Students must know the duration of a class as they'll need to align their practice with their schedule, and choose a class that matches their capabilities. A standard yoga class is 1-hour long but there are also classes, such as the full Ashtanga series, that last 90-minutes.

A typical yoga class begins with breath awareness, followed by a warm up. A series of postures is introduced to develop strength and flexibility, including standing, floor and chair work.

Hot yoga can be more intense in that it can make the body work harder and carries more risk than regular yoga for people with certain medical conditions. Heat can help people experience a deeper stretch while performing yoga poses, but there is a increased risk of injury.