What is the Difference Between Hatha + Vinyasa Yoga?

There’s a bunch of different styles of yoga, and some are more similar than others. When discussing the topic of Hatha vs Vinyasa yoga, it’s important to look at the evolution of the terms. Historically, Hatha has functioned as the umbrella term whereas Vinyasa is technically a form of Hatha. Within the yoga world, there’s been a distinction as to what a Vinyasa class specifically is.

When you see something labeled as a Vinyasa class you’ll notice transition, flow, and an overall cohesion of the practice through movement. Hatha simply means putting movement to breath. There are some similarities between Hatha and Vinyasa, such as: they use the same postures and they both require you to spend a significant time in standing poses compared to other styles. Their basic structure is also similar, linking movement with the breath.

Over time, the term Hatha has become more synonymous with a strong physical practice that energetically encapsulates more stillness, precision and alignment while Vinyasa has been used to encapsulate a more physical practice that incorporates flow, rhythm, and breath.

Let’s take a look at some of the traits that differentiate Vinyasa from Hatha.

What is Hatha yoga?

As mentioned in Light on Yoga, the name Hatha can be translated from Sanskrit to mean “Sun & Moon,” taken from Ha (sun) and Tha (moon). The classical understanding of Hatha is a little different from today’s interpretation. In modern understanding, Hatha yoga has been more defined as a specific style of yoga practice which includes precision, alignment, stability, grounding, strength and flexibility. Hatha yoga is considered more accessible to start and is a great place for beginners to get familiar with how-to do yoga poses.

Some traits of Hatha yoga include:

Holding postures for a few breaths at a time

Putting focus on individual postures rather than the sequence and linking between postures

Practicing at a slower pace

Having the time and space to truly focus on the correct alignment of each pose

Benefits of Hatha yoga:

Strength

Balance

Flexibility

Example of a Hatha yoga class:

What is Vinyasa yoga?

In the book “Health, Healing, and Beyond,” Krishnamacharya’s son Desikachar defined the concept of Vinyasa Krama like this:

“The concept that guides the performance of an asana and also the course of practice is called vinyasa. It means step-by-step, a progression that has a beginning, middle, and end… The asana is performed with concentration on the flow of the movement and smoothness of inhalation, exhalation, and retention, and toward a prescribed completion. Each step is a preparation for the next. And so it is with a sequence of asanas. Each posture is part of a flow of exercise; a beginning, a building toward a posture that is the height of the program, and then the progression toward an ending.”

Some traits of Vinyasa yoga include:

Dynamic body movements

Focused on physical fitness

Incorporates hopping and jumping

Uses sun salutations as a driving force between the structure

Focuses on transitions between postures

Links each posture to an inhale or exhale

Benefits of Vinyasa yoga:

Good as a cardio exercise (fast-paced movement can help you get your heart rate up)

The focus on breath can help to improve lung function with all that activity helping to put your lungs to work

Can help to build strength

Core strength

Upper body strength

Flexibility

Lengthen muscles safely

Increased mobility

Full body workout

Example of a Vinyasa yoga class:

Hatha vs Vinyasa yoga: Which one is best for you?

Ultimately, there are many similarities between every type of yoga. There are even aspects of yoga that bleed into other spiritual and physical practices. It’s important to remember a couple of things when determining which practice is best for you:

What am I looking to gain from this practice (spiritually, emotionally, physically)?

How am I feeling as I navigate these different practices?

Are there particular areas I need to work on that a specific practice can help me with?

What is most aligned with the practice that I typically wish to practice or do I wish to switch it up and try something new?

Vinyasa yoga is good for…

Those who are looking for a more athletic practice: There is more hopping and jumping and it will be faster-paced.

Those looking to sweat: Vinyasa will have cardio, with faster movement between postures.

Those looking for dynamic, expressive movement: Vinyasa yoga is sort of like a dance in a lot of ways. There is more dynamic, expressive movement and fluidity between postures.

Those looking for more creativity and playfulness in the sequences.

Hatha yoga is good for…

Those who want a more grounding practice that feels strong and stable.

Those who are looking for a more slow paced practice (not to be confused with gentle yoga). In Hatha yoga you can still expect to practice advanced poses depending on the level of class you take.

Those who want to master particular poses and increase their stamina in standing poses.

If you’re looking to further your understanding of the Hatha and Vinyasa yoga practices, head to the YogaRenew YouTube Channel or enroll in our online yoga teacher training courses. Inside our courses and YouTube videos, you will learn the comprehensive breakdown of the Hatha and Vinyasa style of yoga and how alignment plays an integral role in both of them.

[……]

Read more

Vinyasa Yoga Glasgow

Vinyasa yoga can be both dynamic and gentle, cultivating a sense of lightness within the body and quiet within the mind.

