" Yoga for Everyone "

When you’re brand new to yoga, it can feel intimidating and be difficult to know exactly where and how to get started. Our Yoga for Beginners guide was created specifically for you—to give you all the tips, guidelines, and recommendations you will need to start a successful yoga practice. To ensure your success, we highly recommend you read this entire page before attempting any yoga. 

What Is Yoga?  Yoga is a vast collection of spiritual techniques and practices aimed at integrating mind, body, and spirit to achieve a state of enlightenment or oneness with the universe. What is normally thought of as “yoga” in the West is really Hatha Yoga, one of the many paths of yoga. The different paths of yoga emphasize different approaches and techniques but ultimately lead to the same goal of unification and enlightenment.  Hatha Yoga attains the union of mind-body-spirit through a practice of asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (yoga breathing), mudra (body gestures), and shatkarma (internal cleansing). These physical practices are used to purify the body and cultivate prana (life-force energy). Modern Hatha Yoga does not emphasize many of these esoteric practices and instead focuses more on the physical yoga postures.  Regardless of what your goals or intentions are for starting, just the yoga poses themselves is a fantastic form of mental and physical exercise.

Is Yoga Right for You?  Yoga is in no way exclusive—being able to practice yoga does not matter how old you are, how much you weigh, what you do for a living, where you live, or what religion you practice. Yoga is accessible for just about everyone.  If you have a medical condition or a recent injury, it can be challenging or dangerous to do certain types of yoga, specific poses, or breathing techniques. Usually, there are alternatives or modifications that can allow you to practice safely, and many common complaints have specific yoga therapy remedies. If you are recovering from an injury or are in poor health, we recommended consulting with a physician or other qualified health care professional before beginning yoga.  While you may feel some intensity in the belly of your muscles while in a yoga pose, you should never feel pain, especially in the joints. A sharp or intense pain is your body’s signal to tell you to stop, back off, and take it easy.

What Is the Best Yoga for Beginners?  If you are out of shape or extremely inflexible, we recommend you begin with a gentle practice until you have built up the strength and flexibility for more challenging sequences. If you are a relatively fit and flexible person, you should be able to jump right into a regular hatha yoga class. Once you are familiar with the basic postures, you can explore a vinyasa or flow class. We recommend you avoid Ashtanga, Bikram, or hot yoga until you have built up some physical strength and endurance. It is always best to error on the side of caution and safety and approach yoga slowly and carefully. The best way to know if yoga is for you is to give it a try!

How to Practice Yoga :  Yoga is typically performed in bare feet on a sticky yoga mat with optional yoga props. The yoga movements and poses require clothes that can stretch and move freely with your body. You can purchase clothing specifically designed for yoga practice, but you can probably put together a comfortable outfit from your existing wardrobe to get started.  Yoga classes may use additional props, the most common being straps, blocks, blankets, and bolsters. You don’t need to purchase these right away as you can easily substitute these items with scarves or neckties, a stack of books, and pillows. If you take classes at a yoga studio, they will provide everything that you need. 

Your First Yoga Practice : We recommend that you start with a short and straightforward yoga session and slowly build up from there. Once you feel comfortable with a few basic beginner yoga postures, you can incorporate them into a sequence and continue to add more challenging poses. Make sure you learn and follow the essential components of a yoga practice: breathing, meditation, intention, asanas, and relaxation. 

How Often Should I Do Yoga?  If you can practice yoga 3 or more times per week, you will see significant improvements in your flexibility, range of motion, strength, balance, inner peace, and overall well being. Ideally, we recommend shorter and more frequent sessions, 60 minutes long, and for a total of 3-4 hours spread over several days. Practicing yoga less than this amount will still be beneficial, but you will see smaller improvements over a longer period of time. Like most things, the more time you can dedicate towards it, the more benefits you will receive.

