Anna Pursglove’s guide to the latest yoga etiquette will help you weave your way round the posers

Bring your hands to heart centre, return to the ujjayi breath and… hang on. Are you sure you want to do that? It might be interpreted as cultural appropriation of a Sanskrit word. Probably safer to just stick with ‘ocean breath’. 

Yoga, you see, is having a bit of an identity crisis. If you want to take a deep dive into the situation, Nadia Gilani’s The Yoga Manifesto will provide it. Gilani, who’s been practising for 25 years and is herself a teacher, is unimpressed by non-inclusive, overpriced classes and the (mis)use of Sanskrit. She is not alone. Alongside the multitude of Sanskrit-for-yoga posts to be found online, there is now a growing body of ‘Why I won’t use Sanskrit’ material, too. 

‘Namaste’, it’s worth noting, is foremost among the trigger words for this group. In a nutshell, they argue, it doesn’t mean what Western yoga teachers think it means (something along the lines of ‘the divine light in me bows to the divine light in you’), but more like plain old ‘hello’. This may not sound like an egregious mistranslation but, says the ‘back-to-yoga-basics’ camp, it is part of a pseudo spirituality pushed by a soulless ‘wellness’ industry. 

This is the same malaise, they say, that has given rise to a lexicon peppered with meaningless ‘oms’, starring the cringe-inducing ‘love and light’ sign-off. It’s got little to do with the original teachings of yoga and everything to do with making privileged Westerners feel as though they’re doing something more spiritually adventurous than toning their abs. 

Then there’s the explosion in specialist clothing depending on which type of yoga you favour. So interwoven has the kit become with the practice, I heard a friend call the class she attended ‘Gymshark yoga’. She was referring to a vinyasa flow class, but we knew exactly what she meant. 

Illustration: Eynon Jones. Anna Pursglove has created a specialist guide to yoga etiquette that will help you understand the different types and how to conduct yourself appropriately in each class 

This proliferation of niche yogawear has been reflected in the sales figures, with recent research (including data from big players such as Lululemon and Nike) estimating that a market worth £15.5 billion in 2020 will more than double to £32.5 billion by 2028. 

All this said, however, the majority of yoga devotees still appear to be perfectly happy with classes that borrow from an ancient tradition in order to create something new – with kit to match. These are also the people you will find signing up for ‘Broga’ (aimed at men), ‘Roga’ (aimed at runners) and ‘Slackline/Aerial’ (aimed at those with extra toes). 

Furthermore, say these fans of high-tech yogawear and hybrid classes, many of the yoga asanas (poses) can’t be traced back with any degree of certainty to before the early 20th century. It’s all pretty modern when you dig into it. This is true of the sun salutations and warrior poses. In fact, none of the oldest postures were performed standing. The poses most devotees practise regularly are more to do with gymnastics and bodybuilding than anything Eastern or mystical. You can’t bastardise something that’s already a cultural mishmash. 

So as yoga becomes more popular – and complicated – how do you navigate the etiquette? If you’re trying a class for the first time, which red flags tell you ‘namaste’ is frowned upon or that your leggings aren’t the right brand? Here’s our handy guide to avoiding a mid-pose faux pas… 

Vinyasa Yoga (rules also apply to ashtanga and rocket yoga) 

• Also known as power yoga. 
• Most popular get-up Kit by brands such as Gymshark, Nike, Under Armour and Lululemon. 
• Watch your language Teachers may use Sanskrit or English words – and even switch within a class. 
• Expect to be joined by people with high-tech mats and well-defined triceps. 
• Killer pose to impress Scorpion. 
• Do say ‘Chaturangas are so much harder than press-ups when you do them properly.’ 
• Don’t say ‘Shall we finish early and open a packet of Hobnobs?’ 

Yin Yoga 

• Also known as slow yoga. 
• Most popular get-up Something loose by Free People. High incidence of harem pants, too. 
• Watch your language Sanskrit is usually acceptable but some teachers prefer to give an ‘animal pose’ description plus a postural description to make it clear what you are supposed to be doing. So ‘Caterpillar’ might also be called ‘Seated Forward Fold’. 
• Expect to be joined by beginners as well as super-flexible octogenarians with zero body fat. 
• Killer pose to impress Camel – held for what feels like decades. 
• Do say ‘I’m really into deep fascia release.’ 
• Don’t say ‘Can we hurry up a bit?’

Bikram yoga 

• Also known as hot yoga. In fact, it probably will be called hot yoga since its namesake Bikram Choudhury faced sexual assault and harassment lawsuits in the US and fled to Mexico in 2017, making his name less of a draw. It is also sometimes referred to as 26-2. 
• Most popular get-up With its sequence of 26 poses plus two breathing exercises performed in a room heated to more than 40 degrees celsius and 40 per cent humidity, workout gear with sweat-wicking properties is essential. Although you may be tempted to wear as little as possible, leggings are generally best as they give you more grip than wet skin. Alo Yoga’s Airlift leggings are designed for this and are very popular. 
• Watch your language Hot yoga’s poses are described in both Sanskrit and English. 
• Expect to be joined by the very fit – working out in high temperatures is extremely physically demanding. 
• Killer move to impress Simply getting through a 90-minute class without taking a break. 
• Do say ‘Body odour? I can’t smell a thing.’ 
• Don’t say ‘Can somebody please open a window?’

Iyengar yoga 

• Also known as Unlikely to be called anything else. In the event that you are unclear as to whether you’re doing it, the use of props such as bricks, blankets belts and bolsters should give it away. 
• Most popular get-up Anything comfortable that you can stretch in. Labels are least likely to be on display here as Iyengar emphasises the non-competitive aspect of yoga. 
• Watch your language All the poses have Sanskrit names, and these will be used. 
• Expect to be joined by longterm devotees, but Iyengar also appeals to beginners or those recovering from injuries as the props allow for modification of poses depending on your range and level. 
• Killer move to impress One Iyengar yoga website claims: ‘Getting out the mat is the hardest pose.’ Most people, however, think it’s a handstand. 
• Do say the phrase ‘meditation in action’ which is at the heart of the Iyengar philosophy. 
• Don’t say ‘I’ve just dropped four figures at Lululemon.