Vinyasa Flow Yoga is a creative, unique, and dynamic flowing sequence around the sun salutation. Designed to increase strength and flexibility, the vinyasa flow class is taught from a functional approach and provides modifications and variations to help you find your own level of depth and comfort.

Dynamic Vinyasa Yoga is an intermediate level class that focuses on inversions like headstand and arm balancing sequences. If you are seeking to advance your practice, this class will suit you. It is both invigorating and challenging, so a general level of fitness will help. However, don’t let that put you off as you can improve your fitness level by regular attendance of this class.

Slow Flow Yoga is a Moon salutation based class, creating flowing transitions between yoga postures interspersed with longer held poses. In these longer held shapes, you will have the space and time to breathe and relax any tension out of your muscles and work deeper into your connective tissue.

Vinyasa Yoga is a unique blend of Hatha yoga, Classical Ashtanga and Vinyasa Krama Yoga. The class philosophy is that yoga is for Every One, Every Body, and Every Mind. As a result, the yoga teacher adapts and modifies the class to ensure the building of strength, stamina, and flexibility for all who attend.

Vinyasa Krama Yoga is a traditional and holistic approach that involves carefully sequenced postures, gradually leading students toward a deeper practice. With a focus on alignment, breath, and mindfulness, Vinyasa Krama Yoga offers a transformative journey for practitioners of all levels.

The Benefits

Vinyasa Flow: Embrace flowing movements that gently stretch your hamstrings, fostering flexibility and warding off potential injuries. Dive into a sequence that harmonizes your body’s rhythm.

Vinyasa Yoga: Elevate your practice with a fusion that enhances flexibility, boosts strength, and builds your endurance. Unite the energies of different yoga styles for a transformative experience.

Slow Flow: Discover tranquility and serenity as you gracefully transition between postures. Experience the synergy of gentle movement and stillness, nurturing both your body and mind.

Dynamic Vinyasa: Unleash your potential with invigorating sequences that amplify your strength and flexibility. Progress in your practice as you explore headstands, arm balances, and more.

Vinyasa Krama Yoga: For those individuals who wish to experience a more traditional style of yoga which has its roots anchored deeply in the passed. It links breath to movement gradually leading the practitioner from simple sequences until with patience & small steps they reach a more advanced level.

[……]

Read more

Vinyasa Yoga and Why You Should Try It

If you’re looking for a style of yoga that feels more like a dance workout and less like a slow-paced and restorative practice, consider vinyasa. Vinyasa involves moving quickly from one pose to the next in a flow. As you move through postures and sequences at a faster pace, you increase your heart rate.

“The hallmark of vinyasa is the organic flow of breath and moment. It literally means ‘to move in a special way’ and that special way is with awareness,” says Jonah Kest, a Nike trainer and vinyasa and ashtanga yoga instructor.

In vinyasa flow yoga, you synch movement with every inhale and exhale. For example, you inhale during the lengthening phase or the expansion part of the pose and exhale as you move into the deeper part of the pose, according to the American Council on Exercise.

Many people refer to vinyasa as a form of ashtanga yoga, where there is one breath for each movement. Other styles of yoga, such as hatha yoga, tend to be more rigid and require you hold a pose for a few seconds before moving into another posture. But with vinyasa, the free flow is like a dance, and your breath is your partner, Kest explains.

You can expect to do traditional yoga poses and postures, such as downward-facing dog pose, plank post, upward-facing dog pose, forward fold pose, and warrior I, II, and III poses, as well as sequences that involve sun salutations, binds and twists in a vinyasa class.

Now that you know what vinyasa is about, read on to learn some of the benefits of following this style of yoga, whether for beginners or more advanced practitioners.

The Benefits of Vinyasa Yoga

1.Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

Because you transition from one pose to the next in vinyasa flow, you increase your heart rate and make your body work harder for a longer period of time, even though you’re moving at a lower intensity.

“The cardiovascular and lymphatic systems greatly benefit from vinyasa yoga. Stamina increases as you practice as well as heat builds in the body. This creates more circulation and ultimately purifies the body,” Kest says.

According to a small August 2020 study in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, which enlisted 24 moderately trained participants to do a 90-minute yoga class, vinyasa yoga effectively improved their cardiovascular fitness and promoted weight loss. Plus, yoga counts as a moderate-intense physical activity according to an August 2017 study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

This means that vinyasa yoga is a great low-impact and moderate-intensity cardio exercise to do in between other demanding workouts, such as HIIT, running, and cross training, throughout the week.

2.Strengthened Muscles

By working with the resistance of your bodyweight, you’ll strengthen different muscle groups, including your arms, back, core, butt and legs, Kest says.

