Hatha, Vinyasa, Asana, Pranayama and more: this glossary explains every yoga term you'll run into as a beginner, in plain, friendly everyday language.
## Introduction "What on earth is a Vinyasa?" If that thought has crossed your mind while reading our yoga guides, don't worry — everyone goes through this at the start. Yoga comes with its own vocabulary, mostly from Sanskrit, and nobody absorbs it in one session. This glossary explains every important term you'll meet in our guides — in plain language, no textbook tone, so you're not googling mid-class what "Downward Dog" even means.
## The Big Yoga Styles Almost every yoga guide names its style first. Here are the four you'll see most:
Hatha (Hatha) is the slow foundational style: you move into a pose, hold it for a few breaths, then rebuild the next one cleanly. Perfect for starting out — like driving school before the highway.
Vinyasa (Vinyasa) literally means "placed in a special way" and describes a flowing style where poses link together like beads on a string. Every movement gets exactly one breath, which is why Vinyasa feels more like motion than a series of snapshots.
Ashtanga (Ashtanga) is the most disciplined variant: a fixed sequence of poses that stays nearly identical every session. Great if you like structure over improvised cues.
Yin (Yin) is the complete opposite of pace: you hold a handful of passive poses for 3 to 5 minutes at a time to target the connective tissue (fascia, German: Faszien) rather than the muscles. Some Yin sequences are also built around meridians (Meridiane) — energy pathways from traditional Chinese medicine.
Bonus term: Iyengar (Iyengar) is essentially Hatha with even more focus on alignment and a lot of props — ideal if you like precision.
## Gear & Props A word that shows up in nearly every beginner guide:
Props (Props) is the umbrella term for yoga equipment — anything that helps you reach a pose safely without forcing it. Using them is a sign of smart practice, not weakness.
Blocks (Blöcke) (cork or foam) essentially extend your arms: if your hands can't reach the floor in a forward fold, a block brings the floor to you.
The strap (der Gurt) is a fabric extension of your arm. You loop it around a foot or hand to reach poses your current flexibility doesn't quite allow.
The bolster (der Bolster) is a firm, elongated cushion that supports you in restorative or Yin poses — a couch pillow with a yoga job.
The mat (die Matte) should above all be non-slip; many guides recommend at least 6 to 8 mm of thickness — too thin and your knees complain, too thick and your balance wobbles.
## Breath, Focus & Energy Practicing yoga without these terms is like cooking without a recipe — possible, but the results are hit or miss.
Pranayama (Pranayama) is the umbrella term for conscious breathing techniques. "Prana" means life energy, and you learn to direct it through your breath.
Ujjayi (Ujjayi) breath is a technique where you gently narrow the space at the back of your throat. To you it sounds like soft ocean waves; to your training partner it can sound a bit like Darth Vader — and it sets the pace for your flow.
Drishti (Drishti) is your fixed gaze point during a pose: a spot on the floor or wall that gives you balance and mental focus, similar to fixing your eyes on the horizon to avoid seasickness.
Bandha (Bandha) literally means "lock" — a light, targeted contraction of specific muscle groups that stabilizes your core. The best known is Mula Bandha (pelvic floor), comparable to the reflexive tightening you do when you cough.
Abhyasa (Abhyasa) and Vairagya (Vairagya) are two foundational pillars from the ancient Yoga Sutras: consistent practice (Abhyasa) and letting go of attachment to results (Vairagya). In plain terms: keep showing up, but don't grip too tight.
## The Most Important Pose Names Almost every pose has two names — one in Sanskrit, one in your native language. Both show up in our guides, so here's your translation cheat sheet.
Asana (Asana) is the Sanskrit umbrella term for "pose" or "posture." When a guide talks about "the asana," it simply means whichever position is being discussed.
Tadasana (Tadasana), Mountain Pose, is the upright stand — looks simple, but it's the foundation for practically every other pose.
Uttanasana (Uttanasana) is the standing forward fold: your upper body hangs loosely over your legs, knees allowed to bend.
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Adho Mukha Svanasana), Downward-Facing Dog, is the inverted V-shape that shows up in almost every flow — hands and feet on the floor, hips lifted toward the ceiling.
Chaturanga (Chaturanga) is the low, shoulder-friendly plank hold — essentially a yoga push-up paused halfway down, common as a transition in Vinyasa flows.
Virabhadrasana (Virabhadrasana), usually just called Warrior (Krieger I, II, III) in our guides, is a family of powerful standing lunge poses for the legs, hips, and stability.
Balasana (Balasana), Child's Pose, is the go-to resting pose: knees on the floor, forehead toward the mat, arms relaxed forward or alongside the body.
Savasana (Savasana), Corpse Pose, sounds more dramatic than it is — lying flat on your back and consciously doing absolutely nothing at the end of every session.
Surya Namaskar (Surya Namaskar), Sun Salutation, is a fixed sequence of several poses (including Tadasana, Uttanasana, Chaturanga, Cobra, and Downward Dog) and the warm-up for almost every yoga class.
## Practice Terms for Later Alignment (Alignment) simply means how your joints stack on top of each other, so your weight is carried by your skeleton rather than constantly held up by muscle.
Flow (Flow) describes the flowing sequence of poses linked to your breath — another word for a Vinyasa sequence in motion.
Mysore-style (Mysore-Style) is the self-practice format of Ashtanga: you move through your fixed sequence at your own pace in the room, while the teacher moves individually from mat to mat instead of cueing the whole class out loud.
## Pro Tip Don't try to memorize these terms in advance — look them up here the moment you meet one in a guide for the first time. After two or three yoga sessions, the ten most common terms (Asana, Vinyasa, Hatha, Pranayama, Drishti, Alignment, Props, Flow, Bandha, Sanskrit) will stick automatically, and you'll read the next guides twice as fast because you're not stopping to look things up.
### What does "Vinyasa" actually mean? Vinyasa refers to both a yoga style and the underlying principle of linking movement to breath — each movement lasts exactly one inhale or exhale. In guides, "take a vinyasa" often means a short transition sequence between two poses, usually through Chaturanga and Downward Dog.
### What's the difference between Hatha and Yin yoga? Hatha is active: you hold poses with engaged muscles, usually for 30 to 60 seconds, building strength and mobility. Yin is passive: you relax completely into a pose and hold it for 3 to 5 minutes to target connective tissue rather than muscle.
### What exactly is an asana? Asana is the Sanskrit term for a yoga pose or body posture. Originally it referred mainly to stable seated positions for meditation; today it's used for practically any yoga position, from a simple standing pose to a headstand.
### Why do I need props if I'm already fit? Props like blocks or straps aren't a beginner crutch — they extend your body so you reach poses correctly instead of forcing them. Even experienced yogis use them deliberately to protect joints and keep alignment clean rather than push flexibility past its limit.
### What is Ujjayi breath? Ujjayi is a conscious breathing technique where you gently narrow the space at the back of your throat, creating a soft, ocean-like sound. It keeps your breath audibly even, sets a rhythm for your flow, and has a calming effect on your nervous system at the same time.
Yoga: Getting Started Overview