Iyengar Yoga
43 poses · beginner friendly
Iyengar yoga is the method developed by B.K.S. Iyengar (1918–2014), whose book Light on Yoga remains a standard reference. Its defining trait is precision: each pose is taught in exact detail — where the feet point, what the thighs do, how the spine lengthens — and held long enough to actually work on those details. Certified teachers go through years of rigorous training, so instruction tends to be unusually specific and hands-on.
Props are central, and Iyengar largely invented their modern use. Blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, chairs, and wall ropes are not concessions for beginners — they are tools that let every body find the action of a pose. A class might spend twenty minutes on three poses, using a block here and a strap there, rather than racing through thirty.
The pace is slow and the room unheated, but the work is not easy: long holds with sustained attention are demanding in their own way. It is an excellent style for beginners who want to learn poses properly, for detail-oriented practitioners, and for people working around stiffness or old injuries who benefit from patient, propped setups. As always, a teacher is not a substitute for medical advice — talk to a professional about specific conditions.
What it's like
- · Precise alignment instruction, taught in detail
- · Long holds — often a minute or more per pose
- · Extensive prop use: blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, chairs, walls
- · Slow pace, unheated room
- · Poses sequenced deliberately, with inversions given real attention
- · Rigorous, standardized teacher certification
Good for
- ✓ Beginners who want to learn poses correctly from the start
- ✓ Detail-oriented practitioners who enjoy refining technique
- ✓ People working around stiffness or old injuries who need propped setups
- ✓ Anyone who finds fast flow classes leave no time to understand a pose
- ✓ Experienced students wanting to deepen their alignment
Iyengar poses
Standing poses
- Mountain PoseTadasana
- Triangle PoseUtthita Trikonasana
Often practiced with a block under the bottom hand
- Extended Side AngleUtthita Parsvakonasana
Bottom hand frequently on a block outside the front foot
- Warrior IVirabhadrasana I
- Warrior IIVirabhadrasana II
- Half Moon PoseArdha Chandrasana
Standard setup uses a block under the supporting hand, often at a wall
- Pyramid PoseParsvottanasana
Hands on blocks either side of the front foot to keep the spine long
- Wide-Legged Forward FoldPrasarita Padottanasana
Head often rests on a block or the floor
- Standing Forward FoldUttanasana
- Revolved TriangleParivrtta Trikonasana
Block under the lower hand is the default, not a modification
- Tree PoseVrksasana
Often practiced with the back against a wall while learning
- Eagle PoseGarudasana
- Warrior IIIVirabhadrasana III
- Chair PoseUtkatasana
Seated poses & forward folds
- Staff PoseDandasana
- Seated Forward FoldPaschimottanasana
Strap around the feet; folded blanket under the sit bones
- Head-to-Knee PoseJanu Sirsasana
Strap around the extended foot
- Bound Angle PoseBaddha Konasana
Blanket under the pelvis; blocks can support the knees
- Hero PoseVirasana
Often sat on a block or folded blankets between the heels
- Wide-Angle Seated Forward FoldUpavistha Konasana
- Garland PoseMalasana
- Cow Face PoseGomukhasana
A strap bridges the hands when they don't clasp
Twists
Backbends
Inversions
- Downward-Facing DogAdho Mukha Svanasana
Sometimes practiced with the head resting on a block or bolster
- Dolphin PoseArdha Pincha Mayurasana
- Supported HeadstandSalamba Sirsasana
Taught carefully and often at a wall or with ropes; a cornerstone of the method
- Supported ShoulderstandSalamba Sarvangasana
Practiced on a stack of folded blankets to protect the neck
- Plow PoseHalasana
Feet often rest on a chair or blocks
- Legs Up the WallViparita Karani
Usually with a bolster under the pelvis
Supported & finishing poses
- Reclining Bound AngleSupta Baddha Konasana
Reclined over a bolster with blanket support
- Reclining HeroSupta Virasana
Practiced over a bolster; only as the knees allow
- Reclining Hand-to-Big-ToeSupta Padangusthasana
Strap around the raised foot
- Fish PoseMatsyasana
- Supine TwistSupta Matsyendrasana
- Corpse PoseSavasana
Often with a folded blanket under the head and an eye covering
Take this sequence off-screen
The Complete Pose Library Deck — every pose on feelyoga — all 148 — as printable cards.
How Iyengar compares
Head-to-head against other styles, counted on the actual pose canon of each.
Explore more
Every pose above links to full step-by-step instructions, or browse the complete pose library and all styles.