Your Guide To IFY Virtual Classes
By Hannah Moran
Inner Fire Yoga offers a variety of virtual yoga classes: Hot, Inner Fire Flow, Flow, Yin, and Mindfulness classes. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “What’s the difference between all these class types anyway??” then read on!
This blog is your all-in-one guide to our various yoga offerings. We broke down each class type by skill level, length of class, props used, and what to expect so that you can create an informed yoga routine that works for you.
Hot Yoga
Sometimes called: 26&2 yoga; Bikram yoga; Original Hot Yoga
Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate
Props used: None! Just you and your asanas.
What to bring: Water. Lots of water. You’ll also need a yoga mat, a sweat towel, and a mat towel to lay over your yoga mat (keeps you from slipping).
Length of class: 60, 75, or 90 minutes
Great for: Building foundational strength, endurance, flexibility, detoxification, yogis with elbow/shoulder injuries
What to expect: This very disciplined class will be taught exactly the same way every time you take it, no matter the teacher or day of the week. Your teacher will take you through 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises in the exact same order, using the same dialogue, every time. The Hot Yoga sequence is not a “flow” or “vinyasa” class, but rather a series of asanas (or postures) separated by quiet moments of stillness. There is no music in Hot Yoga to keep distractions to a minimum. You’ll get a full-body workout, detox, meditation, and stretching experience all-in-one.
Flow Yoga
Sometimes called: Power Flow; Slow Flow; Vinyasa
Skill level: All levels (sometimes depends on the teacher)
Props used: Sometimes but not always - yoga block, yoga strap, yoga blanket
What to bring: Water, yoga mat, mat towel, sweat towel (optional: yoga block, yoga strap)
Length of class: 60 or 75 minutes
Great for: Strengthening and toning, getting rid of excess energy, learning new asanas
What to expect: Flow yoga links movement with breath (this the meaning of the word “vinyasa”). Unlike Hot Yoga, Flow Yoga will be different every time you take a class. Our teachers sequence their classes differently and use different music playlists every time, so you’ll experience a brand new experience with each class. Sometimes a Flow Yoga class will focus on a certain muscle group, mantra, or other theme. You’ll really feel your teacher’s personal style in a Flow Yoga class!
Inner Fire Flow
Skill level: All levels
Props used: None for 60-minute version; Yoga block for 75-minute version (optional)
What to bring: Water, yoga mat, sweat towel, mat towel (optional: yoga block, yoga strap)
Length of class: 60 or 75 minutes
Great for: Strengthening and toning, detoxifying, and getting rid of excess energy
What to expect: Inner Fire Flow is the bridge between Hot Yoga and Flow Yoga. It combines what we believe to be the best of both yoga styles and has become a true fan favorite in our community! Inner Fire Flow is a sequenced class, meaning it’s the same set of postures in the same order every time (similar to Hot Yoga in that way). It follows the general structure and even some of the exact asanas from the Hot Yoga sequence, while incorporating sun salutations and other vinyasa-style features. Accompanied by teachers-choice music playlists, you’ll really get your sweat on in this fun, energizing class!
Yin Yoga
Skill level: All levels
Props used: Bolster, blanket(s), yoga block(s), yoga strap, and sometimes sandbags
What to bring: Yoga mat, and as many of the props listed above as you have available to you (or something similar in size, texture and weight - ie. use a large book instead of a yoga block)
Length of class: 60 or 75 minutes
Great for: Joint health, spinal health, relaxation, meditation, grounding, before bedtime
What to expect: Yin Yoga is a grounding, meditative practice - the Yin to your Yang. The key features of a Yin Yoga class are long holds, stillness of mind and body, and usage of many yoga props. Yin postures are typically seated or reclined. The use of yoga props helps support different areas of the body so that you fully relax your muscles and allow gravity to do most of the physical work for you. A typical Yin Yoga pose is held for 2-5 minutes and targets the deep tissues of the body - joints, tendons, and other deep fascia. There are no warrior poses or vinyasas in Yin Yoga - it’s all about finding stillness and relaxing fully and deeply. Attend at least one Yin Yoga class per week as a part of your yoga routine to promote balance in your life and stay grounded.
Mindfulness
Sometimes Called: Meditation; Guided Meditation
Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate
Props used: Sometimes but not always - meditation cushion, yoga block, bolster, or blanket.
What to bring: An open mind :)
Length of class: 15 minutes
Great for: Grounding, re-centering yourself, clearing your mind, boosting your mood
What to expect: Our guided mindfulness classes are here to help you take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, be still, and just breathe. Our teachers will take you into the present moment and help you let go of that which does not serve you. You may be guided through visualizations, mantras, or breathing exercises. Mindfulness is an essential part of any yoga practice, so our mindfulness classes are offered to our community free of charge.
