Types of yoga explained — and which one fits a surf trip

“Yoga” is one word covering a dozen very different practices. Some will leave you sweating; some will leave you nearly asleep. If you've only ever done one class and decided yoga “wasn't for you”, there's a fair chance you simply met the wrong style. Here's what each one actually involves — and, since you're reading this on a surf retreat's website, what it does for someone who spends their mornings paddling.

Hatha — the foundation

In the West, “Hatha” usually means a slower, general-purpose class: individual postures held for several breaths, with attention to alignment, and some breathing work. It's the style most beginner classes are built on. Nothing flows quickly; you have time to understand each position.

For surfers: the best entry point if you've never practiced. Teaches the body positions everything else builds on. Not a workout in itself.

Vinyasa — movement linked to breath

Vinyasa classes link postures into continuous sequences, with one breath per movement. The pace varies from gentle to demanding depending on the teacher, but the defining feature is flow: you rarely stay still. Sun salutations are the classic Vinyasa building block.

For surfers: a good morning practice before the water — it warms the shoulders, hips and spine through a full range of motion, and the breath-movement link is the same coordination you use paddling into a wave. Not ideal right after a long session when the shoulders are already spent.

Ashtanga — a fixed, vigorous sequence

Ashtanga follows a set series of postures in the same order every time, performed at a steady pace with a specific breathing technique. It's physically demanding and repetitive by design: the sequence doesn't change, so progress is measurable. Traditional Ashtanga is practiced six days a week.

For surfers: builds serious strength and discipline, but it's a full-body workout on its own. Combining daily Ashtanga with three surf sessions a week is a lot for most bodies. Better as an off-season practice than a retreat-week one.

Yin — long, passive holds

Yin yoga holds a small number of floor postures for three to five minutes each, with muscles relaxed rather than engaged. The target isn't muscle but connective tissue — fascia, ligaments, joint capsules — which responds to slow, sustained load rather than repetition. Classes are quiet and can feel uncomfortable in a way that has nothing to do with effort.

For surfers: arguably the most useful style for the evening after a session. Hips, lower back and shoulders take the surfing load; Yin gives them time to release. The stillness is also a real counterweight to the adrenaline of the morning.

Restorative — supported rest

Often confused with Yin, but different in intent. Restorative yoga uses props — bolsters, blankets, blocks — to support the body completely, so that no effort is required at all. Postures are held for long periods, and the goal is a nervous-system reset, not flexibility.

For surfers: for the day the body says no. After a rough session, a bad night, or a long flight. It's not exercise; it's recovery.

Iyengar — precision and props

Iyengar yoga is built around exact alignment, with postures held longer and adjusted using belts, blocks and walls. Teachers train for years and correct in detail. It's slow, technical and unusually good for people working around an injury.

For surfers: if you have a chronic issue — a shoulder that clicks, a lower back that complains — this is the style that will teach you what's actually going on in the joint.

Kundalini — breath, repetition, sound

Kundalini combines breathing techniques, repeated dynamic movements (kriyas), chanting and meditation. Physical effort is real but secondary; the focus is on breath and energy. Classes feel very different from postural yoga and either resonate immediately or not at all.

For surfers: the breathing work overlaps with pranayama — controlled breath under effort is a skill that matters when you're held under by a wave. The rest is a matter of taste.

Hot yoga / Bikram — heat as a tool

Bikram is a fixed series of 26 postures performed in a room heated to around 40°C. “Hot yoga” more loosely means any class in a heated room. The heat increases sweat and perceived flexibility; it also increases the risk of pushing a joint further than it should go.

For surfers: in Tamraght, the ocean and the sun already provide the heat. We don't see the case for adding more.

Which style, which moment

• Morning, before surfing — Vinyasa (moderate) or Hatha: warms the body without emptying it
• Evening, after surfing — Yin: releases hips, back, shoulders
• Rest day — Restorative: nervous-system reset
• Working around an injury — Iyengar: precision, props, patience
• Never practiced — Hatha: learn the shapes first

What we practice at AMANAR

We teach two styles, chosen for the two moments of a surf day. Vinyasa in the morning, on the rooftop at sunrise, facing the ocean — the flow warms shoulders, hips and spine before the water. Yin later in the day — long, quiet holds that give the hips and lower back back what the session took. Pranayama, a dedicated breathing session, has its own slot midweek. Sound healing closes the week.

Wellness package residents have two yoga sessions a week included; residents on other packages can join on a drop-in basis, subject to space.