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If you are starting yoga, you might want to know the difference between Ashtanga and Hatha yoga. Both yoga types put a lot of focus on the physical aspects of yoga.
Ashtanga and Hatha yoga are not the same. Hatha is the most common type of yoga and is great for people who are just starting out. Ashtanga, meanwhile, is faster-paced and more structured. The main thing they have in common, though, is that both stress the physical side of yoga.
Let's now look at each yoga type in detail and their similarities to help you figure out which would be best suited to your needs:
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Hatha Yoga
Most people think of Hatha yoga as a slow, gentle class that's great for people who are just starting out with the practice. There are both standing and sitting poses in Hatha yoga. Both strengthen the body and make it more flexible. It takes time to explain each pose, which makes it a great place to start learning yoga.
As Hatha yoga is good for beginners, there are usually a lot of beginners in these classes. So, if you're just starting out with yoga, you may be glad to see a lot of other people who are also doing so.
Most of the time, Hatha classes are different depending on the teacher and time of day. For example, a class in the morning may be more energizing, while in the evening, it can be more relaxing and focus more on seated stretches than on standing ones. Nevertheless, both tend to work on making it easier to move from one position to another.
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga is a structured and dynamic form of yoga. It has a set order of poses that you do. Sun salutations help warm up the body. Then you move on to the standing poses, seated poses, and finally the inversions, which are a powerful way to end the practice.
In Ashtanga, the breath is used to help move from one pose to the next as you do the sun salutations, and you stay in each pose for five breaths at a time.
As taught by the great sage Patanjali, Ashtanga yoga has eight parts, or limbs. However, when we talk about the physical practice of Ashtanga yoga, we mean the obe that T Krishnamacharya taught to Sri K Pattabhi Jois, who then made Ashtanga yoga popular all over the world.
Ashtanga yoga is hard on the body and puts a lot of attention on breath and pose. It can help you get away from your mind and focus entirely on the yoga poses.
Similarities between Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga
Some of the similarities are:
1) Both Ashtanga and Hatha are forms of Hatha
Hatha is a type of yoga practice that focuses on working with the body. So, Ashtanga is a type of Hatha yoga.
2) Both poses look the same
Ashtanga is more active form than Hatha yoga, but there are many poses that are the same. For example, you will do downward facing dog, triangle pose, and warriors 1 and 2 in both classes.
What makes them different is how hard they are. For example, in a Hatha class, you might stay in each pose longer. and the teacher might spend more time making sure you're in the right position. Most of the time in an Ashtanga class, though, each pose is held for five breaths.
3) Both are customizable
Both types of yoga are open to people who have never done it before, and as such, there are modifications. There's no kind of yoga where "one size fits all." Even though Ashtanga can sometimes seem like that, it can be modified to fit the needs of each person.
Hatha is a slower type of yoga that's better for beginners, as it can be customized to fit their needs. There are also ways to change the Ashtanga primary series, especially if you are injured.
4) Breath is the basis
In both types of yoga, the breath is given a lot of attention. That's usually how every class starts. This breath is used in Ashtanga to help people move into and out of each set of poses as smoothly as possible.
As it's a more active practice, it takes a while to flow from pose to pose without stopping to catch your breath. In a Hatha class, it's often easier to follow the breath.
5) All classes end in Savasana
Lastly, both Hatha and Ashtanga yoga end with Savasana. The length and whether or not it's a guided relaxation may be different. Savasana is the last part of both types of yoga, and it usually lasts between 5-10 minutes.
Takeaway
Hatha is a good type of yoga to start with, as a general rule. That's because in Hatha, you need to stay in each pose for a while. That gives the teacher time to explain the poses and make changes, if necessary.
Ashtanga, meanwhile, is tougher, as the poses can be physically demanding and because they are done to the beat of the breath. Most people who are new to Ashtanga find it hard, but with practice, it can become easier to do.
As for which type of yoga is best for you, only you can only decide that. Our advice is: try both forms with sincerity, and go with whichever yoga resonates with your heart and requirements.
