Ashtanga Yoga

Yes, if you take it gradually. Ashtanga is demanding, but because the sequence never changes, beginners can learn it a piece at a time. Tell your teacher it’s your first class, take the options offered, and rest whenever you need to. For a slower start, Hatha teaches many of the same shapes.

Ashtanga follows a set sequence in the same order every class, while Vinyasa classes change from one class to the next. Vinyasa flow grew out of Ashtanga, so the two share sun salutations and breath-linked movement. Choose Ashtanga if you like structure and repetition, and Vinyasa if you prefer variety.

Mysore style is the traditional way of teaching Ashtanga, named after the city in India where Pattabhi Jois taught. Each student practises the sequence at their own pace, and the teacher moves around the room offering one-to-one guidance. A led class is different: the teacher counts the breath and everyone moves together.

Ashtanga at VATA Studios is a non-heated class, and the timetable shows the heat for every class. The sequence builds plenty of internal heat on its own, so bring a towel and water, and rest whenever you need to.

Every class is led by an experienced, qualified teacher, and the timetable in the VATA Studios app shows who is teaching each class this week. You can meet the whole team before your first class.