The Benefits of Practicing Yoga :  The benefits of yoga are almost endless! Practicing yoga helps build healthy virtues and good values, such as discipline, honesty, devotion, self-inquiry, mindfulness, and non-attachment. Yoga empowers you to make conscious choices toward living a more healthy and fulfilling life. Yoga also helps you:      

>> Keep your mind healthy and strong     

>> Reduce stress and promote relaxation     

>> Get a better night’s sleep     

>> Boost your immune system     

>> Help heal common aches like back pain     

>> Increase happiness and well being and reduce depression     

>> Lose weight and change your body shape     

>> Improve and maintain the health of muscles, joints, and organs     

>> Prevent conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and auto-immune disorders     

>> Improve flexibility, strength, stamina, mobility, range of motion, and balance

How to Improve After Starting :  Patience, commitment, repetition, and consistency are the keys to developing and progressing in the practice of yoga. After you’ve found a style, teacher, and yoga studio that works for you, try these tips:      

>> Commit to a regular schedule of yoga classes or home practice     

>> Increase the length of your practice and the number of days per week that you practice     

>> Attend yoga workshops that focus on specific aspects of yoga in more detail     >> Journal the effects a consistent yoga practice has on your body, mind, and heart     

>> Read and study to learn more about yoga     

>> Find sources of inspiration     

>> Make yoga friends and get involved in a community of yogis     

>> Adopt a yogic lifestyle 

What is commonly called yoga in the West is technically Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga (ha=”sun” tha=”moon”) attains the union of mind-body-spirit through a practice of asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (yoga breathing), mudra (body gestures), bandha (energy locks or seals) and shatkarma (internal cleansing). These body-centered practices are used to strengthen and purify the physical body, and cultivate prana (life-force energy) and activate kundalini (dormant spiritual energy). Modern Hatha Yoga does not emphasize most of these esoteric methods and instead focuses primarily on the physical yoga practices. 

What is Hatha Yoga?  The Sanskrit word “hatha” can be translated in English two different ways: as “willful” or “forceful,” as the active path of yoga—or as “sun” (ha) and “moon” (tha), as the yoga of balance. Taken together, hatha yoga can be described as a set of willful and active practices that aim to achieve harmony and balance in the mind, body, and spirit. This approach to yoga is often called “the forceful path” and includes the practice of physical postures and breathing techniques.

History of Hatha Yoga : In Sanskrit, Hatha means force. Hatha yoga breathing techniques can be traced back to the 1st Century in both Buddhist and Hindu texts, but it was another 1,000 years before the use of yoga postures, or asanas, and breath control was recorded as a way to enhance vital energy.  Classical Hatha yoga was developed in the 15th century and included guidance for the proper setting of yoga, asanas, pranayama or breathing exercises, mudras or hand gestures, and meditation for personal spiritual growth. 

In the history of yoga, hatha yoga is a fairly recent technique that was developed from theories and techniques of Tantra Yoga. The tantrics embraced the physical body as the means to achieve enlightenment and developed the physical-spiritual connections and body-centered practices that lead to Hatha Yoga. But Hatha Yoga is uniquely focused on transforming the physical body through purification and the cultivation of the subtle energies of the body. The ultimate goal of this  type of yoga is to direct the vital energy into the central channel and draw it up towards the crown chakra. 

Most modern classes do not teach the esoteric exercises of breath retention, bandhas and mudras that would channel and raise one’s energy levels high enough to attain enlightenment. And all of the techniques of this form of yoga are seen as preliminary steps to achieving the deeper states of meditation and enlightenment found in the path of raja yoga.  The oldest and most widely used ancient text on the physical practices of Hatha Yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. This book was composed in 15th century CE by Swami Swatamarama and is derived from older Sanskrit texts, the teachings from well-known teachers, and from Swatamarama’s own yogic experiences. 

The main goal of this text is to illuminate the physical disciplines and practices of Hatha Yoga and integrate these with the higher spiritual goals of Raja Yoga.  Swatamarama begins with explaining the relationship between the two, informing us that Hatha is a preliminary practice for Raja Yoga. He tells us that obtaining self-control and self-discipline is much easier when we start with the physical and energetic body, versus trying to directly control the mind as in Raja Yoga. Through the mastery of the prana, or energy of the body, we can then easily master the control of the mind and obtain success with Raja Yoga.

A Word From Verywell :  Hatha classes provide an opportunity to stretch, unwind, and release tension, providing a good counterpoint to both busy lifestyles and cardio workouts.   If you go into a Hatha class and it feels too slow or not active enough, don't give up on yoga completely. There are faster-paced, more athletic ways to do yoga. Try a flow, vinyasa, or power yoga class, and see if that's more your speed. 

