What is the Difference between a Workshop and Masterclass?

Whether you are new to yoga, practiced for years or you’re a yoga teacher, sometimes you would like your favorite class to last a little longer. When you start searching it’s easy to find these special yoga classes named workshop or masterclass. But what’s the difference between these specialty yoga classes? The first thing to know is they differ from a regular yoga class in length, topic, intensity or level of interaction, discussion or experience. But let’s try look how it compares to a regular class.

XL class
It’s a regular yoga class, but is is longer & usually “juicier”. The teacher has more time to let you go into the practice and to expand on things they might have to shorten in a normal class. Usually they include more elements, longer breathing or longer relaxation.

Workshop
Here learning objectives are achieved through lecture and/or discussion, but always with experiencing by practicing. Workshops move from theory to practice, with emphasis on understanding. Sometimes show and tell, helpful for visual learnings too!

Masterclasses
These are specialty classes in which learning objectives are achieved through in-depth practice accompanied by detailed instruction from someone who is an expert. The focus is specific, and the flow may break for comments and questions. Conventionally, you are getting content from a master teacher. Note: you don’t need to be a master, but be curious to learn from one! In music, traditional master classes have this refinement: all the students (and often spectators) watch and listen as the master takes one student at a time. In a yoga master class, don ‘t be surprised if a teacher asks a student to show something to help the learning process!

General yoga classes often require students to focus on their own practice and go inward, holding discussion to a minimum. In workshops and masterclasses, students are encouraged to openly discuss the topic and even observe one another’s bodies and practices.

In essence – don’t be afraid to try any of these formats!

Beginners to more experienced people alike can learn, the time you invest in exploring more deeply will impact your daily classes and practice.