Vinyasa Yoga

Also known as: Flow yoga.

Bend the boundaries as well as your body. With no single philosophy, Vinyasa Yoga throws out the rulebook of traditional yoga in order to connect postures and poses through dance-like movements. With room for individuality and quirks, this creative and diverse method of yoga will have you chanting, panting and aligning your body and mind in ways you never thought possible.

How it works

Vinyasa means “breath-synchronised movement” and your teacher will instruct you to move from one pose (asana) to the next on an inhale or an exhale. A fast-paced yoga class designed to strengthen the body and mind through synchronised breathing and flowing movement, a Vinyasa class utilises movement as well as stretching. The smooth way the poses run together then become like a dance.

There are six series in Vinyasa Yoga beginning with the opening sequence, typically including sun salutations and standing poses. You then move on to a set of sequences which range from primary to intermediate to advanced (depending on individual skill) before closing with a set of inverted poses in the finishing sequence. The variety of the class will depend upon the individual teacher so if your first class doesn’t do it for you, give it a second chance. You may need time to find the right teacher for you before you can be on your way to physical and mental purification.

The purpose of Vinyasa Yoga is to create body heat which in turn leads to purification through increased circulation and sweating, so make sure you wear loose fitting clothes and leave your woolly socks at home.

Is it for me?

Vinyasa is generally not recommended for beginners as the physical challenges can be quite demanding. The faster paced yoga class however, is great for intermediates that are bored by their current yoga routine and are craving something a little more challenging. Great for those who enjoy the unpredictable and like to move, it’s also said to be great reliever of back pain and followers say it has lowered their weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Good to know

Vinyasa Yoga is also known as Flow Yoga due to its dance-like movements.