Contemporary classes labelled yoga range from strenuous sequences to sessions spent almost entirely still. The two ends differ in aim, method and appropriate use.
Vigorous styles work through continuous movement
Flowing practices link postures to breath and move steadily, keeping the body warm and raising the heart rate for extended periods.
The demands are those of a conditioning session, involving strength, balance and mobility maintained under fatigue.
Their attentional element comes from the pace, since a sequence that moves continuously leaves little capacity for anything other than the current instruction.
Restorative styles work through supported stillness
Restorative practice uses props to hold the body in shapes that require no muscular effort, and positions are held for several minutes.
Removing effort is the point rather than a concession, since the intention is to let the body settle rather than to load it.
The attentional element here is the opposite of the flowing version, arising from having nothing to do and remaining present anyway.
Passive stretching is a third and separate thing
Some slow styles hold unsupported shapes at the end of range for long periods, which is not the same as restorative practice despite the similar pace.
These place sustained load on connective tissue rather than removing load, and the sensations and risks differ accordingly.
Classes sometimes blur the distinction, and students expecting rest can find themselves in a demanding practice held for several minutes at a time.
Injury patterns differ between them
Vigorous practice tends towards overuse and acute strain, particularly in wrists, shoulders and lower back where load is repeated at speed.
Long-held positions tend towards joint and nerve complaints, arising from sustained pressure rather than from force.
Neither is inherently unsafe, and both benefit from a teacher who watches individuals rather than delivering a sequence to a room.
Matching style to circumstance matters more than choosing one
Practitioners commonly use different styles at different times, favouring supported stillness during illness, high stress or heavy training loads elsewhere, and movement in ordinary weeks.
Teachers with clinical training adapt further for individuals, and anyone with a specific injury, a cardiovascular condition or a pregnancy should seek advice tailored to their own circumstances rather than selecting a practice by the name on a timetable.
Descriptions used in listings are inconsistent between studios, and the same word can denote very different sessions in two places. Asking what a class actually involves remains considerably more reliable than the label attached to it.