All About Hatha vs Flow Yoga- Explained Here!

Yoga is good for you. It lowers your stress level, increases your energy and makes you stronger.

There are two types of yoga: Hatha and Flow. Both are great for you, but there are some differences between them. 

This article will explain the differences and help you decide which type of yoga is best for you.

Let’s get started!

First, let us understand what we mean by flow yoga.

What is flow yoga?

Flow yoga is a type of yoga that uses several poses. The flow is from one pose to another. It is also called Vinyasa. This kind of yoga includes repetitions of the same pose and sometimes the same posture repeatedly in a row. 

There are flowing movements from one pose to another, but there is no particular order for the poses in a class. Each person does the poses in their way. Therefore there is no order.

The difference between Hatha and Flow yoga can be understood from the following points:

What is the philosophy of yoga? Hatha yoga focuses on purifying the body, while flow yoga focuses on purifying the mind. Flow yoga helps you to become aware of your body while doing a pose. 

Also, you can see that different moves are used for a particular posture to help you reach a deep level.

What is the focus of yoga? Hatha focuses more on physical aspects, while flow yoga focuses more on mental aspects. For example, in the Upward-facing dog pose, you are sitting up with your knees bent. 

One of your focuses is on your legs in this pose, and you must be careful not to overstrain them. On the other hand, in a flowing class, your mind is free to concentrate on different things or maybe even start to daydream.

What does the class look like? Flow yoga classes take place in a studio, and types are usually minor compared to Hatha yoga classes.

What’s the focus of the teacher? A good flow yoga teacher can see your movement very well and know what you want (or not). They can select the flow poses that help you move deeper into your posture. 

Also, they can decide which pose you will be doing next. Finally, a good flow yoga teacher can give you the support you may need to reach that more profound level of your pose.

Why is Hatha Yoga better than Flow Yoga?

So, if flow yoga is so incredible, why do people still do Hatha yoga? Well, there is no doubt that flow yoga can be excellent, but not everyone can use it. For some, it’s too challenging because the poses are strenuous or intense. 

If you are interested in learning yoga but don't have much time, Hatha yoga is a better choice for you. In a Hatha class, the poses are easier to do, and it only takes about an hour to do all the poses. 

You will not benefit from flow yoga if you can’t do the poses well enough because flow yoga relies on your ability to do the poses well and without stress.

Also, there is no correct order for doing your poses in a flow class, making it difficult for some people. Some people like to know what they will be doing next; some prefer to do the same pose several times in a row, and some want to know what order they should do each pose.

Hatha yoga is easier for beginners than flow yoga because it is more focused on the physical aspect of yoga. Flow classes focus more on the mental part of yoga. You will find that flow classes can be pretty challenging compared to Hatha classes. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned the difference between Hatha and flow yoga!

Happy Flowing!