Don’t get yoga? Dominique Rowe helps find the style for you.

Yin, Ivengar, Ashtanga, Basic, Hatha, Flow, Mysore, Pranayama, Parallax... Okay, I made the last one up, but that’s just to show there’s plenty in the wide world of yoga to confuse the great unstretched. Even if you finally decide to join a yoga studio, choosing one of the myriad classes can leave your brain as knotted as an advanced guru’s legs.
    Frances Gairns, a Pure Yoga instructor and the editor of Hong Kong’s only yoga magazine, Namaskar, sympathizes with the dilemma of the yoga virgin. “It can be really overwhelming and intimidating for many people, but there are lots of different practices because there are so many different personalities and constitutions. From the hyper to the couch potato, there’s a yoga style for everyone.” 

Which Yoga Style Are You?

According to Gairns, those who are more assertive or are always busy and on the go are more likely to enjoy Ashtanga, Hot or Bikram yoga; those who are very analytical and precise will be more attracted to Iyengar Yoga; and people who like to take things easy and aren’t into being too active might prefer Yin, Basic or Shivananda yoga. But, as Yoga Limbs owner and instructor Wanda Hewitt explains, “Though people tend to gravitate toward what they like, sometimes what they like isn’t good for them.”
    Hewitt follows the Ayurvedic philosophy of seeking balance for one’s constitution. “People who are aggressive or competitive will gravitate toward fiery practices like Ashtanga, even if it really isn’t in their best interests.” Instead, Hewitt insists they should find a style that calms and de-stresses. “Aggressive people need something more precise to counterbalance their nature, something where they need to hold a position for an extended time – something like Yin, Iyengar or Shivanda yoga.”
    In the same way, the less energetic among us need a high-energy yoga. “Lethargic people are the ones who should be doing aggressive practices like Ashtanga or power yoga,” Hewitt says. And creative, airy types would benefit from Iyengar and Yin, which helps keep people grounded and down-to-earth. If you’re still not sure, you can visit an Ayurvedic specialist or take a self-test online (such as the one at the Yoga Limbs website, www.yogalimbs.com).  
    Below is a small selection of yoga studios covering most types of yoga. But in addition to our selection, there are dozens of small, independent studios with well-qualified instructors. For comprehensive listings, visit www.yogahongkong.com or Namaskar magazine.

Bikram Yoga

Where: 17 Hankow Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2168-0642    
Web: www.bikramyoga.com.hk.
What: Invented by scantily-clad Bikram Choudhury (now living in Hollywood), this controversial style consists of a patented sequence of asanas performed in a heated room in front of a mirror. 
Fashionista rating: PPPP
Transcendence rating: *

Iyengar Yoga Center

Where: Rm 202, Winsome House, 73 Wyndham St., Central, 2541-0401
Web: www.iyengaryogahongkong.com
What: This long-running studio preceded the yoga wave by over a decade. It’s the only local studio registered to teach Iyengar, the style endorsed by the modern father of yoga, BKS Iyengar
Fashionista rating: PPP
Transcendence rating: * * *

Planet Yoga

Where: 20/F, Silver Fortune Plaza, 1 Wellington St., Central,         2525-8288
Web: www.planetyoga.com
What: Famously endorsed by sweaty, enigmatic Master Kamal and his scantily clad assistant, this huge commercial studio features a breathtaking range of large classes for up to 30 students at a time. 
Fashionista rating: PPP
Transcendence rating: *

Pure Yoga

Where: Central 2971-0055, Causeway Bay 2907-2299, Tsim Sha Tsui, 8129-8800
Web: www.pure-yoga.com
What: Another huge commercial venture, Pure retains a calm and pleasant atmosphere, offering a comprehensive range of yoga practices and levels – and a basic introductory class. The website features class descriptions.
Fashionista rating: PPPP
Transcendence rating: * *

Yoga Limbs

Where: 33/F, 69 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2525-7415
Web: www.yogalimbs.com
What: Yoga Limbs is a family-run studio. Classes consist mainly of Power Vinyasa, with some Iyengar Flow and a basic beginners class.
Fashionista rating: P
Transcendence rating: * * *