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Types of Yoga that you may not be aware of. Yoga has expanded throughout the years to include many types of new yoga types.
You want to try something new style of Yoga. Well, here you go. 19+ different types of yoga explained.
New and Unique Types of Yoga
How many types of yoga are there? Well, the correct answer is that there are many different kinds of yoga.
Yoga has expanded since it was created depending on location, gender, and even lifestyle.
People have adopted Yoga to their lifestyles and to match something they like to do.
We have separated them into sections and we will talk about them in more detail. What are the styles of yoga? Here they are.
- Blended Styles of Yoga
- Virtual Yoga or Online Yoga
- Easily Adapted Yoga
- Yoga Lifts You Higher
- New Age Type Yogas
- You Do WHAT Type of Yoga?!
Everybody needs to step it up a little bit, and add a little spice to their routines just to keep life from getting boring.
That’s no less true in yoga and these current yoga trends in the industry range from a slight variation in the basic kinds of yoga to completely new and unique yoga practices.
There are practices indoor or outdoor, simple or more athletic, virtual, or in class.
There are practices that incorporate other exercise types and some that blend them with ecological values and alternative health.
Then there are the yoga styles that are so out of the ordinary that they’ll appeal mostly to the adventurer among us.
We will be talking about these different types of yoga styles. We are sure that some will amaze you. Intrigued? Read on.
Blended Types of Yoga
Let’s start with some yoga types that blend traditional forms of yoga with other sorts of exercise.
- Yoga HIIT
- Roga
- Acro yoga
- SUP Yoga-Stand-Up Paddle
- Buti Yoga
Yoga HIIT
What is Yoga HIIT? Yoga HIIT or Yoga High-Intensity Interval Training blends asanas with training. If you’re wondering which type of yoga burns the most calories, this might be the one.
You’ll perform a high-intensity exercise and then have a short rest period or quiet pose.
You may start off with slow poses or slower versions of poses and exercises that you will later use in the more intense and harder impact portion.
After which you’ll return to slower exercises and poses until you come to a rest.
It’s thought that this method will help the body adjust to the more difficult strength training and prepare it to move more smoothly through the program.
Each portion also tends to use different muscles so that there is a bigger gain.
You don’t have to exercise for very long to get benefits and it’s actually preferred that you not work at it too long, especially if you were thinking of doing the high-intensity exercises on your own.
If you want the results of an intense workout but are afraid of overdoing it, this might be a good alternative.
Roga
What’s Roga? Roga blends yoga with running. The idea is to do a regular run, maybe shortening it a little so that you aren’t too tired for the yoga portion.
You then go into a half-hour or an hour of yoga to help stretch out and relax the leg muscles making it easier in the cool-down period.
It also helps with endurance, you pace yourself a little more to be able to fit in both.
If you live in Santa Monica, you may be able to find a Roga group to join.
There’s a Roga event at the pier sometimes.
There are probably enough interested people in the area that you should be able to find at least a partner if you don’t want to exercise alone.
Acro Yoga
What is Acro Yoga? Acro yoga is a yoga style that combines yoga with acrobatics, with a little dance, cheerleading, and circus performance thrown in.
It might also be a good type of yoga for stretching.
You can’t do Acro yoga alone. You’ll need a partner or two, at least.
You can also incorporate more than two people in the poses, keeping an outside person for safety.
The poses consist, at their most basic, of one person lying on the mat as a base and another balancing on their hands and feet as a flyer.
More advanced poses require all participants to be integrated into the pose and may not have a base person, per se.
You obviously start small and work your way up.
Practitioners say the poses help to build trust and confidence.
They aren’t performed quickly, most are held like other sorts of yoga poses.
The results can be intricate and beautiful. If you feel adventurous, this may be the practice for you.
SUP Yoga – Stand-Up Paddleboard
What is SUP Yoga? For short is yoga performed on a stand-up paddleboard. This is what it sounds like-yoga performed on a stand-up paddleboard.
Some people are doing Acro yoga on paddleboards as well.
