VINYASA: A lifelong skill

YOGA IN MOVEMENT

Uttasana Posture

We live in complex times where in several places on the planet we are already going through rigorous stages of de-confinement, while others are still in isolation. Both cases call for a process to carry out activities at home that we would normally do in places intended for them such as work, sports, rituals and celebrations.

A permanent uncertainty has been established in our lives, however, one of the lessons of this time is definitely adaptability, and in order to maintain your physical, mental and emotional health, I propose that you take a moment to explore a skill that can accompany you for the rest of your life and that you can practice wherever there is a space of 2-3 meters available.

Vinyasa Yoga is also called “flowing” due to the agile and controlled way in which the postures are linked while synchronizing with the breath, making it one of the most popular forms of contemporary yoga. Vinyasa is a concept that encompasses several dynamic yoga styles such as Ashtanga and Power Yoga.

In today's Yoga language, Vinyasa would be the opposite of Hatha Yoga, the latter being a style that focuses on one posture at a time with rest between them. On the other hand, dynamic styles such as Ashtanga link the postures together forming a sequence whose rhythm is controlled by breathing. The sequence must be fixed, as in Ashtanga, where the postures are always performed in the same order. However, Vinyasa teachers organize the progression of the postures they teach their students at their discretion.

Flowing Yoga focuses on breathing and each transition to another posture is commanded by inhalation and exhalation.

For example, the combined cat and cow pose is a simple example of Vinyasa. Arching your back is an inhale, and rounding your back is an exhale.

The warm-up posture sequence called "Surya Namaskar" or Sun Salutation is a more complex Vinyasa where each movement in the sequence corresponds to the inhalation or exhalation indicated there.

In the following video you can observe (and practice) how breathing is synchronized with each posture:

What to expect from Vinyasa

Vinyasa allows for variations in postures and always includes the sun salutation sequence. You will be constantly moving, at times the movements may be vigorous, and just taking a few breaths in a posture that is not so easy will increase your heart rate. Whether a class is fast or slow, includes advanced postures or focuses on alignment, will depend on each teacher and the particular style in which they have trained.

What are your transitions like in Vinyasa?

When the word Vinyasa is used as a noun, it is describing a series of 3 postures that are part of the Sun Salutation sequence.

For example, when the teacher says “Vinyasa at your own pace” it means doing the posture called Plank , then Chaturanga (bending your elbows, then touching the floor with your knees, chest and chin if you are a beginner), Cobra and Downward Dog using your breath as a guide to change postures.

If you start to get tired and it affects the quality of the postures, you can skip that process and wait for the Downward Dog class.

You will soon be able to differentiate the beginner version of Vinyasa whose sequence is Plank-knees, chest and chin-Cobra-Downward Dog.

Here you can review the advanced version of Vinyasa whose sequence is Plank- Chaturanga dandasana- Upward Facing Dog- Downward Facing Dog and see which one suits your level best.

Beginner transitions

Iron

Start in plank position. This is usually achieved by taking a step or jump back from the front of your mat. If you find plank difficult, you can rest your knees on the floor. Keep your shoulders in line with your wrists and your hips in line with your shoulders. Gently stretch your body from the crown of your head to your heels.

Knees, chest, chin

While in plank, inhale and as you exhale , lower your knees first, then your chest and chin to touch the mat. The buttocks stay up and the elbows point backwards, keeping them parallel to the torso.

Tip: Keep your elbows firm in the push-up and your hips lifted as you bring your chest to the floor.

Cobra

Starting from the previous posture, take a deep inhalation and slide forward into cobra pose (arms can still be bent). As your hips touch the ground, your chest gently moves forward and up.

Try to do this lift by engaging your back muscles, but not by pushing with your palms. Avoid letting your body weight fall on your hands while anchoring your pelvis and the insteps of your feet on the mat.

Downward dog

To transition into a downward dog pose, begin by exhaling and tucking your toes under your feet as you straighten your arms to come into downward dog. If you find this difficult, you can first lean on your knees as you transition. As you come into downward dog, your hands are in a line with your shoulders, while your feet are hip-width apart. Push your tail up, keeping your spine long and the soles of your feet flat on the floor.

More advanced version

Uttasana

During the sun salutation we come to a standing posture called Uttanasana or forward bend with palms touching the ground. From there, inhaling, we gently jump with only the legs back to reach a posture called Chaturanga.

Chaturanga Dandasana

Exhale and bend your elbows back to come straight down into Chaturanga dandasana. It's not that easy because you have to keep your arms strong. Instead, use the strength of your legs by pushing the backs of your knees up while pressing the balls of each foot into the floor to engage all of the muscles in your legs.

Upward dog

Inhale and straighten your arms, allowing your hips to fully descend to the floor. Then curl/slide your toes toward the back edge. Press directly into the floor under the palms of your hands and the tops of your feet so that your thighs are not touching the floor. Make sure your shoulders stay away from your ears.

Downward dog

Exhale, tuck your toes in and lift your hips and back toward the ceiling to come into Downward Dog Pose.

Practice the Vinyasa version you feel most comfortable with. Even if you have mastered Chaturanga Dandásana, it is always good to warm up a couple of times with the knees, chest and chin sequence at the beginning of the session.

Some moving yoga classes make extensive use of these transitions. If you get tired or the quality of the pose declines, go back to basics or rest during the transition. You can also stay in plank or downward dog while the class gets there to continue. Chaturanga Dandásana is not as obvious and like many yoga poses, it is perfected only with practice.

Remember that injuries happen when we reach our level of fatigue, so be aware.

The charm of Vinyasa Yoga is in its diversity. You will find many classes with varying approaches so try out what best suits your style or what you are looking for. If a mix of challenge, movement and spiritual learning is what you are looking for, this is for you.

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