Vinyasa yoga, or “flow yoga” or “power yoga” as it’s sometimes called, is an energetic style of yoga in which the individual movements continuously move from one to another. The steps and phases begin with your own breath, synchronizing with the movements. This gives the effect of a full body flow as well as a focused element, allowing the practitioner to center on what’s most important to them.
Many vinyasa yoga students find this method internally soothing and outwardly refreshing, but these aren’t the only benefits you’ll find with vinyasa yoga. The synchronized breathing and continuous movement makes this an excellent cardio workout. It builds your strength and flexibility the more you practice and even helps instill healthy breathing habits that you can carry outside of your yoga class. With unique movements and a great soundtrack, vinyasa yoga is more than just a way to relieve stress — it can even be fun.
The breathing method used here is called Ujjayi breathing, a method intended to both soothe you and warm the body. Start by breathing in deeply. As one movement flows into the next, exhale through the nose. It’s this breathing method as well as the continuous movement that makes vinyasa yoga characteristic not only for its energy but for its heat.
Vinyasa yoga relies on finding beauty and peace in the fact that everything is temporary. The yoga poses are not fixed form, but rather transitional, formed and then let go in one cohesive but beautiful flow. Because there are so many postures to choose from, leading to such a different combination of flows, no vinyasa yoga class is the same. Students looking for a little more variety and invigoration than the typical yoga class offers find it in vinyasa yoga. It’s easy to understand why the very name vinyasa means “variation within prescribed parameters.”
In this vinyasa yoga class, you’ll be challenged in ways that fixed form yoga may no longer challenge you. You know your body’s limits better than anyone else. Vinyasa yoga relies on that and encourages you to push those limits, gradually becoming stronger and more flexible. But that’s not to say that beginners can’t jump in with vinyasa yoga. The diverse nature of vinyasa yoga means that you can find a class that’s perfect for your starting place.
Ready to experience the benefits of vinyasa yoga for yourself? Contact me today to learn more about my yoga classes.
