Hatha, Vinyasa, and Power Yoga—what makes them different?

by Sibyl I. Health Enthusiast

Hatha, vinyasa, and power yoga are all wellness exercises, but where are they different? And what makes them similar? Find out what sets them apart here.

Distinguishing between different forms of yoga can be difficult. Is this breathing-focused workout hatha or vinyasa? Thankfully, when you know what the function of the workouts are, you’ll be able to tell which routine belongs where.

Hatha

Originally, even way before self-taught programs in online yoga classes, it was an ascetic tradition. At that period, hatha was the classical yoga that was practiced by a select collective. In Sanskrit it means “force”, and it was meant to embody the physical part of the exercise in connection to the spiritual one.

Done slowly, one stance at a time, hatha workouts focus on how to stretch and hold your body in a single pose. Putting an emphasis on mindfulness and relaxation, there is more deliberation to achieve poses by minimizing movement.

Hatha excercises have been proven by medical data to reduce stress, build the muscle and core, and make you more flexible.

Vinyasa

As a branch of modern yoga typically paired with mat pilates in online classes, vinyasa exercises do not stray too far from the traditional hatha. It also bears some resemblance to pilates, but an easy way to spot the difference is to keep in mind the necessary pace. Whereas the traditional yoga style gives pause for rest, vinyasa flows from one pose to another, following the inhale and exhale of one’s breathing.

For a lot of online vinyasa yoga classes, the pace of the workout relies on the instructions of a trainer. While there is some truth to this practice, the transition in positions ultimately depends on the breaths that you take in between.

Ideally with enough training in classes, you will gain a bodily awareness, so that when you move on to the next exercise, you will become mindful that it is your breathing that makes you move.

This is what makes the routine particularly stimulating. As such, it builds endurance, strengthens stability, and helps with cardio.

Power Yoga

A common misconception is that this can be used interchangeably with vinyasa (or even mat pilates, especially since in some online classes they go together). While they are similar, their terms aren’t usually used alternately. It would be less confusing to say that power yoga is a form of vinyasa, whose origins can be traced to ashtanga.

Perhaps because of its objectives, which is to test your body’s limits to move from one dynamic pose to the next in quick succession, it is more closely related to aerobics workouts than to traditional yoga. However, there is still some form of hatha in the way power yoga connects your breathing to the different movements in your body.

This practice can be for people who want more challenge to their routine, and in some programs they even mix hatha, vinyasa, and power yoga in their classes, online or in the studio. It can be a treated as a workout that reduces calories.

The key differences is that hatha focuses on the rest between poses, vinyasa on the breathing flow of the pose sequence, and power yoga on the quick succession of the poses. They may differ in usefulness, but these are all considered meaningful exercises that are beneficial to your health, fitness, and wellness.