Traditional Hatha Yoga poses :  The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes fifteen physical poses. Some of the names of these postures have changed over time and the instructions and alignment details have also shifted in modern yoga. It is interesting that many of these classical asanas are seated meditation poses and several are very advanced and challenging poses.      

Svastikasana – Auspicious Pose     

Gomukhasana – Cow-Facing Pose     

Virasana – Hero’s Pose     

Kurmasana – Tortoise Pose     

Kukkutasana – Cockerel or Rooster Pose     

Uttana Kurmasana – Tortoise Pose     

Dhanurasana – Bow Pose     

Matsyendrasana – Seated Twisting Pose     

Paschimatanasana – Seated Forward Bending Pose     

Mayurasana – Peacock Pose     

Shavasana – Corpse Pose     

Siddhasana – Accomplished Pose     

Padmasana – Lotus Pose     

Simhasana – Lion Pose     

Bhadrasana – Throne Pose  Modern popularity of Hatha Yoga

Modern popularity of Hatha Yoga :  It was not until the 1920s when Hatha Yoga became popularized and promoted in India with the work of T. Krishnamacharya and a few other brave and determined yogis. Krishnamacharya traveled through India giving demonstrations of poses and with other pioneering yogis promoted hatha yoga through its strong healing and other positive benefits. Since then, many more western and Indian teachers have become pioneers, popularizing this branch of yoga and gaining millions of followers. Hatha Yoga now has many different schools or styles, all emphasizing the many different aspects of the practice.

What to Expect in Hatha Yoga Class  : There are several different styles of yoga to choose from today. If a class is just labeled yoga, it is likely the Hatha variety. Hatha is considered a gentle yoga that focuses on static poses and is great for beginners. However, even though it is gentle, it can still be physically and mentally challenging.  While each class varies depending on the instructor, most classes last between 45 minutes and 90 minutes. Classes typically start with a gentle warm-up, advance to more physical poses, and end with a short period of meditation. Here's a breakdown of a typical class:      

Breathing: Most hatha yoga classes start with a period of focus on your breath or pranayama. As you go through the poses, your teacher will continue to remind you to focus on your breath and may offer different breathing exercising to try.     

Poses: Yoga poses, also called postures or asanas, are a series of movements that help improve balance, flexibility, and strength. Poses range in difficulty from laying flat on the floor to physically challenging positions. If at any time during your class, a pose is too difficult, your instructor can provide you with a modified posture.     

Meditation: Most classes end with a short period of meditation. During this period of quiet reflection, your teacher may ask you to lie on your back and may cover you with a blanket. Some instructors may take you through a guided meditation or may use Tibetan singing bowls. 

A traditional Hatha yoga class ends with participants holding their hands held together in a prayer pose over the heart, bowing, and saying Namaste to one another.

What is Hatha Yoga good for?  Hatha Yoga is usually taught as a householder path with a focus on the physical attainment of the poses. Hatha practices are designed to align, cleanse and calm your body, mind, and spirit in order to achieve deeper states of meditation and spiritual realization. A regular practice can improve strength, stamina, flexibility, range of motion, and balance; reduce stress; promote mental calm; and provide many other therapeutic benefits as well. The many different styles or schools of Hatha Yoga have more specific benefits. For example, if you wish to build strength and cardiovascular health, try a more vigorous style of yoga like vinyasa yoga, ashtanga or power yoga.

Ashtanga is a very dynamic and athletic form of hatha yoga, made up of six series or levels, with a fixed order of postures. It is rooted in vinyasa, the flowing movements between postures, with a focus on energy and breath. While it is a very physical practice, it also promotes mental clarity and inner peace.

Since the late 1990s, Ashtanga has been considered one of the most popular forms of yoga in the Western world. Ashtanga centers on a vigorous physical practice that includes a series of poses linked together with breath to form a continuous sequence. The practice demands an intense level of physical strength, flexibility, and endurance, which explains why many people see it as a rigorous and challenging workout. Whether you’re just starting out in yoga, or looking for something new as your goals change, adding an Ashtanga yoga class to your daily workout is a good way to keep your mind and body healthy and strong.