People like doing SUP yoga because it can be done outside and you can breathe the fresh air.
There’s also the benefit of being on the water practicing your yoga routines like Down Dog Yoga Pose.
You get the exercise of paddleboarding and also an enhanced experience of yoga as you have to attune yourself to the movement of the paddleboard on the water to keep yourself in place.
This will strengthen different muscles and help you adjust your balance to a variety of surfaces.
You can wear bathing or yoga attire on any of the types of boards available.
It’s generally agreed that the inflatable kind is more stable in the water than the epoxy.
Try to get the kind that is wider and longer to give you more room.
I would recommend the iROCKER Nautical Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board, Superb Maneuverability 10′ Long 32″ Wide 6″ Thickness SUP with Premium Bag, Adjustable Paddle, Pump, Leash, Fins & Repair Kit from Amazon. It’s 10.6′ tall. 32″ wide and 6″ thick.
Plenty of room to work with. It comes with a backpack so that you can put it away after you are done with it.
Check out our sister website which will give you more information about Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga.
Buti Yoga
What is Buti Yoga? Buti yoga is yoga and dance combined. It provides a good cardio workout, and muscle toning, and burns calories.
Buti means “the cure to something that’s been hidden away or kept secret”.
You look within to find what you need and use the moves and mindfulness to access and meet those needs.
It uses a blend of tribal and primitive dance moves with jumping and shaking, all blended with vinyasa yoga.
The focus is on learning to love yourself and your body.
The program was founded by Bizzie Gold, a development coach, and trainer.
This is a very new yoga system and you may not be able to find a class in your area yet.
But, there is the website and online videos to access and as it grows in popularity, it will more likely become available as a class in more locations.
So far, it’s mostly in the U.S. and the U.K.
One more thing. Although this practice seems geared more toward women, men are starting to work with it, too.
We all have masculine and feminine energies within us and accessing some of these moves and exercises can help to balance those energies inside each of us.
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Virtual Yoga or Online Yoga Classes
What is Virtual Yoga? The previous styles would work best with other people, but right now being with other people is difficult if not impossible, especially during lockdowns.
Many meetings and classes are going virtual and yoga is no exception.
So, basically, virtual or digital yoga is a class that you take online.
We have a post that gives you more information on Virtual Yoga Classes. Check it out here.
There may be a teacher leading a class in real-time using Zoom or some other platform or it may be a series of videos that you can use whenever you wish.
I found this cool resource where I can find many types of yoga events, classes, and Yoga retreats both online and in-person at Book Yoga Retreats.
They have a wide selection of yoga events to choose from in many parts of the world.
You can use their search bar to find a yoga event that will work for you.
Some have a fee and others are free and you can find one to cater to almost everyone’s taste, from styles to health-related, couples and kids.
Online yoga is probably the best-known of these trends and one that you’ve most likely looked into already.
There are also tips on how to start or deepen your practice and where to get supplies for your home studio.
All you need is a quick online search and the time to look through all the offerings.
You can also try several different kinds of Yoga styles to find the one that works well for you.
When things pick up again you may want to join a physical class to get more one-on-one tips.
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Easily Adapted Special Types of Yoga
Maybe you need a little support for your yoga. Perhaps you have a condition or special need that needs accommodation.
You may want to try yoga using a chair or wheel to support you or water to help buoy you up.
Some of these different types of Yoga are:
- Chair Yoga
- Yoga Wheels
- Aqua Yoga
We will discuss them in more detail below.
Chair Yoga
What is Chair Yoga? Chair yoga uses a chair to sit in or use for balance when doing your Yoga practice. Many of the traditional yoga poses have been adapted for this method.
Why bother? Well, some people have suffered injuries or developed a condition that makes it harder for them to do regular yoga.
Also, as they get older, it can be harder to do certain movements.
Having an adapted system to accommodate those changes enables people to continue their yoga practice or feel like they can start one and still see the benefits.
Chair yoga poses can be used in a wheelchair as well. Check out the chair yoga video above to see how it works.
