Hatha Yoga

Yes. Hatha is one of the kindest places to start at VATA Studios. Postures are held for several breaths, so you have time to learn each shape, ask questions and rest when you need to. Bring water and a towel, arrive ten minutes early, and tell your teacher it’s your first class.

Pace. Hatha holds each posture for several breaths and pauses between them, while Vinyasa links postures into a continuous flow, one movement per breath. Hatha gives you time to refine alignment; Vinyasa builds rhythm and more body heat. Many people start with Hatha and add Vinyasa once the shapes feel familiar.

Slower isn’t the same as easy. Holding a posture for several breaths asks for steady strength, balance and focus, and you’ll feel it in your legs and core. Your teacher can show you a gentler version of any pose, so you set the effort that suits you on the day.

Hatha is a Warm (32°C) class, 60 minutes long, at both studios. Infrared panels warm the room gently, and the timetable shows the heat for every class. Warm classes are a good first step if you’re new to heated yoga: you feel the warmth without the intensity of a 40°C room.

Hatha is a Sanskrit word often translated as force or effort, and it’s sometimes explained as the union of ha (sun) and tha (moon): effort and ease in balance. In practice, Hatha has come to mean the physical side of yoga, practised through postures and breath.