About Yoga

Hatha Yoga is a simple set of guidelines for a physically and mentally healthy life, developed around 6000 years ago. The regular practice of postures, called asanas, and breathing exercises, called pranayama, makes the body strong, supple and healthy. It has a profound effect on the circulation and on the functioning of the inner organs, glands and nerves, keeping all systems in radiant health and leading to greater energy, better concentration, and hopefully a happier, more fulfilling life. Many common physical ailments can also be improved through the regular practice of yoga, and it is never too late or too early in life to take it up. Anyone can practice yoga.
All the asana/posture based types of Yoga you hear and read about are merely different styles of Hatha Yoga, most of these have come about in the past fifty years or so. The differences are usually about emphasis, such as focusing on strict alignment of the body, co-ordination of breath and movement, holding the postures, or the flow from one posture to another. All of the styles share a common lineage. In fact, the founders of three major styles -- Astanga, Iyengar and Viniyoga -- were all students of Krishnamacharya, a famous teacher at the Yoga Institute at the Mysore Palace in India. With the current fashion for Yoga there are now hundreds of styles and many more are appearing all the time. No style is better than another; it's simply a matter of personal preference.
The asanas/postures are the thing that most western classes concentrate on, this is just one of the eight limbs of Yoga.