The Styles Of Yoga

The Styles of Yoga – Real World Chat with Benefits for Sports Performance, Cross-Training & Mobility Work

The first time you meet a yogi, step inside a yoga studio, or delve right into a yoga class – you feel like you’ve entered a whole new world. And sometimes, it’s not in a good way. Right down to simply the names of Yoga classes: it’s a whole new language.

And that’s where Elements Studio aims to differ. This isn’t just a studio for yogis, nor are our classes all yoga classes. However, the yoga classes that we offer, all unique in their nature, do have the power to benefit a number of different people in their unique areas of growth. With this in mind, we have created a little guide towards the styles of yoga – but taken the “yogi talk” out of it.

At Elements we offer 7 different styles of Yoga classes – in addition to a variety of movement enhancement classes, strength and sculpting classes, and restorative classes (plus treatments!). These 7 classes fall into 4 different categories of yoga – and we find that the best way to choose a class for you is to base your selection on how your body is feeling – and nourish your body with a form of movement accordingly.

If you’re starting the week feeling energetic and motivated, choose a class to challenge yourself with new hurdles. If you’re feeling like an escape from life, choose a class that enables you to flow. If you’ve already hit your body pretty hard the last few days, take a slowed down session to still build yourself, but in a reverse way. And if you’re just struggling to put one foot in front of the other, with muscle soreness at an all time high, a restorative yoga class is for you.

Forget the yoga language, and listen to your body. Then use this guide as your “Flow chart” towards which class to immerse yourself into.

A fast-paced flow, featuring relatively traditional yoga, leaving you with a real “workout” feel and the ability to really escape into the movement.

Meet what we call ‘Vinyasa’. This is yoga that embodies flow. Vinyasa means, ’to place in a special way’ – and in Vinyasa sequences we use the breath in a special way. One breath, one movement. The more you do, the easier it gets: because you will start to find a flow, recognize a lot of our common movements and flow, and find a lot of muscle memory between movements. Vinyasa is the perfect way to connect the body to the breath and let that flow elope you.

Elements Studio offers two styles of Vinyasa: Vinyasa + Hot Vinyasa. In either class, you’ll feel a dynamic, flowing, and rhythmic class with a focus on the union between movement and breath. Our Vinyasa class is a slightly faster-paced, energetic practice with smooth, effortless transitions that will leave you feeling invigorated. This class offers you the opportunity to connect more deeply to their body and breath through

the freedom to explore the feeling of moving in unity, all while finding those moments of connected bliss & stillness throughout the practice. Choose the Hot Vinyasa and you’ll enjoy a real sweat: with the room heated to 35 degrees through infrared heat panels.

A teaching of the yoga foundations: with intelligent and thorough guidance. The class helps you progress your practise, learn and overcome new hurdles.

EmPower yourself. This is a class that teaches you the foundations of yoga, including philosophies, breath work, peak poses and mental cues – whilst empowering you to push forwards with your practises too. Expect a lot of traditionalism to the movements you are doing within this class, combined with an innovative and intelligent approach by the teachers to give you all the guidance and empowerment to reach new levels of your yoga journey: both mentally and physically. For those who are particularly interested in the yoga practises, this is an amazing class for you. But it is also a class for those who feel they are struggling with overcoming barriers in their training or in their life.

Empower Yoga classes within Elements Studio focus on alignment, muscular engagement and mental focus, together with traditional yoga sequences. This is taught at a slower pace than our Vinyasa class with a strong focus on alignment and longer holds in postures. Our EmPower class will have a specific theme or teachings of Yoga philosophy woven

through the practice and give you the chance to explore some of the more advanced Asana in a safe and supported space. A class that will Empower your practice and your mind. Suitable for all levels.

Empower L2 classes at Elements Studio follow the same foundations and class design as the original EmPower classes – however are designed as a means to advance your practise and challenge yourself towards something a little more difficult. For the yogis who want to go further, this class specialises on advancing your practice from transitions to more tricky postures and peak poses. Get ready to jump straight in + break down our peak pose of the week using anatomy, strength preparation and a mixture of traditional practices and new tricks.

When you’ve hit a few vigorous sessions for the week, and are ready for a workout that is a little more slowed down. Perfect for incorporation between strength-training & physically demanding activities.

Hatha Clas

ses & Yin Classes. These classes are also very common to the yoga world – and are the perfect starting point for beginners to yoga interested in getting to know your positions, your body’s limits, and finding your way towards truly connecting with your body, breath and mind. Yin classes feature long-holding individual poses – with no or minimal amount of flow. This is a really simple and drawn-back style of yoga: which makes it optimal for beginners. You will move from one peak-pose of yoga to the next.

Element’s Studio’s Yin Yoga class is a quiet, meditative practice with long, deep holding of passive seated and laying poses. Using mindful muscle relaxation, Yin targets the connective tissue nourishing joints, ligaments, and deeper layers of fascia. This class is the perfect complement to more vigorous yoga practices, strength training & other activities like running & cycling. A wonderful way to offset stress and balance busy bodies.

If you feel like a little more of a ‘happy-medium’ between a slow-paced recovery class and a class that feels like a workout – meet our VinYin class. VinYin is a chilled out combination of delicious flow followed by yin yoga: the perfect balance of Yin and Yang. Begin with some gentle breathwork and movement to ground you into your body before transitioning into deeper Yin holds for the majority of the class. The perfect class for those who need time to drop down out of their busy headspace and reconnect to themselves before settling into the stillness of a Yin practice. Physical this class will help gain flexibility and help work through injured areas of your body.

When you feel stressed, tense and fatigued:

Restorative Yoga. Restorative Yoga flows are the relaxing and grounding style of yoga. This is a yoga form that, unlike the vinyasa, power yoga and strength classes of our studio that work your muscles to grow and strengthen them, doesn’t really use your muscles at all. Instead, you find a number of different positions, often using props. You will hold poses in restorative yoga classes for a lot longer, as you let your body relax into the holds, and connect with the deeper connective tissues. So when you think restorative yoga; think long, deep stretches, and the ultimate level of “winding down” relaxation.

Our famous Elements Studio restorative yoga class is “Rest + Restore”. Rest + Restore is the perfect way to chill out ! Enjoy a relaxed sequence to prepare the body for rejuvenating rest. Release the subtle and energetic body and nurture your nervous system with this nourishing practice – switch off the fight or flight stress response and allow yourself the space to pause and restore. Deep, restful, supportive poses and a delicious Yoga Nidra to end the class.

Getting Started with Yoga at Elements Studio

For all the non-yogis reading this: we have some good news for you. Elements Studio is a studio that is about so much more than just yoga, and our teachers embody that. Throughout your classes, you’re bound to notice the difference in instruction and design of classes – we care about teaching balance and building functional and strong bodies: not teaching just yoga. No matter what your sport, background or aim in life that is prompting you to consider yoga benefits – we can work with you very specifically to achieve that goal.

The best way to trial our teachers, our classes, and the benefits of yoga movements, ‘asana’ could serve you – is to jump onto one of our 30 Day Intro Passes!

Elements Yoga & Movement Studio – 30 Day Intro Pass

Unlimited Access to all Elements Classes (Including Yoga Classes, Movement Classes, Strength Classes, Sculpt Classes and Restorative Classes)
Free Mat Hire & Storage
Use of In-House Infrared Sauna
1-On-1 Teacher Consultation
One-off $89 Payment, No Lock-In Subscription