What Is Ashtanga Yoga?  The word Ashtanga is comprised of two Sanskrit words, “Ashta” and “Anga.” “Ashta” refers to the number eight, while “Anga” means limb or body part. Therefore, Ashtanga is the union of the eight limbs of yoga, into one complete, holistic system. These eight-limbs of yoga represent the various branches of the philosophy of the yoga sutras that form the foundation in the Ashtanga Yoga School. The Ashtanga philosophy is to integrate all of the eight limbs of yoga, which include: Yama (moral codes), Niyama (self-discipline), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (oneness with the self).

Ashtanga is a very dynamic and athletic form of hatha yoga, made up of six series or levels, with a fixed order of postures. It is rooted in vinyasa, the flowing movements between postures, with a focus on energy and breath. While it is a very physical practice, it also promotes mental clarity and inner peace.

Ashtanga posture sequences  Usually, students begin an Ashtanga practice with five repetitions of Sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B. This is followed by a set of standing poses, in 5 repetitions, then a set of seated poses. After you have mastered these three pose sequences, your instructor will guide you through the advanced series, Advanced A, and Advanced B, Advanced C, and D.

Where did Ashtanga Yoga begin?  Originally, Ashtanga Yoga was created by T. Krishnamacharya as an individualized practice for his young energetic student K. Pattabhi Jois in the early 20th century. The fast paced sun salutation movements are thought to have been influenced by the exercises of Indian wrestlers and gymnasts. Jois was a dedicated student, and he further refined and promoted this new style and soon began teaching others. These exhilarating and challenging posture flows were designed to purify the body to offer peace of mind, and eventually gave rise to many different styles of hot yoga, flow or Vinyasa Yoga, and power yoga.

Key Principles and Yoga Practices :  There are several key principles that underlie the practice of Ashtanga. This multiple-pronged approach promotes  physical health and mental wellbeing. These five principles are necessary for a successful ashtanga practice.

1. Ujjayi pranayama : This specific breathing technique is used throughout the practice. The victorious breath is a slow audible breathing technique used to warm, energize and increase focus and concentration. Additional pranayama techniques are only taught to advanced students.     

2. Drishti : A specific drishti, or focal point, is used in each asana. This helps create a more focused and meditative practice.     

3. Vinyasa : The core of the practice is synchronizing the breath to the sequence of postures and transitions in the series.     

4. Bandha : The engagement of the bandhas, or body locks, is encouraged throughout the class to seal in the prana energy and create core stability.     

5. Daily practice : A six-days-per-week routine is encouraged, with Saturday as the rest day. “Moon days,” the days on the full and new moon are also rest days, and women often refrain from practicing during menstruation.  

What is the difference between Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga?  Ashtanga is a set sequence of asanas while vinyasa is more free-style and improvised. Ashtanga classes begin and end with the class chanting Sanskrit mantras. Vinyasa classes are more popular in gyms and yoga studios and are often heated and play music during the practice.

What is the purpose of Ashtanga?  The intensive physical processes in Ashtanga are all about pushing through mental blocks, and emotional baggage to cultivate mental clarity, mindful breathing, physical strength, flexibility, and endurance. The structure and frequency of the practice is designed to help you quickly improve your body and overall wellness. The set sequence of posture creates a strong framework that allows one to focus on the inner limbs of the yoga sutras. 

Benefits Of Ashtanga Yoga :  The benefits of Ashtanga yoga are numerous. It is known to be strenuous, so it is great for athletes and people that are looking for a good workout. Like most styles of hatha yoga, Ashtanga focuses on breath, poses, and meditation. A regular yoga practice can improve your flexibility, breathing, and balance. It can increase your stamina, bone density and muscle strength, control your bodyweight, lowers your blood pressure and relieve stress. The benefits of the Ashtanga yoga are not only limited to physical factors. It also helps mentally and spiritually by boosting mental clarity, creating mental calmness and developing better concentration in daily life.

Ashtanga Online Classes :  You will find two different types of classes: Ashtanga Led and Ashtanga Mysore. During Ashtanga Led classes, the participants are led by a teacher through the primary, intermediate and advanced series together.  Mysore-style Ashtanga is an open practice time where students move through the same sets of asanas in each sequence but at each students own pace. You will still have the guided help of a trained yoga teacher, but you will need to learn and memorize the asanas and sequences more in this studio class. You can expect to receive more personal attention and hands-on adjustments in a Mysore-style yoga class.