For example, holding a plank pose in yoga builds up your core while enlisting the strength of your arms and shoulders to maintain stability. Doing chair pose targets your quads and glutes, and warrior III recruits your back, core, glutes and hamstrings to balance.

3.Increased Flexibility and Mobility

Flexibility is your muscles’ ability to move a joint or group of joints through its full range of motion. Vinyasa yoga moves your muscles through a variety of poses in different directions and ranges of motion — which naturally increase their flexibility.

The more pliable your muscles are, the more you’ll be able to make your workouts more effective and reduce your risk of injury and pain. In fact, doing any form of yoga, including vinyasa, can help relieve chronic lower-back pain by strengthening your deep core muscles, which support your back, according to Harvard Health.

4.Reduced Stress Levels

Kest says that vinyasa is essentially a moving meditation because you’re connecting your breath to your mind through movement.

“I always leave a practice feeling lighter physically and emotionally than when I walked in,” Kest says. “You can increase your focus, become more emotionally resilient and bring yourself closer to your spirituality. It’s amazing how turning your attention inward can bring this much benefit.”

In a small June 2019 study in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 17 college students followed a six-week program that involved doing a 60-minute vinyasa yoga class once weekly. By the end of the program, the students significantly reduced their stress and anxiety levels, suggesting that vinyasa yoga can be effective in lowering stress as part of meditation and mindfulness practice.

Vinyasa yoga has also been shown to help reduce stress associated with quitting smoking. A small January 2016 study in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy found that doing a 60-minute vinyasa class, which included breath exercises and relaxation techniques, twice a week, helped participants cope better with cigarette cravings and stress. It also helped them feel more relaxed and increased their body awareness.

Who Can Benefit the Most From Taking Up Vinyasa Yoga

Kest says that vinyasa yoga is a generally safe and effective workout for everyone. “If you are breathing, you can practice yoga,” he says. But it’s particularly beneficial for those who find it hard to relax and are experiencing a great deal of stress.

“The high-strung type-A personalities can benefit especially, as vinyasa can really help one get out of their head and into their body,” he says.

That said, make sure to consult your doctor before beginning a new workout routine, especially if you have a health condition or are easing into exercise after an injury. Working with a certified yoga instructor who specializes in vinyasa can also provide you with modifications if a posture or sequence feels too challenging or is causing pain or discomfort.

If you’re a seasoned athlete, doing yoga is a nice break from your high-impact and more intense workouts. And for fitness newbies or those who prefer low-impact exercise, yoga can be a great bodyweight cardio workout that’s easy on your joints. Vinyasa flow yoga can complement a variety of other fitness programs.

For beginners, the most important thing is to have an open mind when starting a new yoga practice — vinyasa flow included.

“Come with an empty cup, no expectations. Sometimes it’s best to just throw yourself into the fire. There is no preparation for life and vinyasa is the dance of life,” Kest says. “Ultimately, vinyasa is a breathing practice first; everything else is optional.”

[……]

Read more

Kareena Kapoor flows right into the new week with a Vinyasa flow on the reformer

Kareena Kapoor has her fitness A-game on pointKareena Kapoor loves to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. Recently, the actress’ fitness instructor Namrata Purohit, offered us a sneak peek into her weekday training session. On her Instagram Stories, the coach heaped praise on the Jaane Jaan star for “working hard” with commitment and dedication. While Kareena is a master of crunches, pilates, and push-ups, the physical activity she tried this time was Vinyasa — a type of yoga form. Vinyasa Yoga is a free-flowing process connecting one pose to the other, coupled with the conjoining of unified breathing and smooth movement. Some benefits of performing Vinyasa Yoga include improved heart health, improved flexibility, strengthening of the immune system, reduced risk of high blood pressure, and a lower risk of blood sugar and cholesterol levels. In the picture, Kareena was seen deftly pulling off the asana by stretching her arms, bending one leg and the other extended backwards.

Kareena Kapoor is all about the yoga life and ensures her fans know it. Chakrasana or the wheel pose is one of her favourite asanas that she is often seen attempting like in a recent Instagram post. The yoga asana targets your shoulders, arms, and wrists, helping to strengthen them. “Do you have a pose that keeps you on your toes?” she captioned the post, before confessing that she “loves” the yoga pose. Balancing her palms on the floor, and toes touching the ground, the diva’s perfect arch left us impressed.

When Kareena Kapoor wants to try something different other than yoga, she shifts her attention to pilates. Earlier, Namrata Purohit gave us a glimpse of the actress “burning it up” with a hardcore pilates session on her Instagram Stories. Dressed in neon pink athleisure, Kareena was seen giving her all to pulling in and out the resistance bands, a concentrated expression on her face. Some advantages of pilates are improved posture and flexibility, muscle strength, enhanced level of balance, and stress management.

[……]

Read more