Another use is in the workplace.
If you need to stretch out your muscles or let go of stress during the workday.
Take a few moments to do a couple of asanas at your desk and refresh yourself for the rest of the day.
There are classes and chair yoga videos available for this method, just like for others so you can get started easily.
And there’s no special equipment to buy. Except, maybe, a chair.
Yoga Wheels
What is a yoga wheel? Yoga wheels are a new prop that can help you with some of your stretches.
It doesn’t look like it can be of help if you have problems with standing or balance, the chair would probably be better for that.
There are also some yoga exercises for back pain you can try in this video.
The use of the wheel can change how some of your yoga poses act on your body providing a different result and helping with balancing on some of them.
Others say that you can use the wheel to massage your back and neck (they come in three sizes) to release tension in the muscles.
If you’re interested, look up the various styles of yoga wheel here (Amazon) and find one for your needs.
Also, check the reviews found available online. You might find a new tool to use to change up your practice.
Aqua Yoga
So, what is Aqua yoga? Aqua yoga is what it sounds like, yoga done in the water. Water aerobics was popular a few years back and many participated in it for this reason.
Many people with problems doing regular exercise find that doing exercise in water is easier for them.
People with balance problems sometimes use it as it makes them work a little harder to keep their balance with the waves around, but if they fall the water catches them.
So they can work on improving their balance which will help them outside of the pool.
Also, people say that being in the water improves their ability to get into the mindfulness mindset and meditate more easily.
Their focus on their movements and ability to flow into each new posture is improved.
If you like to swim, this could be a different type of yoga that is just right for you.
These Types of Yoga Will Lift You Higher
Which Types of Yoga Will Lift You Higher? There are several new practices that are done above the ground and if you like the idea or feeling of flying, one of them could be for you.
- Aerial Yoga
- Slackline Yoga
Yoga mats are the best thing to work your yoga practice on, right? Well, apparently, yoga isn’t necessarily earthbound.
Aerial Yoga
What is aerial yoga? Aerial yoga, Anti-gravity yoga, or Aerial Silk Yoga, is done using a sling that’s suspended from the ceiling or a pole. The slings are silk and can hold a surprising amount of weight.
Like aqua yoga, aerial yoga helps when you have mobility or joint issues as it provides support, especially for more challenging poses.
It relieves pressure on the spine and joints so that you can reap the benefits of most of the poses more easily.
Check out our Post Alternative Workouts A Look at Aerial Yoga where we provide more info.
It’s not a practice, in and of itself, but more of a prop or alternative method to do the poses that you already do.
Also, doing those poses in a sling rather than on a mat uses slightly different muscles and movements, so they can complement each other.
There are classes available in many areas, so you can learn with an experienced teacher.
It’s recommended that you do this rather than try to set up a sling and begin on your own.
Slackline Yoga
What is Slackline yoga? Slackline yoga is done on a slackline that is the right width to fit comfortably from your coccyx forward. The line is fastened between two points and made taut and you balance on the line to do your Yoga poses.
As a matter of fact, many people feel that Slackline Yoga it’s all about developing balance.
If you would like to try it, this Slackline Yoga Kit has all the parts you need to get started. Get it from Amazon here.
The line has tension and feels like it has energy. You can try to tap into that feeling to get to a place where you feel as if you can work smoothly on the line.
This is another “off the ground” practice, perhaps like a tightrope walker, so you might want to have a mat underneath, just in case, and don’t raise the wire too high.
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New Age Types of Yogas
What are the New Age Types of Yoga? These are yoga practices that have developed recently. A couple of new-age styles of yoga that come to mind are:
- Eco Yoga
- Chroma Yoga
Eco Yoga
What is Eco Yoga? Eco Yoga takes your practice out into nature. Some practitioners take a mat but others don’t. That’s because a mat can damage ground plants and so that you can get in touch with nature better.
These are different kinds of yoga that help you feel good about yourself and your environment.
If you can go to a nature preserve or wilderness that would be ideal, but even going to the park can help, especially if there’s one close to your work to use during your lunchtime.