Can beginners do ashtanga yoga?  As it is complicated, precise and physically challenging, Ashtanga is not the best style of yoga for beginners to practice, but beginners are still welcome to start. Because it provides specific and structured movements, you’ll be able to clearly see your improvements and progress. It’s also helpful because the primary sequences start with the kinds of movements and poses that are better suited for beginners. The primary series, also known as Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, is it focuses on centering, and building up a strong and healthy body for the more challenging series that follows. With the emphasis on individual instruction in Mysore-style classes, it’s also great for knowing when you’re doing your asanas correctly.

Is Ashtanga for me?  If you’re a person who needs one-on-one individual instruction, you might benefit from Ashtanga classes. If you’re a seasoned yogi, or you want something that makes it easier to measure your progression in the movements, and is easy to modify the asanas to suit your needs, Ashtanga may be the style of yoga you need. It’s also great if you want to focus your yoga practice on building strength and physical health. Ashtanga can help everyone from beginner to more advanced yoga practitioners.  Ashtanga offers people a highly structured approach to asana practice. You’ll always know when you’re progressing, and be able to tailor your approach to best meet your needs. With regular practice it can bring flexibility, strength, and focus and can also improve your mental state, giving you increased focus and clarity. 

Vinyasa, also called "flow" because of the smooth way that the poses run together, is one of the most popular contemporary styles of yoga. It's a broad classification that encompasses many different types of yoga, including Ashtanga and power yoga.

What Is Vinyasa?  Vinyasa stands in opposition to hatha. Hatha classes tend to focus on one pose at a time with rest in between.  In contrast, flow classes string poses together to make a sequence. The sequence may be fixed, as in Ashtanga in which the poses are always done in the same order, but most of the time vinyasa teachers have the discretion to arrange the progression of poses in their own ways.

In vinyasa yoga, each movement is synchronized to a breath. The breath is given primacy, acting as an anchor as you move from one pose to the next.  A cat-cow stretch is an example of a very simple vinyasa. The spine is arched on an inhale and rounded on an exhale. A sun salutation sequence is a more complex vinyasa. Each movement in the series is cued by an inhalation or an exhalation of the breath.

Where Did Vinyasa Yoga Originate?  Vinyasa Yoga or Vinyasa Flow is not a system and does not follow a clear lineage, hierarchy, or leading guru. There is no official founder of Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa Yoga is a modern style of yoga, born out of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga tradition. Rather than focusing on “getting into the posture” and then breathing, in Vinyasa Yoga, the aim is to keep the deep breathing and body consciousness consistent throughout all movements during the practice.

Helps build overall strength and flexibility : Vinyasa yoga is a creative form of yoga where poses are linked together with the breath in a flowing sequence.   The beauty of Vinyasa yoga is the variety. There is no standard sequence in Vinyasa yoga, so the style, pace and intensity will all vary depending on the teacher. Classes may be sequenced around a peak pose such as a backbend, or they might focus on a particular theme such as the chakras or an aspect of yoga philosophy. The class may be dynamic and focus on strengthening postures, or it may be a slower flow with an emphasis on mobility and flexibility in the spine or the hips.

What Does Vinyasa Mean?  The term vinyasa is a combination of two words. Nyasa has several meanings like "to place", “special order”, “attention”, “and vi, which means “specially". Vinyasa has many meanings in the Sanskrit language, however, in the context of yoga, Vinyasa can be best interpreted as      

Special way     

Special order     

With attention  

It is often understood as a practice with a theme or purpose consisting of poses linked and associated together.  

Benefits of a regular Vinyasa yoga practice :     

>> The steady cycle of inhales and exhales provides you with a calming, mental focal point.     

>> The continual movements, from one pose to another, gives you an added cardiovascular benefit creating internal heat.      

>> Increased strength and flexibility – whether slow or fast-paced, Vinyasa classes are a great workout for your body.

