An Introduction To Yoga Vinyasas

In yoga, the term 'vinyasa' carries a number of meanings.

The most common usage of the term occurs in the context of power yoga; indeed, yoga vinyasas are what put the 'power' in power yoga.

Yoga vinyasas give a routine fluidity. Instead of being a number of discrete poses performed one after the other, the routine becomes a flowing, breath-coordinated sequence with no break in energy.

By using yoga vinyasas to go from pose to pose, you can build upon the body heat and energy from your postures and maintain momentum and power in your routine. Conversely, there are also "cold" yoga vinyasas which connect poses that are used while warming up and cooling down.

Help With Yoga Vinyasas

• Monitoring your breathing is an absolute must. Your breathing is what brings power and life to a vinyasa. Remember to always move with your breathing, rather than breathing with your movements; it can also be beneficial to use your breathing to determine the speed of transition between poses.
  
  
• The purpose of linking breath so closely with movement is one of internal cleansing. Yoga vinyasas generate the subtle heat that stokes agni, the digestive "fire" that digests not only what we consume but also sensations and experiences.
  
  
• Exhale as you move into a posture, and inhale as you move out
  
  
• Inhale when you go against gravity, and exhale when you go with gravity
  
  
• Expand and contract your chest as you inhale and exhale respectively
  
  
• Inhale before moving into a vinyasa, before relaxing into the movement
  
  
• Typically in yoga vinyasas, inhalation is associated with upward movements and exhalation is associated with downward movements, or those which compress the torso

Incorporating Yoga Vinyasas Into Your Routines And Practice

Three of the more common vinyasas are the Sun Salutation, the Triangle, and the Great Salutation. Listed below are the basic moves you will need to learn for each yoga vinyasa, in the order they occur:

Sun Salutation:

- Mountain
- Hands up
- Head to knees
- Lunge
- Plank
- Stick
- Upward dog
- Downward dog
- Repetitions of the lunge, head to knees, hands up and mountain.

Triangle/Warrior II:

- Mountain
- Triangle
- Warrior II
- Yoga Mudra

Great Salutation:

- Mountain
- Hands up
- Head to knees
- Lunge
- Upright lunge
- Warrior I
- Lunge
- Plank
- Stick
- Upward dog
- Downward dog
- Lunge repetition
- Triangle
- Warrior II
- Open heart
- Standing seal
- Open heart repetition
- Lunge repetition
- Head to knee repetition
- Hands up repetition
- Mountain repetition

On days when you feel that you don't possibly have time to practice yoga, try and do one or two repetitions of the Sun Salutation. It mightn't be as intense as a full practice session, but your body will feel the difference nonetheless. Once you've learned all the basic moves required, incorporating yoga vinyasas into your routines and practice sessions is well worth the effort. They give structure, fluidity and vitality to your routines and allow you to get much more out of them.

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