A vinyasa yoga class can often be rigorous and athletic, and participants work up a sweat, explains Jen Fleming, a yoga instructor and teacher trainer in Atlanta, who is certified by Yoga Alliance, the world’s largest nonprofit yoga association that certifies teachers and schools. “People do vinyasa yoga for a variety of reasons, but one of those is usually to get in better shape,” she says. Although vinyasa yoga can be a set sequence of poses that are performed the same way in the same order every time, as in ashtanga, it more often varies from class to class, in terms of which poses are included, the order, and the transitions, Worsley says. “Vinyasa classes [with the exception of ashtanga vinyasa] can be very different depending on the part of country, the yoga community, and the training and philosophy of the instructor,” says Worsley. Even though vinyasa classes can vary in speed and difficulty, the common denominator is that the movements are supposed to be synced with the rhythm of your breath and flow, she explains. Vinyasa is actually a type of a broader category of yoga called “hatha,” which is categorized by the coordination of movement and breath. The “flow” in vinyasa classes distinguishes it from other types of hatha yoga, according to Rishikul Yogshala, an international yoga education organization. (2) It means that each inhale and exhale is supposed to trigger a different movement of the body. For example, exhaling might be the signal to raise your hips up into a Downward-Facing Dog pose from a Child’s pose. The following inhale would signal moving into the next pose of the sequence. “Eventually you might get into some poses that you hold for a certain number of breaths, perhaps slowing down the breath before moving into the next position,” Worsley says. RELATED: Hot Yoga: Is It Safe? And How Hot Does It Get?
Ashtanga Ashtanga yoga has roots in ancient Sanskrit texts (where the origins of all yoga practices date back to). (2) But in the 20thcentury in the United States, K. Pattabhi Jois is recognized as popularizing a specific version of this type of yoga. (3) It’s vinyasa because it links movement to breath, but unlike most other forms of vinyasa yoga, in Jois’s style of yoga the exact same poses are performed in the exact same order every time. (2)Baptiste Yoga Founded by Baron Baptiste, this approach is rooted in three pillars: asana (the Sanskrit word for “yoga poses”), meditation, and inquiry — with the latter two pillars intended to help participants get mentally, as well as physically, stronger. (4,5) Classes are designed to be challenging and active, but also accessible to everyone, according to the brand’s website. (4) There are more than 170 affiliate Baptiste yoga studios around the United States. (4)Jivamukti Yoga This type of vinyasa yoga incorporates physical yoga with spiritual development. Chanting, breath work, spiritual teachings, eclectic music, and meditation are part of this flowing yoga class. Jivamukti offers six types of classes, with a slower-moving option for beginners. (6)Power Yoga The term “power yoga” is claimed to have originally been coined by Bryan Kest. Though the phrase is now used generically, Kest describes power yoga as a version of ashtanga yoga, containing “elements of physical exercise, mindfulness, moderation, and meditation,” per his website. (7) If you sign up for a power yoga class, expect to work on strength and flexibility, says Worsley. “You’ll get warm and possibly work up a sweat in a power yoga class.” Slow Flow Some classes are titled “slow flow” or “slow vinyasa” (which is also a generic category of yoga classes rather than a specific branded style). In a slower class, the teacher can spend more time helping people into and out of the poses and it can leave more time for talking through how to get into each pose, says Fleming. The slower pace can make this kind of vinyasa yoga more beginner-friendly, she adds.
RELATED: How Practicing Yoga Benefits Your Health
Is Vinyasa Yoga Beginner-Friendly?
It can be helpful to have some experience with yoga before taking a vinyasa class, says Worsley. Because you’re moving from pose to pose, the instruction from the yoga teacher will be focused on how to move through the sequence rather than necessarily focused on everything you need to know about specific posture and alignment in each pose. “It can move a little faster than other yoga styles,” she says. Worsley recommends taking an alignment-focused class or a “slow” class to get familiar with the poses if you’re an absolute beginner when it comes to yoga. RELATED: Yoga for Beginners: What to Know Before You Go
What to Expect in a Vinyasa Yoga Class
In vinyasa, the sequence of movements progresses according to the three rhythms in nature: a beginning, middle, and end. “A vinyasa class follows a bell curve,” says Fleming. “There’s usually a warm-up, which could be a sequence like Sun Salutations, to help warm up the body and the muscles,” she says. Typically, after the warm-up you would move into standing postures and balancing postures, says Fleming. “It’s almost like a dance in a yoga format, where you’re inhaling into one pose and the next exhale you’re in another pose,” she says. Sometimes, it’s a more comprehensive flow that uses all the different parts of the body, and sometimes the instructor might focus on a particular part of the body. “A class could focus on external rotation of the hips one day, and on another day focus on the shoulders by going into backbends,” says Fleming. Often, classes end with a final resting pose called Savasana, which literally means “corpse pose.” Savasana is a relaxation pose which can reduce feelings of stress, according to the Yoga Alliance. (8) There are different ways to do Savasana: You can position your spine on a bolster, with legs propped up on a chair or straight up against the wall. In the traditional Corpse pose you lie flat on your back with your legs resting hip distance apart and your arms relaxed alongside your body with your palms facing up, says Worsley. RELATED: Yoga Props: All About Mats, Bricks, Straps, and More
