What kind of yoga is best for fitness?

I know all yoga has benefits. Which variety is best for building strength and fitness?What kind of yoga is best for fitness?Ashtanga is great, like the above answer says. However, I find a traditional ashtanga practice to be too rigid - it's the exact same poses every class, and much of the primary series (which will be the focus of most ashtanga classes you get at gyms, studios, etc.) is a seated sequence that I find rather monotonous. In most ashtanga classes, each posture is held for 5 breaths.



I prefer a vinyasa flow style or "power yoga" class (which has roots in ashtanga, but is not as rigid - its sequencing is pretty much up to the instructor). In terms of strength and fitness, Bikram Yoga is great for cardio/strength - it is a fixed sequence of 26 postures done in a room heated to 90-something degrees. You will likely either love Bikram or hate it - if you try it, be sure to hydrate well in the 24 hours before you go, and bring a lot of water and a large towel (or 2) - you sweat a LOT (I'm not a fan of this form of yoga, for a couple of reasons, one being that I get so dehydrated afterwards no matter how much water I drink that I get pounding headaches; also I find it hard to hold some of the postures when I am literally soaked from head to toe). The purpose of heating the room to such a degree is that your muscles are more pliable as they heat up, and you can more easily get into postures.



Other types I find physically challenging - Jivamukti, Iyengar (can be a slower flow, but is challenging because you hold the poses for longer and really focus on alignment), Forrest (each pose is held for a really long time) and Taoist (I had a great Taoist teacher who moved away - most studios don't offer this style, it's not really mainstream in my experience).



Types that you may want to stay away from (more spiritual and/or restorative than physical) - Kundalini, Kripalu, Svaroopa. Hatha classes can be harder, or more geared towards beginners - it really depends on the instructor.



Good luck - I've been practicing yoga for about 4 years, and it is one of the best things I ever started doing. If I can help with class/studio recommendations in your area, let me know!What kind of yoga is best for fitness?Tantra

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What kind of yoga is best for fitness?I prefer the Bikram style myself. I've done some others and see benefits but Bikram is the one for me. The room is actually heated to 105-110% and they try to maintain a 50-60% humidity. You need to hydrate A LOT before and afterwards but it's gread for cleansing, cardio, and fitness

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What kind of yoga is best for fitness?
ashtanga is the more active of the yoga variations. you're constantly flowing from one asana to another, moreso than some of the other more restorative or medidative forms.

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