Many a potential yoga student eagerly looked up class schedules at their local gym only to be baffled by the variety of different types of yoga there are. These yoga types are actually all made up of the same postures, or poses, they use them in differing ways to achieve specific goals. Here is a guide to the most popular of yoga styles, so you can find the one you're looking for. These are the most likely to be taught at your gym and have dvd teachings readily available.

We'll start with two very general terms that each describes a variety of other, more specific types:

Hatha - These types of yoga are especially good for the beginner just learning the basic poses. They tend to be gentle, slow-paced, and done to very soothing music.

Vinyasa - These yoga types are physical movements synchronized with breathing. A Vinyasa class would typically begin with vigorous "sun Salutations" as warm-up. These match physical movement with breath. More strenuous stretching movements are done toward the end of the class.

As we discuss the more specific types of yoga, you'll see many are named after the teachers that invented them:

kundalini - This Vinyasa type of yoga uses quick, repeated movements rather than long position holds. There may even be some chanting or call and response techniques used during the class. kundalini holds the breath control during posture performance as essential. The expected result is energy moving from the lower body to the upper.

Bikram/Hot - This is usually referred to as "Hot Yoga," and was initiated by Bikram Choudhury. In its full version it is a series of 26 moves, but not all are used in all classes. As its name implies, it is practiced in a hot room - about 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows for a cleansing sweat and muscle relaxation.

Ashtanga/Power - Ashtanga is a quick-flow and intense yoga and is physically demanding. The "flow" is a term used to describe how much time you hold a movement and then move to the next movement. In true Ashtanga yoga the same movements are always performed in the same order. "Power yoga" is something that has been derived from Ashtanga. It will have the same flow, but not necessarily have the same strict pose set. Both are often used for weight loss purposes.

Iyengar - Named after teacher, yogi B.K.S. Iyengar, Iyengar yoga pays particular attention to proper body alignment. Iyengar yoga's flow is slow, emphasizing long holds and often employing various props, such as blankets, straps, and other items that help your body find the correct alignment for each position.

Anusara - This type was founded by John Friend who wanted to create a more light-hearted class open and beneficial to yoga students of all levels. It adds the positive philosophy associated with tantra to the emphasis on physical alignment espoused by Iyengar.

Jivamukti - Inspired by Ashtanga yoga, Jivamukti promotes chanting, meditation and studies of the spiritual realm. These classes are found primarily in the U.S. and are quite physically challenging.

sivananda - These yoga centers teach more than simple yoga classes. There are now over 80 such centers world wide, and they were founded by a student of Swami sivananda. Their five basic principles are: 1. proper exercise (Asana) 2. proper breathing (Pranayama) 3. proper diet (vegetarian) 4. Positive thoughts and meditation (Dhyana)

No matter which type of yoga you choose, always check with your doctor before starting a yoga, or any other kind of exercise regime.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Yoga

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The release date of September 25, 2007 is barely weeks away and the buzz on Halo 3 is starting to heat up. If youre planning to get a copy of the new edition of the popular video game for your xbox 360, youre going to have three different editions to choose from this time around.

microsoft has gone on something of a marketing frenzy for Halo 3, coming up with two different limited editions for the release as well as a standard edition. They havent stopped there however as they are also releasing a Halo 3 special edition of their xbox 360 console, finished in the Spartan green and gold color combination, two special edition controllers and a wireless headset also skinned in green and gold. If youre planning to buy it all, youll need some deep pockets as the ultimate edition of the game -- the Legendary Edition -- will retail for $129.99 and the special edition console costs nearly $400.

Heres whats going to available later this month:

Halo 3 Legendary Edition - This edition will be released in limited quantities and each one will be numbered, but I havent seen any word on how many copies there will actually be so its hard to say whether you need to order it as quickly as possible or can wait a bit. If you are planning on getting this edition, it might be better safe than sorry to pre-order it.

The Legendary Edition of Halo 3 will come packaged inside a collectible Spartan Mjolnir Mark VI helmet case that is rather nifty looking and will look great on your desk or bookcase. In addition to the game, this edition also includes two other discs. The first showcases exclusive footage of the Bungie team and their behind the scenes process as they go about creating Halo 3. This disc also includes an HD Making of Halo 3 documentary as well as other featurettes on the design process. So its sort of like a dvd release with all the hot directors extras. In addition, theres the most unique aspect of the whole set -- an audio-visual calibration tool --which can be used to calibrate your home theater set-up to display the best audio and video for your game playing experience.

The second disc in the Legendary Edition includes the Bestiarum, a digital guide to the cultures, world and creatures of Halo 3; remastered material from previous editions of Halo featuring behind the scenes work at Bungie; exclusive Machinima content from the creators of "Red vs. blue" and "This Spartan Life; and a collection of storyboard art.

So if you are obsessed with Halo and its creative team, the Legendary Edition is the edition for you. Next up is the Limited Edition.

Halo 3 Limited Edition - This edition comes in a sleek metal case and includes the Bestiarum in a hard cover bound edition; a bonus behind the scenes disc, including the audio-visual calibration tool from the Legendary edition; storyboard art; and a special Halo fiction and art book.

Finally, there is the standard edition of Halo 3 which just contains the game itself.

For my money, the best value option is the Limited Edition. At only 10 dollars more than the game-only release, it includes lots of great bonus materials that are well worth the extra 10 dollars spent. The Legendary Edition of the game is nearly double the price and the big difference between the two special editions is the Helmet case. Of course, if you really fancy the helmet, the Legendary edition is obviously the way to go, but if you could not care less, pick the Limited Edition and spend the extra $60 dollars on buying another game for your xbox 360.

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