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What's better for your body: slow yoga or fast yoga?

Slow yoga develops your mental toughness during uncomfortable positions.

Any type of yoga comes with different perks.

A smart yoga routine should incorporate both—ideally one power vinyasa sesh for every two slow sequences (like hatha) per week, according to Melanie Potiaumpai, a doctoral research assistant at the University of Miami.

Each type has its own perks; choose your day's flow based on the body benefits below.

SLOW YOGA

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Holding a pose will...

  • Increase flexibility as you fight through tension and tightness.
  • Improve muscular endurance with isometric (i.e., still) muscle contractions.
  • Develop your mental toughness during uncomfortable positions (looking at you,chair pose!).

Try this 30-minute yoga routine for strength:

POWER YOGA

Moving through rapid transitions will...

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  • Burn up to two more calories per minute than slow flows (that's 120 extra cals torched in an hour-long class), says new research.
  • Increase muscle activation significantly, helping you get stronger faster (FYI, your muscles will recover during static poses).
  • Reduce pulled-muscle injuries, thanks to the extra-dynamic stretches.

This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of Women's Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!

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