Yoga Styles With Fluidity

The bulk of time spent in a typical yoga class consists of a series of poses designed to tone your muscles, increase flexibility and connect mind and body. A yoga practitioner uses controlled and fluid movements coordinated with the breath to get herself into and out of a number of positions including forward and backward bends, as well as twisting and balancing poses. Some styles of yoga, like Vinyasa Flow, emphasize fluidity more than others.

Vinyasa Flow

Vinyasa flow is probably the most fluid style of yoga. There is no set sequence of poses. The instructor choreographs the class as she desires based on the principles of hatha yoga, so the connection between the poses is seamless. Typically, you inhale or exhale with each movement and most poses are not held for multiple breaths. Due to the fast and fluid pace of this style of yoga, students in intermediate class students are expected to already be familiar with the names of basic yoga poses.

Ashtanga

Ashtanga is a yoga style that flows from pose to pose. In a typical class, you hold each pose for five seconds. There is a progressively difficult set series of poses for level one, level two and level three. Practitioners memorize the poses and flow from one to the next as a moving meditation. The emphasis of Ashtanga yoga is on developing and exercising your strength, flexibility and endurance. A movement that requires a narrow-stance pushup and a back bending exercise links most poses and adds to the fluidity of this style of yoga.

Bikram

Bikram yoga is also called hot yoga. This fluid style of yoga starts with breathing exercises, followed by a set sequence of 13 standing poses followed by 13 sitting poses performed in a room kept at temperatures between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Similar to Ashtanga, practitioners memorize the sequence of poses and flow from one to another. Poses are held for up to two minutes. Expect to sweat profusely. Bring a thin towel to cover your mat, a hand towel to wipe your sweat and a bottle of cold water.

Hatha

All styles of yoga are based on the poses presented in the Hatha style. Those new to yoga often find this style the easiest to follow, because the class moves at a slower and less fluid pace than other yoga styles. The beginning of a Hatha yoga class flows because of a standard series of poses called sun salutation or suryanamaskara. There are various forms of sun salutation and you either inhale or exhale with each movement. Typically, the series contains about up to 15 movements including forward bends, lunges, a pose called downward facing dog and a series of movements that requires a yoga pushup called chataranga dandasana. The other parts of a Hatha class do not typically flow from one pose to the other.