Iyengar: Symmetry and alignment B.K.S. Iyengar developed this yoga style, which stresses understanding the body and how it works. Students focus on symmetry and alignment, using props — such as straps, blankets, wooden blocks, and chairs — to achieve postures. Each pose is held for a longer amount of time than in most other yoga styles. Teachers of this discipline must go through an intense, long, and rigorous training program.

a yoga of precise poses that are held, sometimes with the aid of props like belts or blocks

hatha yoga practice that emphasizes structure and alignment using props

a type of yoga named after its founder, Sri BKS Iyengar

Iyengar (or Aiyangar) is the name of a community of Tamil Brahmins of South India whose members subscribe to the Visishtadvaita philosophy codified by Ramanuja. The word Iyengar (Anglicised from the Tamil ஐயங்கார்(Aiyaṅkār)) literally means "people characterized by Five Components", referring to the five parts of Divine worship that Sri Vaishnavas who have had pancha samskara under a qualified guru perform.(Also see http://www.ahobilamutt.org/samas.html). Experts in historical linguistics observe however that the appellation 'Iyengar' is similar in formation to other historically known appellations such as 'appangar', 'annangar', 'ammangar' - all of which are constituted of two terms viz., a kinship term denoting an 'elder' and the Telugu honorific 'garu', a term of respect - appropriately contracted to 'gar' in spoken Tamil.