Deciphering yoga styles in Australia
Despite the science about yoga’s benefits not being well understood, 1.4 million people are said to have practiced it in Australia during the 2022–23 financial year. The industry’s peak body Yoga Australia defines yoga as an ancient system that offers wisdom techniques, and practices that offer physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
“The general approach of exploring your edge is common to any style of yoga,” says CEO Josh Pryor. But he says the difference in styles comes down to “what do you do at that edge? Do you linger there and try to go past it, or do you drop it back and focus on breathing?”
He says to outsiders, for example, both restorative yoga and Yin might look the same, but they feel anything but. Yin yoga involves deep stretching of the body’s connective tissues, whereas restorative yoga might use props like a block or pillow to support the release of mind-body tension to heal.
He says Yin involves going to the end range of a stretch where the joint can’t move any further and remaining there for minutes which can be intense, whereas restorative yoga might use a similar pose but won’t go to the end range so it’s more comfortable and relaxing.
