Yoga Styles: Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Restorative, Yin, Chair and Hot Yoga

Styles are names for classes, not separate treatments

Yoga ranges from gentle to physically demanding, and the style used in a study can change its results. [1] That makes research hard to compare. The sources read for this page include no head-to-head trials showing one style is better than another for a given outcome, so this page does not claim that any style has its own proven benefits. Labels used: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence.

Hatha yoga

One paper by authors in India describes hatha yoga as one path within the wider classical framework, next to devotion, knowledge and action. [2] In research "hatha" is a general label. Thirty-three trials of yoga in people aged 65 and over were primarily based on hatha yoga, most often Iyengar or chair-based methods. [3] Most trials in a Cochrane review of low back pain used Iyengar, hatha or viniyoga. [4] Because the label covers so many classes, results cannot be assigned to hatha specifically.

Vinyasa yoga

A US yoga membership organization describes flow yoga, "also sometimes called vinyasa," as a dynamic physical practice with continuous movement. [5] Insufficient evidence. Proper evidence not found: a PubMed search for vinyasa trials returned only small studies that were not read for this page, and no systematic review specific to vinyasa.

Iyengar yoga

Iyengar yoga is a named style taught in many studios. Primary descriptions from Iyengar organizations could not be read, so it is described here only by how it appears in research. A US organization describes alignment-oriented classes as emphasizing precision of body placement and posture, often with aids. [5]

A trial of 700 Australian adults aged 60 and over compared a year of Iyengar yoga-based exercise with seated relaxation yoga. [6] The Iyengar group had a higher fall rate (0.87 vs 0.64 falls per person-year), and the authors said the program should not be recommended for fall prevention in its current form. [6] It did improve weekly planned physical activity and balance confidence, and no serious adverse events occurred. [6] An erratum has since been published, so check PubMed for corrected figures. Mixed. A review of yoga-based exercise in general (not Iyengar alone) found small balance improvements in six trials of people aged 60 and over. [11]

Restorative yoga

Gentle classes focus on support and relaxation, often with blocks, and are sometimes called restorative or yin. [5] In a trial of 180 adults with metabolic syndrome, restorative yoga was marginally better than stretching for fasting glucose but not for other metabolic measures. [7] Insufficient evidence beyond that single trial.

Yin yoga

Yin falls under the same gentle category in that organization's directory. [5] A five-week trial in 105 stressed adults found greater reductions in a blood marker (plasma adrenomedullin), anxiety and sleep problems than in a control group. [8] A blood marker is a physiological finding, not a clinical outcome. Promising but limited: one trial, short follow-up.

Chair yoga

Chair-based methods are common in studies of older adults. [3] That review of mostly hatha, Iyengar and chair-based trials found moderate-certainty evidence that yoga improved gait speed and lower-body strength compared with education or inactive controls, but it may not beat other exercise. [3] In a trial of 454 adults aged 65 and over with several long-term conditions, a 12-week chair-based program did not change quality of life compared with usual care, though it was judged safe and acceptable. [9] Promising but limited. Participants knew which group they were in, which can sway self-reported results.

Hot yoga

Hot yoga is held in a heated room, and classes range from restorative to challenging. [5] A review of 43 studies (942 participants, 76% women) found that a hot class raised body temperature and heart rate but not energy use compared with unheated yoga. [10] The review called claims of greater benefit than other yoga or exercise unsubstantiated and noted case reports of ill-health after hot yoga. [10] A lab study of a standardized hot class measured about 286 kcal, far below popular claims of up to 1,000 calories. [12] NCCIH warns of overheating and dehydration risks and says pregnant women should avoid hot yoga. [1] How much heat is tolerable depends on the person, so talk with a clinician if you have health conditions. Mixed.

Choosing and staying safe

Match the description to your health and goals rather than the name. Beginners should avoid headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing. [1] The rate of yoga-related injuries treated in emergency departments is higher in people aged 65 and over. [1] More in yoga safety, adapted yoga and movement and what is yoga.