Yoga Styles & Lineages

From slow, restorative practice to sweat-dripping power flows, there is a style of yoga for every body and every goal. This hub explains the major types of yoga and the lineages behind them, so you can pick a class knowing what you are walking into. Treat it as a directory rather than a single explainer: every style named below links to its own full guide, covering what a typical class looks like, who it suits, and what you need to bring.

Not sure where to begin? Our overview of the types of yoga compares them all in one place, and hatha yoga is the gentle, foundational style most beginners start with.

Dynamic and athletic styles

If you want movement and strength, start with vinyasa yoga — the flowing, breath-linked style behind most modern classes — or push further with power yoga and the disciplined sequences of Ashtanga yoga. Heated rooms have their own rules: our guide to hot yoga covers what to expect before your first sweaty class.

Slow, gentle, and therapeutic styles

On the quieter end, yin yoga holds passive poses for minutes at a time, restorative yoga is built entirely around supported rest, and gentle yoga suits beginners, seniors, and recovery days. The fastest-growing search on our site is somatic yoga — a feeling-focused practice for stress and chronic tension.

Traditional lineages

Modern styles descend from named lineages, each with its own method: the energetic kriyas of kundalini yoga, the precision and props of Iyengar, the set series of Ashtanga. Knowing the lineage tells you more about a class than its studio name ever will.

Novelty, animal, and prop-based formats

Some classes keep a familiar style at their core and change the setting or the equipment instead. Puppy yoga and goat yoga run a short, beginner-friendly sequence in a room full of animals, so the draw is the atmosphere rather than the difficulty. Aerial yoga moves the poses into a suspended fabric hammock, which unloads the spine and rebuilds how balance works. Chair yoga keeps the whole practice seated or chair-supported, the usual entry point for seniors and anyone with limited mobility.

More yoga styles to explore

Frequently asked questions

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