Yoga styles

• Ashtanga - Founded by K. Pattabhi Jois. This athletic and demanding practice synchronizes breath and movement in a specific series of moving postures. It is said to create heat to purify the system.

• Bikram - Founded by Bikram Choudhury. Classes held in rooms heated to 105 degrees consist of the same series of 26 poses in a particular sequence in each class. It is said to detoxify the system.

• Iyengar- Founded by B.K.S. Iyengar, this method emphasizes alignment. Props can be used to modify poses. It is also taught therapeutically.

• Krishnamacharya Tradition - T. Krishnamacharya is often referred to as "the father of modern yoga." He taught many well-known yoga teachers, including A.G. Mohan, T.K.V. Desikachar, Indra Devi, Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar. It's a practice where movement is coordinated with particular breath work to influence the mind, body and spirit. It emphasizes adapting a full spectrum of yogic practices to support the goals of the individual and is taught privately, in small classes and therapeutically.

• Kundalini- Founded by Yogi Bhajan, this is sometimes called the "yoga of awareness." Its primary goal is to awaken kundalini energy. It is a vigorous practice with movement, breathing exercises, chanting and more.

• Sivananda - Based on the teachings of Swami Sivananda and brought to the U.S. by Swami Vishnu-devananda, Sivananda focuses on five points of practice: proper exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet and meditation.

• Svastha - Svastha was founded by A.G. Mohan and refers to the state of complete health and balance. It emphasizes coordinating breath with movement and adapting a full spectrum of yogic practices to support the goals of the individual. It is taught privately, in small classes and therapeutically.

• Viniyoga- The American Viniyoga Institute was founded by Gary Kraftsow. Classes are taught one-on-one, therapeutically or in very small groups. They coordinate movement with breath and incorporate a full spectrum of yogic practices.