How to do vinyasa yoga poses

Vinyasa yoga is one of the schools of yoga which is commonly known as “Flow Yoga”. It is known so because of the continuous change in the posture with the flow of the breath.

Vinyasa Yoga definition

Vi means joined and Nyasa means flow in Sanskrit, which explains its name. Vinyasa yoga which came from Hatha yoga and mixed with pranayama becomes a fast pacing and energising yoga class which indeed is beneficial in some manner. Somewhere it is misunderstood as Power Yoga but flow yoga is different by its slow nature of execution, while power yoga is flow yoga in the faster speed.

When you perform Vinyasa Yoga, you just need to practise how to continuously inhale and exhale air while the change in movement.

Steps-by-steps instruction of Vinyasa Yoga

There are various types of Vinyasa yoga posture which can be learnt, for a reference, I am stating here the easiest one, which is Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutations. In this 12 poses are done in a sequence of 6, in which last 6 poses are just repetition and backward of the same first positions.

Just one thing to notice that after each pose change you must the inhale-exhale system like in the first pose inhale and then stop for some time, after that change posture and exhale and then repeat the first sequence of inhaling. Hence you have to switch the breathing process in all 12 poses. Now I state the poses in Sun salutations.

Prayer pose: Stand on your mattress and Exhale the air. Then expand your legs and make rest to your shoulders. Join both hands in the position of prayer. Relax and then switch to the next pose.

Raised arms pose: Breathing in, move your hands up and take them in backward direction but let them still joined as they were in prayer pose. Stretch as far as you can ease. Wait and relax and then switch to the next pose.

Foot touch pose: Breathing out, move your hand ahead and then try to touch your feet with them. Stretch your body as far as you can. Stay in this position and then switch into next position.

Horse Channelling pose: Breathing in, come in the original prayer pose and then push your left leg in the opposite direction so that you will sit on the floor with one of your leg folded and another one in a backward direction. Remain in this pose for some time and then switch to next.

Stick pose: Breathing out, move your another leg also in the opposite direction and you will find that you are in a position same as a push up doing person is in. Just the difference will be that you are not going to come down but remain to stay in the air. Stay in the air for some time and then switch.

The Backward sleeping pose: Now come down on your stomach weight and relax for some time. Then switch to next.

Cobra pose: Move your head and upper body part to the roof position and stay in the middle for some time. Then switch.

Downward facing pose: Come in the backward sleeping pose and then move your buttock in the air and make a downward V-shaped pose. Remain in the pose and after some time switch.

Horse channelling pose: Move your one leg in the opposite direction and try to repeat the same position.

Foot touch pose: Repeat the foot touch pose.

Repeat raised arms pose and then come to original prayer position.

Benefits of Vinyasa Yoga

As Vinyasa yoga works mainly on balancing the breathe while changing posture, it gives body to gain strength in a long duration. This kind of yoga gives the body a routine of getting strained and getting relaxed at once. It helps us to gain a body which is habitual of straining and stretching which makes body flexibility improved and enhanced. And when the body is habitual of normal stretching, then it also prevents chances of muscle note, body sprain etc.

Precautions

You must understand that Vinyasa is a level up a yoga class to start up with, therefore for the newbie, I suggest starting with the primer ones and then coming to the Vinyasa. Also, you have to notice that all matter in vinyasa is regular or continuous breathing. So those participants who don’t have a proper breathing control should avoid doing Vinyasa. I suggest that they must practise pranayama daily first. Also, you must try to take yoga expert advice before to try any Vinyasa yoga posture.