Vinyasa, often called “Vinyasa Flow”, is one of the most popular yoga styles on the contemporary yoga scene.
Flowing movements and good music, Vinyasa flow gives the sensation of performing gestures full of grace. There is no better feeling than to see yourself in the perfect warrior posture with a synchronized breathing tempo.
What is Vinyasa yoga ?
The word Vinyasa is a Sanskrit term meaning “arrangement in connection”. In a Vinyasa class, each movement is linked to breathing, so each flow of movement synchronizes the breath with the asanas. Different teaching styles offer unique experiences. Classes may include trendy or more traditional music, advanced or basic postures, and a quick or more relaxed sequence.
The class always includes sun salutations and an invitation to connect to a particular chakra. The sequence of the continuous Yoga Vinyasa postures is ideal to stimulate your heart, even if the pace is relatively slow. The only “break” to which you will be entitled will be during the posture of the ‘downward dog’ which will then give way to another more posture.
When vinyasa is used as a noun, it refers to a series of three postures that are part of a sun salutation sequence. When the teacher says, “Walk the vinyasa at your own pace,” he intends to go for a plank, a chaturanga, and an upward-facing dog (or their equivalent variations) using your breath to determine the right time to move on to the next pose.
If you start to get tired and this is affecting the quality of your postures, it is quite acceptable to skip the vinyasa and wait in child pose or downward facing dog.
The beginner version of vinyasa is plank → knee, chest, chin → cobra → downward facing dog.
The advanced version is plank → chaturanga dandasana → upward-facing dog → downward facing dog.
Similar to any kind of yoga, each movement corresponds to a breath. The ideal is to let your breathing guide the movement so that it becomes the engine of your vinyasa.
More info about Vinyasa yoga
The reasons for practicing Vinyasa can be summarized as follows:
- You will improve your memorizing and concentration skills by following the sequences.
- It’s all about variety, you can always find the Vinyasa yoga class that suits you.
- It helps you push your limits.
- You will work your cardio.
- It’s perfect for beginners.
- And Vinyasa is fun!
Is Flow Yoga for you?
The strength of Vinyasa lies in its diversity. If you like things that are kind of unpredictable and you like to modify and diversify your sequences, this style is definitely worth a try.
In most cases, there is no single philosophy, regulation, or sequence that teachers must follow, leaving much room for individual adaptation and add-ons. It is therefore essential that you find a teacher whom you like and with whom you can identify yourself. If your first class does not give you a sense of lightness and fluidity, keep trying different teachers until you find the one that suits you best.
