| With seemingly endless choices available - how will | | | | mind and love attention to detail |
| you know which yoga class suits you best? Here are | | | | Sweat rating - 3 |
| a few general principles which will help. | | | | Peace of mind rating - 3 |
| What's the right style for you? You need to be | | | | Kundalini |
| honest about your fitness level, commitment and | | | | Kundalini Yoga includes a series of classic poses done |
| intentions in starting a yoga class. Is it to reduce | | | | repeatedly, kriyas, meditation and chanting. Spiritual |
| stress? Get super-fit? Reduce your back pain? Calm | | | | transformation is the main aim of practice. |
| your thoughts? Get in touch with your inner wisdom? | | | | Ideal - if you want spiritual development and love |
| Each yoga school has a different focus - some are | | | | singing |
| more physically demanding, others focus more on | | | | Sweat rating - 2 |
| meditation and chanting. See our guide to the some | | | | Peace of mind rating - 5 |
| of the most popular styles available in the UK today. | | | | Sivananda |
| Yoga style guide | | | | Sivananda Yoga is a style of traditional yoga practice |
| Astanga vinyasa yoga | | | | formulated by yoga masters Swami Sivananda and |
| This is potentially very energetic and physically strong. | | | | Swami Vishnu-Devananda. Sivananda classes use a |
| It involves a lot of movement, a fair amount of | | | | set sequence of exercises, always in the same |
| upper body work and you will get hot and sweaty! | | | | pattern. |
| Ideal - if you are fit and want to be physically | | | | Ideal - if you're interested in learning about a |
| challenged | | | | disciplined, yogic lifestyle |
| Sweat rating - 5 | | | | Sweat rating - 2 |
| Peace of mind rating - 3 | | | | Peace of mind rating - 5 |
| Bikram | | | | The four questions you must ask your yoga teacher |
| Created by Bikram Choudhury in Los Angeles, this | | | | Are you qualified? Make sure that your teacher has a |
| style is performed in a heated room to allow the | | | | current qualification, and is registered with the Yoga |
| muscles to relax. A bikram class usually consists of | | | | Alliance, Independent Yoga Network or the British |
| twenty six asanas (yoga postures) and two | | | | Wheel of Yoga. This may seem obvious, but some |
| breathing exercises, which maximises oxygenation | | | | teachers out there have bogus qualifications. Also ask |
| and detoxification of the entire body. | | | | if they do regular training to keep their yoga |
| Ideal - if you are very fit and want a vigorous | | | | education up to date. Good yoga teachers will do a |
| workout | | | | couple of continued training courses a year to keep |
| Sweat rating - 5 | | | | their knowledge current. |
| Peace of mind rating - 2 | | | | Is there an emphasis on safety? Safety is crucial - |
| Dru Yoga | | | | many people get injured every year from over |
| Dru Yoga, one of the largest yoga training schools in | | | | stretching when they haven't adequately prepared. |
| the UK, offers a graceful yet potent form of | | | | Does your teacher offer modifications and |
| therapeutic yoga. Based on soft flowing movements, | | | | contra-indications to each posture? Do they do |
| the emphasis is upon creating a supple spine, to free | | | | enough warm-ups and cool-downs? Is there an |
| the energy within the body. | | | | adequate period of relaxation at the end of the |
| Ideal - for all levels of fitness, if you want a deeper | | | | class? |
| approach to health and happiness | | | | Does your teacher walk their talk? Yoga is more than |
| Sweat rating - 2 | | | | an occasional hobby. It's a way to unite body, mind |
| Peace of mind rating - 5 | | | | and soul. To be a good yoga teacher, daily practice is |
| Dru Yoga Dance | | | | crucial - your teacher should enjoy what they teach - |
| This is a more upbeat and physically demanding form | | | | or else you won't! They should also be approachable |
| of Dru Yoga. It takes flowing Dru Yoga sequences | | | | and get on well with their students. In the ancient |
| and puts them to great music creating a great sense | | | | tradition of yoga, the relationship between teacher |
| of wellbeing, and a good physical workout. | | | | and student was one of the most important - and it's |
| Ideal - if you like Dru's heart based flow but want to | | | | true today as well. |
| be more challenged physically | | | | Is the class conveniently located? If you're going to |
| Sweat rating - 4 | | | | get to your class, rain or shine, then choose a |
| Peace of mind rating - 4 | | | | location that's realistic. I've seen so many students |
| Hatha | | | | attending classes enthusiastically at the beginning of |
| Hatha yoga is the generic term for any sort of yoga | | | | September, only to decide that it's just too far when |
| practise which involves a combination of postures, | | | | the cold, dark nights set in. |
| controlled breathing, and some kind of concentration | | | | To conclude, I suggest that you try different styles |
| and relaxation. | | | | of yoga until you find one that suits you. The |
| Ideal - if you want a safe local yoga class | | | | benefits of attending a regular class are enormous - |
| Sweat rating - 2 | | | | for example: |
| Peace of mind rating - 5 | | | | 'I've lost over a stone in the last 6 weeks through |
| Iyengar | | | | doing Dru Yoga. I do the flowing, graceful Sun |
| Iyengar yoga originates from B.K.S. Iyengar. 3 | | | | Sequence at a Dru Yoga class and at home, and it |
| elements distinguish Iyengar from other styles, | | | | seems to balance my body and take away the edge |
| namely technique (getting the alignment right), | | | | of my hunger. When I do Dru Yoga I can feel my |
| sequence (varying the order in which asanas are | | | | body's natural intelligence kicking in.' Helena Davey, |
| performed) and timing (holding the postures). | | | | Lecturer, North Wales. |
| Ideal - if you want to strengthen your body and | | | | |