Another perk is that you begin to notice things in nature that you didn’t before, the color of leaves, the particular song that a bird sings, the subtle scents in the air.
Eco Yoga will get you more in tune with the world around you.
This could be a nice variation in your practice especially when the weather’s nice.
The increased sense of peacefulness will make any travel you do to find a nice spot worthwhile.
Chroma Yoga
What is Chroma Yoga? Chroma Yoga provides color therapy utilizing colored lights that help to balance out the light frequencies we are normally exposed to.
Who created Chroma Yoga? Chroma Yoga was created by Nina Ryner, a dancer from films and fashion.
Clara Baker, a yoga teacher; Asakawa, an artist, and Tim Goalen, a sound designer in England.
The new practice has been around for a couple of years and so far appears to only be available in the U.K.
Hopefully, it will spread to other areas of the world as this looks like an intriguing and well-rounded practice.
Seems like an interesting way to raise the vibrational frequency of your body.
- YOGA POSES – Body and Mind Useful Yoga Poses
You Do WHAT Type of Yoga?!
Now for some new yoga styles that are not your everyday type of yoga.
Well for some people is all the rage and they love this type of yoga class.
Here is our shortlist of 5 types of yoga that are definitely not traditional.
- Broga
- Doga
- Goat Yoga
- Snake Yoga
- Laughter Yoga
Broga
What is Broga? Broga is a yoga style that is designed for men, although, women are starting to discover it, too. It’s considered a high-intensity workout program that incorporates yoga.
It helps tone muscle, strengthens the body, provides a cardio workout, and helps relieve stress.
You use strength conditioning, stretches, yoga poses, and more to give a full workout and a more varied and comprehensive result.
The hope was to appeal to men who might feel that regular yoga was too feminine and who would otherwise miss all that yoga had to offer.
Check Out our Article Yoga For Men: What No One Is Talking About
Broga was designed by Matt Miller 2009, an American college football athlete who has since become a bodybuilder and nutrition expert.
Most of the classes appear to be online and in workshops. You can be certified to be a teacher through online training.
You might want to do that and take advantage of this trend. It’s a diff type of yoga, bro.
Doga
What is Doga Yoga? Okay, if you guessed that this is yoga performed with dogs, you’re right. The yogi’s best friend inspired this new yoga style, which started in America around 2003, went to Britain the following year, and is now practiced throughout the west.
Practitioners bring their dogs to class or have them join in at home.
Sometimes they’re held while a pose is being done or copy what their human partner is doing.
Or perhaps the human partner is copying the dog when doing the downward or upward dog.
Plus, make sure that the dog is well-behaved before bringing them to a class so other participants aren’t inconvenienced or the dog stressed.
There are also some places that help dogs in various ways.
There’s one that provides toys to shelter animals each time that a person participates in the class.
Another adopts shelter dogs and helps them socialize by bringing them to inmates and many then find good homes.
If you love pooches and yoga, this may be your way to blend both of your worlds.
Goat Yoga
What is Goat Yoga? Goat yoga is where you perform your Yoga routines while goats are roaming around near you. Sometimes even on you.
This one of the most popular and coolest types of Yoga and two places are claiming to be its originator.
While working with props in her yoga practice, Sarah wondered if April would like to add her goats to the mix to see what would happen.
A hot new trend is what happened. They say they started it in 2015
The other person who claims to have started this new yoga trend is Lainey Morse at the Original Goat Yoga in Corvallis Oregon.
She had been going through a rough patch and found she felt better about things while with her goats.
Her friends would join her sometimes. One of those friends was a yoga teacher who suggested a class outside in a peaceful environment.
When Lainey expressed concern that the goats might interrupt or get on top of people, the teacher thought that would be great.
So they began a class and advertised and it took off. This was in 2016.
They tried to trademark the name but weren’t able to.
Both groups say that the others are imitations of theirs.
It could just be that both had the idea, unknown to the others, at around the same time. It’s happened before.
