Types of Pranayama: The Main Breathing Exercises in Yoga

Pranayama 3 illustrations Updated 2 Nov 2026

The types of pranayama can be grouped by what they do: calming practices that slow the breath, energising ones that speed it up, cooling ones that draw air through the mouth, and balancing ones that alternate the nostrils. The classical Hatha Yoga Pradipika lists eight kumbhakas, and teachers today add a few more.

This page lists the main breathing exercises in yoga with what each involves, the 7 types of pranayama most Indian syllabuses teach, and how to do pranayama safely in a simple order.

Classical list: 8 kumbhakas in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Common school list: 7 types of pranayama
Calming: Bhramari, anulom vilom, chandra bhedana
Energising: Kapalbhati, bhastrika, surya bhedana
Cooling: Sheetali, sheetkari
Start with: Belly breathing and anulom vilom

The main types of pranayama at a glance

Practice	Type	In short
Anulom vilom	Balancing	Alternate nostrils, no hold
Nadi shodhana	Balancing	Alternate nostrils with ratios
Bhramari	Calming	Humming exhale
Ujjayi	Steadying	Soft throat sound
Kapalbhati	Energising	Quick active exhales
Bhastrika	Energising	Forceful in and out
Sheetali	Cooling	In through a rolled tongue
Sheetkari	Cooling	In through the teeth
Surya bhedana	Warming	In right, out left
Chandra bhedana	Cooling	In left, out right
Udgeeth	Calming	Chanting om on the exhale
Bahya	Advanced	External breath hold with locks

Types of pranayama in pictures

Udgeeth pranayama, a seated figure chanting a long om sound on a slow exhale — Level
Beginner
Hold
5 to 7 rounds
Works on
Calm
Udgeeth pranayama is a long chanted om on each exhale. It is gentle and often taught to beginners and older students.
**Teacher's cue:** Let the oo sound be short and the mm sound long.

Bahya pranayama with the breath held out and the belly drawn in while seated — Level
Advanced
Hold
3 rounds
Works on
Abdomen
Bahya pranayama holds the breath out after a full exhale with the belly drawn in. It is an advanced practice for healthy adults only.
**Teacher's cue:** Release at the first sign of strain; never fight for more time.

Seated belly breathing with one hand on the abdomen to feel the breath — Level
All levels
Hold
2 to 3 minutes
Works on
Diaphragm
Belly breathing is the foundation for all breathing exercises in yoga. Feel the abdomen rise on the inhale and soften on the exhale.
**Teacher's cue:** Keep the chest quiet and let the belly do the moving.

The 8 classical kumbhakas

In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, pranayama goes by the word kumbhaka, and eight are described: surya bhedana, ujjayi, sitkari, sheetali, bhastrika, bhramari, murchha and plavini. Murcha pranayama involves a long hold with the chin lock until a fainting like feeling, and plavini pranayama involves swallowing air to float; both are rarely taught today and are not suitable for home practice.

7 types of pranayama in Indian syllabuses

Many Indian school and teacher courses teach a popular set of seven: bhastrika, kapalbhati, bahya, anulom vilom, bhramari, udgeeth and pranav, the last being quiet meditation on om. This sequence is widely practised in group sessions. If you follow it, learn bahya with a teacher and skip the forceful ones if they do not suit your health.

Kumbhaka pranayama: what breath holding means

Kumbhaka means a pause in breathing. Antar kumbhaka is a pause after inhaling, and bahya kumbhaka a pause after exhaling. Short, natural pauses are safe for most people. Long, deliberate holds belong to advanced students; leave them out while pregnant, if your heart or blood pressure needs care, or if holding the breath makes you uneasy.

How to do pranayama: a safe order

Sit tall on a cushion or chair.
Two minutes of belly breathing.
An energising practice if suitable: kapalbhati, two short rounds.
A balancing practice: anulom vilom, five minutes.
A calming practice: bhramari, five rounds.
Sit quietly for one or two minutes.

These pranayama steps work for most healthy adults. Different types of pranayama can be swapped in and out, but keep this pattern of active first, calm last.

Breathing yoga for different needs

Stress and sleep: bhramari, chandra bhedana, slow belly breathing.
Morning energy: kapalbhati, bhastrika, surya bhedana.
Hot weather: sheetali and sheetkari.
Focus: anulom vilom and ujjayi.

For a steady count, open the pranayama guide and follow its breathing circle.

Breathe gently and never force a hold. Skip fast or forceful breathing in pregnancy, high blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy or after recent surgery, and stop if you feel dizzy or breathless.