Viniyoga

What it is

   A highly individualized practice where yogis learn to adapt poses and goals to their own needs and abilities. Vini actually means differentiation, adaptation, and appropriate application. Instead of focusing on stretching to get strong and flexible, viniyoga uses the principles of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). PNF simply means warming up and contracting a muscle before stretching it. Gary Kraftsow, founder of the American Viniyoga Institute, says this decreases your chance of injury. 

 

Best For     A personalized practice. Viniyoga teachers usually work one-on-one with students so they'll create a series of modified asanas for your body and its limitations.

Who's gotta have it     Back-pain sufferers of all types from lower back to sciatica. Viniyoga will stabilize your sacrum, loosen back muscles, and balance out your spine.

Need to know      The National Institutes of Health uses Kraftsow to help with yoga studies. Finding a qualified viniyoga teacher can be tough but worth it. If there's no one in your area, attend a conference or invest in the products. Function wins over form in this style, so each pose will be adapted to give you what you need.

Trends and trivia     This style is steeped in yoga family history: It was started by T. Krishnamacharya and now carried on by his son T.K.V. Desikachar and grandson, Kausthub Desikachar. Krishnamacharya's brother-in-law is B.K.S Iyengar (see Iyengar), and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (see Ashtanga) was his disciple. Talk about a good network.

Sivananda

What it is

    An unhurried yoga practice typically of the same 12 basic asanas or variations therof every time, bookended by sun salutations and savasana (corpse pose). The system is based on a five-point philosophy that proper breathing, relaxation, diet, exercise, and positive thinking work together to form a healthy yogic lifestyle. One of the world's largest schools of yoga, Sivananda was brought to the West by Swami Vishnu-devananda in 1957 and now boasts nine ashrams, 17 centers, and more than 10,000 teachers worldwide. 

 

Best For     Spiritual boosting. Each class opens and closes with chanting and meditation.

Who's gotta have it     Serious devotees looking for an intensive, ashram experience. Also, older yogis, who will find Sivananda is a fresh approach to boosting vitality, preventing disease, and restoring the body.

Need to know     Meat lovers are probably better off avoiding Sivananda (that's SHI-VAH-NON-DAH by the way) retreats for their vacation - the system highly encourages a vegetarian lifestyle to better digestion and promote health. And even though each class throughout the world is based on the same 12 asanas, "the classes are never routine because each teacher brings his own spirit to the class," says Rukmini, one of the teachers at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch in New York.

Trends and trivia
    This style is known for bringing old-school ashrams to the     West. These non-secular communes often operate on a suggested-donation basis and incorporate hours of bhakti (devotional) yoga chanting into the

Restorative

What it is

   Less work, more relaxation. You'll spend as many as 20 minutes each in just four or five simple poses (often they're modifications of standard asanas) using strategically placed props like blankets, bolsters, and soothing lavender eye pillows to help you sink into deep relaxation. There's also psychic cleansing: The mind goes to mush then you feel like new. It's something like group nap time for grownups. Better not to fall asleep, though. 

 

Best For    Stress and injury rehab. You can direct blood flow to injured areas without straining them. A bolster under your knees while lying down, for example, supports the leg bones enough to let the muscles stop contracting.

Who's gotta have it    Everyone. Even if you're devoted to your particular practice, taking the time to do a restorative class will give your body an active relaxation session.

Need to know   Share what ails you with the teacher in private, before class, so they can pick poses that will lessen the pain of a slipped disk, for example. And slow-mo doesn't generate body heat, so bring along a sweatshirt, socks, and even a skull cap to stay warm, cozy, and cute.

Trends and trivia    Too low-key to be trendy. Should be.

Prenatal

What it is

  Yoga postures carefully adapted for expectant mothers. Prenatal yoga is tailored to help women in all stages of pregnancy—even getting back in shape post-baby. "When you keep your muscles strong through your term, they will still have the strength and energy to return to normal," says Nicole DeAvilla, developer of the prenatal teacher training at The Expanding Light yoga center in California. 

 

Best For   Safe exercise during pregnancy; speeding up labor and warding off pregnancy aches, pains, and swelling; plus, keeping the core strong to help maintain good posture counteracting the pull of the baby on the body.

