The three most popular forms of yoga taught here are:
Hatha
Often called "furniture yoga" as it can involve mats, chairs, blocks of wood, bean-bags and walls. It is the most open ended school, not tied to a specific routine or sequence, and allows the individual tutor to pick and choose what he or she feels will best suit the students in question from across the range of the discipline. Key pillars are pranayama, which involves channelling one's energy (prana) through breath awareness, and Asana practice containing postures that help to develop vitality, strength, steadiness and alertness. Relaxation is used to achieve the relief of tension by turning the mind inward and helping to develop concentration. Most yoga schools will offer Hatha.
Benefits: relaxation, increased strength and flexibility.
Astanga
Dubbed "kick ass yoga" in the US, Astanga is very different to Hatha. It is tied to specific aerobic, fast-paced sequences, and is the most physical of the various schools. It uses a cooling breathing necessitated by the intense nature of the workout, designed to tone and strengthen muscle. It aims to purify the nervous system while it detoxifies and aligns the body and mind. Astanga links postures to rhythmic breathing, in gymnastic sequences. There is a variant called Astanga Vinyasa Yoga, or power yoga, which takes the physical element up another gear.
Astanga is relatively new to Ireland, brought here by a teacher from Greece called Rhada six years ago. There is still only a small number of tutors qualified in Astanga, just three in Dublin.
Benefits: aerobic conditioning, toning, strength and endurance.
Iyengar
Designed by an individual tutor with decades of experience, Iyengar has fixed sequences and specific routines. One of the most popular among pupils and schools globally, it is a strong and disciplined form of yoga with much attention on alignment and body joint movement.
As the various postures are mastered, techniques for relaxation and breath control are introduced. This encourages the mind to be calm, concentration is increased and so tension is easier to cope with. Iyengar is not as widely available as Hatha, but a little hunting around should locate a class.
Benefits: tones the muscles, stimulates circulation, increases suppleness and strength.