As for how it’s done, basically, the goats just join in as they wish while you’re doing your regular practice.
They may crawl under you, over you, or stand on top of you.
Focusing on your technique or staying still is a challenge, but it gives extra skills and is fun. Cuddling is encouraged.
However it came about, it looks like it’s worth a try.
- Check out our post 15 Best Baby Goat Yoga Videos of All Time
Snake Yoga
What is Snake Yoga? This style of yoga was started by a woman named Kwali Kumara. The practice is related to Kundalini yoga and is associated with clearing fears and blockages in our chakras.
You do a regular yoga session then snakes are introduced so that you can handle them and perform the yoga routines.
Since most people are afraid of snakes, this is a good way to face a common fear of snakes and overcome it.
The idea is that fear blocks up our energy centers and if you release the fear, you release the blockage.
I think a lot of us might be afraid, but we’re a little curious, too.
Right now there doesn’t appear to be a snake yoga class in America, but there are some in the U.K. and Canada.
You can find out more about this yoga style at their website here.
Laughter Yoga
What is Laughter Yoga? Laughter Yoga uses clapping rhythms and making yourself laugh from the belly. Laughing can exercise your body in many ways just by itself.
Laughter yoga is a very special type of yoga in that it doesn’t use the poses and exercises or even the type of mindfulness that is associated with regular yoga.
This will help you to change how you look at life and uncomfortable situations.
Laughing releases endorphins and dopamine in the brain which increases feelings of well-being.
You can get more information about this Funny (I know) Yoga style from her book that you can get from Amazon here.
The laughter yoga becoming popular today was started by Dr. Madan Kararia who developed a series of exercises to help you get yourself laughing even if you didn’t find anything to laugh about.
Dr. Kataria added at an interview “Laughter yoga is a form of exercise.
As our body cannot differentiate between real and fake laughter, it incurs the same physiological and biochemical changes in the body.
Laughter is a kind of exhalation where you laugh a bit longer so that you exhale a lot of carbon-di-oxide from your lungs and replace it with fresh air that contains oxygen required by the body” – Source: news.globalindianschool.org
It’s called ‘laughter for no reason’ and uses play and pantomime to help you relax and enjoy the process.
Laughter has been linked with health benefits and helping people heal from illnesses faster.
Linking laughter with breathing exercises, which is the only recognizable yoga component to this practice, helps bring oxygen to all the organs in your body and increases your body’s ability to operate optimally.
Give laughing Yoga a try. It will be a good laugh.
- EASY YOGA – 11 Easy Yoga Stretches To Reduce Back Pain
Types of Yoga Conferences, Retreats, and Festivals
Are there any yoga events I can attend? Finally, there are yoga events, retreats, and festivals held throughout the year.
For some, you can go for just a day, and for others, it’s a week-long experience.
Some are camp-style in the great outdoors and others use a special retreat location or even a hotel.
You can find some that focus on one type of yoga and some that have a variety of practices to choose from.
Speakers and teachers from all over attend and speak at these events.
However, many of these types of Yoga can be pricey, so budget accordingly.
Check out our post where we talk about How To Find Online and In-Person Yoga Classes here.
You can check the internet for conferences, festivals, and retreats near you for dates and times.
Also, make sure that you know what you are expected to bring or for the skill level expected, and check if it has any special accommodations that you may need.
It’s a great way to try a new yoga trend and meet enthusiasts from all over the country.
You can make new friends and gain a sense of community. Try to go to one at least once.
We Hope You Like This Post Different Types of Yoga
That’s enough information to get you started. If you don’t find something you like on this list, you can go online and look up yoga styles or trends and specialty yogas.
With so many different styles of yoga to choose from, you might find something you will like even better.
You can also look at some of the benefits of yoga here. Have fun, stay healthy, and be good to yourself. Namaste!
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This article was made in CATEGORIES: Yoga Articles – DESCRIPTION: There are different types of yoga that you may not be aware of. You want to try something new. Well, here you go. 19+ awesome styles of yoga explained.
