You'll do fewer poses in a yin class, but you'll hold them for an eternity … or at least, that's what it feels like after a full 60 seconds in side angle. If you've ever assumed that a slower-paced yoga class must also be easier, allow yin yoga to disabuse you of that notion. Ashtanga practice is high energy from start to finish, so be ready to work-and to be inspired by the advanced students performing each familiar movement with gravity-defying acrobatic grace. Usually found at yoga studios devoted exclusively to ashtanga practice, classes will take you through multiple sun salutations followed by a series of sequenced poses (Primary, Intermediate, or Advanced). If you want a serious workout with solid cultural roots, consider this rigorous, intensely physical style of yoga that opens and closes with a traditional Sanskrit chant. You won't be climbing into your own bellybutton or balancing on your elbows for hours, but you'll come away with a good beginner's foundation in yoga, a few new Sanskrit vocabulary words, and a sense of the way classes are typically structured. But in advertising-speak, you can expect classes described as "hatha yoga" to be basic, gentle, and relatively generic. Strictly speaking, just about any yoga class is hatha yoga the word roughly translates from the Sanskrit as "forceful," and refers to the physical practice of yoga asana (postures) and prana (breathing). What's the difference between "hatha" and "ashtanga"? Is "Bikram" a person, a brand, or both? How hot is a "hot yoga" class? Here's the rundown of the most common yoga styles on offer in the West, and what they mean to you as a new student. Whether you're looking to build strength, improve flexibility, or learn the exquisite art of Om-ing, making yoga a regular part of your schedule is a smart idea. But if you're new to the practice, it can be hard to know where to unroll your mat for the first time-or how to decode the language that describes the classes on offer at your local studio or gym.
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