Who's gotta have it   Anyone opting for drug-free delivery. Pregnant women who want easier and speedier labors. "You'll have an easier time delivering because yoga can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles," DeAvilla says. "People think keeping things loose makes delivery easy, but stronger muscles stretch more easily to make things go faster."

Need to know    Yogic breathing is like an extension of Lamaze. Lamaze breath emphasizes the exhalation, which makes it easy to learn, and yogic breathing deeply engages your diaphragm, helping you relax more. Beware of balancing poses—your center of gravity is totally different with two of you.

Trends and trivia    See supermodel mom Cindy Crawford and her post-babies body for results.

Power

What it is

   An active and athletic style of yoga adapted from the traditional ashtanga system in the late '80s to appeal to aerobic-crazed Westerners. After having studied with Pattabhi Jois, Beryl Bender Birch and Bryan Kest simultaneously pioneered this westernized ashtanga on the East and West coasts, respectively. Power yoga doesn't stick to the same sequence of poses each time like ashtanga does, so the style varies depending on the teacher. Classes called "vinyasa" or "flow" in your gym or studio can be vastly different but, in general, stem from this movement and from ashtanga as well. 

 

Best For   Burn, baby, burn. Isometric movements recruit every muscle in the body, which sparks metabolism and results in more calories burned.

Who's gotta have it    Athletic types love its sweaty side but find that after a while the mental benefits start catching up with their flexibility and strength. Like ashtangis, the power yoga crowd isn't afraid of a challenge.

Need to know    You may be an athlete but that doesn't mean power yoga will be easy. Don't forget that child's pose is your friend. "Athletes particularly need to start very slowly and carefully because their competitive nature will make them push and strain their bodies," Birch says. Also, call ahead and ask whether the classroom will be hot (as in Bikram) or not; it seems "power" translates as "hot" at some studios. And you should be armed with scant clothing and oodles of water if that's the case.

Trends and trivia    Baron Baptiste also teaches a system of power yoga and his Personal Revolution Bootcamps are packed with athletic types looking for a serious mind/body workout.

Kundalini

What it is

   Constantly moving, invigorating poses. The fluidity of the practice is intended to release the kundalini (serpent) energy in your body. Weren't aware you had any? Well, just think of it as an energy supply, coiled like a sleeping snake at the base of the spine, waiting to be tapped; the practice aims to do just that - awaken and pulse the stuff upward through the body. 

 

Best For Getting a yoga buzz. The breathing will skyrocket your energy, while the postures and meditation keep you grounded and focused.

Who's gotta have it Anyone seeking greater spiritual and mind/body awareness. It's more than a workout.

Need to know Your seven chakras - those are the places you'll be directing your energy to flow. Also, be aware that kundalini's poses and breathing are totally different from those practiced in other yoga styles. Don't worry if you are a beginner, though, most teachers are ready and willing to help. Just be ready to bow to Yogi Bhajan the pioneer of this path.

Trends and trivia Christy Turlington is the style's token celeb devotee, and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is its queen-bee guru. Wearing her jeweled turban, Gurmukh, cofounder of Golden Bridge Yoga in Los Angeles, has taught countless Hollywood types and students from around the world.

Kripalu

What it is

   A three-part practice that teaches you to get to know, accept, and learn from your body. It starts with figuring out how your body works in different poses, then moves toward longer held postures and meditation, before tapping deep into your being to find spontaneous flow in asanas, letting your body be the teacher. 

 

Best For   Self-empowerment. Knowing what your body can really do is a powerful tool that you can use in all realms of your life.

Who's gotta have it    Anyone looking for serious personal transformation and newbies. You'll learn the basics from mechanics, to breathwork, to the spiritual side.

Need to know    Kripalu teaches that each physical gesture influences and is influenced by your mind, and the practice helps you cultivate that awareness. Expect to get deep into your emotions, mind, and body. And Kripalu has a signature vocabulary based around empowerment, so get ready to "get conscious" and talk openly about "self-discovery."

Trends and trivia    The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts is the style's hub. It offers high-quality teacher trainings and tons of diverse programming year-round by world-renowned instructors like Rodney Yee, Seane Corn, Beryl Bender Birch, and Ana Forrest.