Even if you haven’t tried it, there’s a good chance you know someone practicing yoga. Since its inception in northern India over 5,000 years ago, yoga has skyrocketed in popularity in Western culture. There are an estimated 300 million yoga practitioners worldwide, and between 2012 and 2016, the number of Americans practicing yoga went up by 50 percent.

These days, you can find a yoga class and style for just about any taste, from relaxing classes to fiery flows. The only downside of having so many options? It can be tricky to figure out which type of yoga is best for you. That’s why today, we’re sharing some of the most popular styles of yoga and their benefits to find the practice meant for you.

Roots of yoga

Yoga is much more than physical activity. The word yoga itself comes from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj,’ which means to unite. Traditionally, yoga was (and still is for many) a spiritual practice meant to connect your mind and body to the world around you. The teachings of yoga were designed to help people overcome suffering and live a meaningful life both on and off the mat. The physical poses (known as Asanas) are just one step in achieving that mind-body connection.

Fun fact: yoga is even one of the six schools of philosophy in Hinduism, and has a huge role in Buddhism.

Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is a great class for beginners because of its slower pace. Hatha is known as an “umbrella term’ for any practice that blends physical poses (Asanas) with breathing exercises (Pranayama). This means that other types of yoga classes (like Ashtanga, Restorative, Vinyasa, etc.) are technically Hatha classes. In the west though, Hatha classes are usually slower-paced classes that focus on proper alignment.

Vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa yoga is a style of Hatha yoga that also uses physical postures (Asanas) and breathwork. In a Vinyasa class, the goal is to flow from one posture to the next with intention and awareness. The word Vinyasa comes from nyasa (to place) and vi (in a special way). Even though these classes are faster-paced, the focus is still on staying in the present moment and listening to how your body feels. Unlike other styles of yoga which have a defined set of postures or sequences to follow like Bikram and Ashtanga, you can expect a different kind of flow for each Vinyasa class.

Restorative yoga

Another style of Hatha yoga, Restorative yoga is the class to go to when you want to completely relax and find your zen. This extremely relaxing yoga style uses props like blocks, pillows, and blankets to help you fully relax into gentle physical poses. Poses in this class can be helpful for up to 20 minutes, letting you get into a deep state of relaxation.

Yin yoga

Similar to restorative yoga, Yin yoga is a slower practice that comes from Taoist philosophy. The goal is to stretch and lengthen your muscle to release tension. According to Yoga Renew, poses are held for longer periods of time (but not as long as in a restorative yoga class) to, “increase flexibility, improve joint mobility, and release trauma in the body.”

Other styles of yoga

• Ashtanga yoga: more challenging and faster-paced.
• Kundalini yoga: uses breathing exercises, chanting, singing, and physical poses to help activate your Kundalini energy or shakti, the spiritual energy located at the base of the spine.
• Iyengar Yoga: using a variety of props, this practice focuses on proper body alignment.
• Hot yoga: a hot yoga class can be any style of yoga, simply practiced in a heated room to help you sink deeper into the poses.

Whether you’re looking to improve your sleep, get more flexible, manage stress, or reduce inflammation, there’s a class out there for you.