What to Expect in a Vinyasa Yoga Class :  A Vinyasa Yoga class is different from a Hatha Yoga class. Generally speaking, a Vinyasa Flow class is challenging in that it is focused on continuous deep breathing, and constantly evolving as your practice deepens.  The Sun Salutations from the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition form the backbone of a Vinyasa Flow Class. The Surya Namaskara A and B are used in their "pure" form to warm up the body, and then they are used as a red thread throughout the practice to weave in different asanas and exercises.

Vinyasa Tips for Beginners :  At first, the synchronizing of movement with your breath in vinyasa can be a bit challenging and discombobulating. However, once you get the hang of it and establish a rhythm that works for your body, vinyasa can ultimately deepen your focus and awareness. If you are struggling with your breath, know that it is okay to add extra breaths or to slow down and skip some movements to keep up with the flow of the class. Allow yourself to drop into the rhythm and flow of the practice rather than get caught up on specific poses or details.  Always remember not to sacrifice proper alignment to quickly move through a sequence. If your alignment awareness is off, supplement with slower and more alignment focused yoga classes.

Yin yoga works deeply into our body with passive, longer-held poses.  It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, the deep fascia networks of the body and the meridians. This is contrast to a Yang yoga practice such as Vinyasa yoga which targets the muscles.  

What is Yin yoga?  While Yang yoga practices (Ashtanga, Vinyasa) physically target the ‘superficial’ muscles, in Yin yoga, we target the deep connective tissues of the body – the ligaments, joints, bones, and deep fascia networks. A Yin class usually consists of a series of passive floor poses held for up to 5 minutes or more. These poses mainly work the lower part of the body – the hips, pelvis, inner thighs, lower spine. These areas are especially rich in connective tissues.   

Who is Yin yoga for?  Yin yoga is for you if you are tired and craving energy or you’re over-stimulated and have too much energy.  Our world bombards us with stimuli, 24/7, keeping our minds constantly busy with processing all the information that’s thrown at it. Whether the information is valuable or rubbish, it doesn’t matter; the mind still needs to deal with it. Eventually, we get used to that level of stimulus and start to crave it if things become quiet. So we end up browsing, looking for stuff; it doesn’t matter what, as long as we fill the gaps.  Any form of dynamic yoga caters to this aspect of keeping ourselves busy. Although the mind may calm down as a result of active exercise, we’re still feeding the part of us that craves intensity and wants to be stimulated. We just happen to have found ourselves a healthier stimulus! I’m not encouraging you to cut out the dynamic yoga, just try to balance all the on-the-go aspects of life. A great way to do that is by practising Yin yoga.

Yin yoga and the body  Yin yoga works on the yin tissues – also known as the connective tissues. Connective tissue responds best to a slow, steady load, which is why we hold the poses for longer. If you gently stretch connective tissue by holding a yin pose for a long time in this way, the body will respond by making it a little longer and stronger – which is exactly what you want.   Different Yin yoga poses stimulate and remove blockages in the myofascial meridians in the body, which in turn balances the body’s internal organs and systems. Yin yoga requires the muscles to relax around the connective tissue in order to get a stretch, so not every yoga pose can be done safely or effectively when practising Yin style yoga. Thus Yin asanas have different names.

Yin yoga and the mind  Becoming still in a pose and staying for a while creates those gaps that I referred to earlier. Keeping the gaps empty creates space for anything that wants to come up. This could be anxiety, happiness sadness, boredom…any emotion or feeling you suppress with all busyness in your life. Yin yoga gives you the time and space to allow emotions, thoughts and feelings you have kept in the shadows, to surface.  

Generally speaking, during a Yin yoga class, you will be encouraged to allow all those feelings to be there, but not to identify with them. To observe but not get caught up in them. It costs the body a lot of energy to keep things suppressed, so the release you feel from letting it all come out can be just as big.

Benefits of a regular Yin yoga practice      

>> Calms and balances the mind and body     

>> Reduces stress and anxiety     

>> Increases circulation     

>> Improves flexibility     

>> Releases fascia and improves joint mobility     

>> Balances the internal organs and improves the flow of chi or prana 

Try it out!  Asana Yoga School’s class, Yoga for a great mood – Yin style which works with poses that give you a positive physiological shift in your feeling state and energy. 

