will continue to happen. As more people embrace a yoga practice into their life, more perspectives on how to understand yoga will be created.

Here are a few hints to keep in mind when deciding on which yoga class is right for you:

-All yoga that is offered is Hatha yoga. There is also an individual system of yoga called hatha yoga which is part of the larger hatha idea. A good way of understanding this is comparing it to New York City, where New York is both the name of a state and a city within it. Hatha yoga classes are a slower-paced series of postures focused on getting yogis into various positions to better connect with the spiritual side of the practice.

-Ashtanga yoga is daily practice of a set series of postures designed to open the body, burn off excess energy, and keep teenage Indian boys under control (seriously). If you like regularity and are looking for a strong, fiery practice, check out an ashtanga led-primary class. Instructors and practitioners have been known to be quite stern, demanding, and focused, which can be a little intimidating at first. The practice, however, is quite rewarding and often comes with quick results. You’ll tend to find a lot of guys in ashtanga classes. Surprise, surprise… fiery, strong, competitive feats of physical prowess.

It’s a great way to connect with alignment, learn the basic asanas, and connect breath with movement. I myself had an intense mysore (method of supervised self-practice named after the city in india it was popularized in) for two years. It took me quite far, quite fast, and helped me learn a great deal of respect for the physical practice of yoga.

-Vinyasa Flow classes string a wide variety of asanas together in a smoothly flowing package. They are centered around the idea of constant movement, and can at times feel like a dance, which can be extremely fun or make you feel extremely self-conscious. There is no set series of asana for vinyasa classes, so the instructor’s personality and understanding of the human body play a large role in their development. Some can be gentle, some can be fierce, and others can be downright playful.

-Bikram, or ‘hot yoga’, consists of a set series of asanas performed in a heated room. If you like to sweat, you will love bikram. As is the case with most yoga, you either love or hate bikram. The instructors can be incredibly high-energy, and the environment itself is designed to challenge and push. Try it out, and don’t forget to bring a towel and big bottle of water.
this is just the beginning. there are many styles to choose from.

-Iyengar yoga, created by B.K.S. Iyengar, heavily focuses on alignment and the use of props (such as belts and blocks) to assist yogis into getting into the various asanas (postures). There is a large emphasis on the equal development of strength, stamina, flexibility and balance, as well as concentration and meditation.

-Anusara yoga is one of the newer forms of hatha yoga firmly grounded in a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness. With a large emphasis on the ‘universal principles of alignment’ within all postures, you’ll focus a lot of opening the heart and connecting with the spiritual and meditative benefits of yoga. Anusara is a little more flowy than Iyengar, a little less rigid than Ashtanga.

There are many, many more types of yoga out there. Don’t think about it too much. If you are thinking about trying something new, first have the experience before deciding if you like it. The most important thing to remember is to have fun figuring it out!