Asana is one of eight limbs of yoga. In the Western World it’s clearly the most popular and many are only aware of this type of yoga. Vinyasa Yoga is what we think of classes that involve “heat”, “stretching”, “flow”, and most of the stuff we seem to find if you look up yoga on the internet. Yoga Asana is the physical movement of the 8 limbs of yoga, it is said the ancient yogi’s created asana to prepare our bodies (and our minds) for savasana and meditation. Meditation is one of the other 8 limbs of yoga (known as Dhyana in the 8 limbs.) Of Yoga Asana “Vinyasa” is the most popular form however there are many other ways to practice yoga asana beyond flow classes. In this article I share five Asana Yoga practices not named Vinyasa.

Why practice any Asana other than Yoga Vinyasa?

1. Learn something new.

2. Find out more about yourself and what brings you joy (and you can offer the world) through the Yoga Asana limb.

3. Find a different community of yogi’s than your Vinyasa homies.

4. Gateways and portals to the other 7 limbs might feel and seem more accessible to reach through a different asana. (Meditation or concentration could feel easier to reach through a different asana path.)

5. No reason. Even knowing it’s not the only version is knowledge and beautiful to simply be aware of the existence of other asana practices.

6. Samadhi. Samadhi is the goal of the whole yoga practice. All roads and paths of the other 7 limbs lead to samadhi. Any way we can create variants towards it are beneficial.

Five Asana Yoga Practices NOT named Vinyasa
(For the purpose of this article these can be found at a studio and often involves you putting your booty on a yoga mat.)

1. Ashtanga.
   Ashtanga is a series of poses performed in the same sequential order each and every time. It’s a great practice to learn if you do yoga in campgrounds or on the road like I do. It’s also often done without music and “Primary Series” classes are often 90 minutes. Ashtanga has several building variations and can be a very intense physical practice. There’s a large emphasis on the breath and it can be done at your own pace in a group. The studio I first learned this practice at had an “open house” each morning called MySore which is doing the Ashtanga Sequence at your own pace while in a group setting with a teacher and/or teachers. Some studios offer Ashtanga classes and there are even some “Ashtanga” studios. It stays closer to the ancient asana ritual created in modern day India than most flow practices.

2. Yin.
   Yin is when you hold poses for several minutes at a time. Deep release and a focus on relief, concentration, and breath are paramount in this practice. It can be confused with a restorative practice but Yin is NOT Restorative. In fact Yin Yoga can be downright INTENSE depending on the pose. Yin has always been an incredible recovery tool for me after intense physical exercise like HIIT, Hiking, and Weight Lifting.

3. Restorative.
   Yes I believe Restorative Yoga is a form of Asana. You are in a class, you are on a mat, often led by a teacher, and you practice breath and meditation. While not as physically demanding as Ashtanga or Yin this is an excellent form of Yoga Asana practice. Restorative is meant to do simply that…restore your body, mind, and soul.
   Most studios I have found offer one or two restorative classes per week on their schedules. Get ready to relax, recharge, and slow down!

4. Kundalini.
   Kundalini can be interpreted as more of a restorative practice at first glance. Not a lot of movement and no Warrior poses or Handstands. BUT be ready for an intense (and often sweaty) asana practice regardless of how little movement there is. The sweat and intensity come from the BREATH and wow do you breath in a Kundalini class. Kundalini is designed to open up the 7 Chakras running up and down your spine. It’s a spiritual energy known as Shakti that is located at the base of your spine. When the Kundalini Serpent has opened you might feel an energy more associated with stimulants like caffeine or marijuana. For those who are runners I would describe it as the “Runners High” in terms of how you might feel during or after a class. It’s a low impact yet highly incredibly fulfilling yoga practice.

5. 26.2 Yoga.
   More popularly known as Bikram Yoga. The founder of 26.2 has now been discovered to harass and sexually assault women, but the sequence he created is still around. The Yogi/Guru/Predator documentary on the rise and fall if Bikram Choudhury is now on Netflix HERE.
   In full transparency I find him to be a horrible, ego driven, and dangerous human being who created a decent yoga sequence that can offer many other humans a lot of support. The sad and complicated human paradox at work again. I don’t really practice it anymore because of what has happened but it’s around.
   Many studios have rebranded the classes to call them 26.2 so if you see this name it refers to the 26 asana postures and 2 pranyama exercises you will do. It’s also typically heated at 104 degrees.

Vinyasa can be a great physical workout but there’s much more to Asana Yoga than just this form! Try something new and see how you like it.

I hope you can find ways to try and test out other variations of the asana practice. You might find much more joy and beauty in some of these other asana practices than you could have ever imagined.

I have been consistently practicing these five mentioned asana practices off and on for over ten years. At first I only did Vinyasa and the yoga portals opened up for me when I went to other “Asana Practices.”

And remember, Asana Yoga is just ONE OF EIGHT LIMBS of Yoga. Let’s Practice!

To Your Health,
Mike