Power yoga is a general term used to describe a vigorous, fitness-based approach to vinyasa-style yoga. 1 Though many consider power yoga to be superficial "gym yoga," this style of yoga practice was originally closely modeled on the Ashtanga method.

What is Power Yoga ?   As the name suggests, power yoga is focused on building strength and endurance. It is also an excellent form of yoga for burning calories.  Although power yoga isn’t an official type of yoga, the term is sometimes used interchangeably with Vinyasa yoga. It’s probably more accurate to say that power yoga is a form of Vinyasa, which has its roots in Ashtanga yoga, an established practice that began in the early 20th century.  

With power yoga, the emphasis is on the flow from one pose to the next, rather than approaching each pose separately. The poses aren’t disconnected from each other, unlike some other forms of yoga.  No matter what you call it, power yoga is a fast-paced and intense activity. You move from one posture to another rapidly, linking your breathing to the different motions of your body.  

A power yoga class may seem more like an aerobics class than a relaxed, mindful yoga experience. Though it requires mindfulness and focus on your breathing, power yoga is more dynamic than meditative.

What are the key differences between power yoga and other types of yoga?  Power yoga differs from other types of yoga in a few important ways. Let’s look at these differences more closely. 

Speed  Unlike Hatha yoga, the most common form of yoga practiced in the United States, power yoga moves at a much faster pace.  Hatha yoga focuses on poses and breathing at a slower, more deliberate pace than power yoga.  The slower speed of Hatha yoga, and other forms of yoga that provide a more restorative experience, don’t deliver the same cardiovascular exercise benefits as power yoga. 

Sequence  Power or Vinyasa yoga uses many of the same postures as Ashtanga yoga, but not always in the same order.  Ashtanga yoga is a very precise practice, and each pose is done in the same sequence, no matter who is leading the class.  Power yoga classes, on the other hand, follow a sequence set by the instructor, or by the individual if you’re on your own. There is more variability and less structure with power yoga. 

Flow  One of the main differences between Hatha and Vinyasa or power yoga is in the flow.  Power yoga emphasizes the flow from one pose to the next, exhaling as you change positions. Hatha yoga is less focused on the flow of poses and more focused on achieving the right posture with each pose.

What are the benefits?  According to scientific evidence, power yoga provides a wide range of both mental and physical benefits. Here’s a look at some of the key benefits of this fast-flowing yoga style. 

Additionally, regular cardiovascular exercise, like power yoga, can benefit you by: strengthening your heart and lungs, helping control high blood pressure., improving cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar levels, building stronger bones and muscles, helping with weight loss, improving sleep, boosting energy levels.  

Is it right for you?  If you’re comfortable in an intense fitness class environment (think CrossFit), power yoga may be a good fit for you.  It may also be a good choice if you have a decent level of fitness and are accustomed to working out for 60 minutes or longer. Having some familiarity with other forms of yoga and yoga poses is helpful, too. 

How to get started  Power yoga classes are typically taught at fitness centers or yoga studios. When starting out, look for beginner or introductory classes, and ask your friends or co-workers for recommendations.  You may not see classes listed as “power yoga” courses, but instead they may be called Vinyasa yoga classes.  Before signing up, talk with the instructor or people working at the fitness center or studio to learn more about the power yoga class and what it includes. Also find out what level of expertise or fitness is needed for the class.  If you’re new to yoga, you may want to consider an introductory class in Hatha yoga. This can help familiarize you with a variety of yoga poses and how to do them correctly.  If you’d prefer to practice power yoga on your own at home, there are many online videos you can stream and follow along. You may also want to try out a yoga app that you can download to your phone or tablet. 

The bottom line  Power yoga, which is also known as Vinyasa yoga, is a fast-paced style of yoga that’s focused on building strength and endurance. It is also an excellent form of yoga for burning calories.  Although it requires mindfulness and focus on your breathing, power yoga is more dynamic than meditative forms of yoga, and provides a good cardio and strength-training workout.  You don’t need weights or other equipment, but it helps to have a certain level of strength and fitness for this style of yoga.  

Try it out!  Asana Yoga School’s class, Yoga for a great mood – Power Yoga which works with poses that give you a positive physiological shift in your feeling state and energy.