Fitness review: Vinyasa Flow is dance in yoga form

There are many yoga styles out there, but Vinyasa is where the creative flow is at. Flowing, moving and designed to generate some heat, it’s one of my favourite styles – and yes, it’s also what I teach!

Because there are so many styles of yoga, it’s ok to be bamboozled by what’s on offer.

It wasn’t until I started my teacher training that I started to pay attention and take notice of what schools and styles existed.

You’ll often hear Hatha Yoga used as an umbrella term for most yoga styles, but it does refer to something specific. Hatha is used generically to refer to any style of yoga that teaches poses (asanas) with breath work. But it also refers to a certain style of yoga that is slower paced, with an emphasis on mindfulness and being present in each moment.

Vinyasa (which you could say falls generically under Hatha) is focused on moving with the breath – free flowing sequences from one asana to the next. Sequences are often repeated numerous times to build strength, flexibility and control. And unlike styles such as Ashtanga, the class does not have to follow a set series of postures in order. The instructor has complete creative control which is one of the reasons why I love it!

The details

Duration: 60 minutes
Style: Group class
Cost: $15 – $25 for a casual drop-in
Who’s there: 60/40 female to male split, varied ages
What to wear/bring: ¾ tights/shorts, moisture wicking tee, towel and water

What to expect

While it’s not essential, it would help to have a couple of yoga classes (any style) under your belt before attending a Vinyasa Flow class. This is more so for your enjoyment as you’ll have a level of familiarity with the poses as you flow from one asana to the next.

Class normally starts with several minutes of pranayama – breathing work to allow you to find presence and stillness on the mat. This is then followed by some gentle warm-up postures, Sun Salutation As and Bs, before reaching one or two flows that often reach a ‘peak’ point/pose, before finding inversions, back bends and closing in savasana. Here are three poses you are likely to do in Vinyasa class that flow nicely from one, to the other.

Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1) – a strong pose targeting the legs, glutes and arms. You’ll stand facing the top of your yoga mat, front knee bent in line with ankle, back leg stretched out with the foot turned slightly in at a 45 degree angle, hips face front, arms reach up and long overhead, gaze is forward or looking up to hands.

Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2) – often flows from Warrior 1. Front knee remains bent, tracking directly over ankle. Back leg remains long, the foot moves to now line up parallel with the short edge of the mat for stability. Arms float down to shoulder height on either side of the ribcage, and the gaze is over the middle finger of the arm stretched over the front of the mat.

Triangle pose (Trikonasana) – a nice flow from Warrior 2. The front knee straightens, and the outstretched arm reaches as far forward to the front of the mat, before dropping down towards the shin/ankle/floor. The opposite arm points skyward, chest and ribs open, gaze is towards the fingertips, and hips are stacked directly over each other.

Would I recommend this fitness workout to a friend?

Yes, absolutely. Vinyasa is designed to build some heat, and the flowing nature means it can become a beautiful creative flow. This lights up the dancer in me.

What I like: concentration required to find movement with breath, the flow, music, strength and flexibility it builds

What I don’t like: some of the poses can be quite challenging and it can be frustrating if you haven’t mastered it yet. It’s taken me awhile to finally get Bakasana (crow pose), but I still come away with bruises on my arms meaning I haven’t quite got the technique right!

What song was on the playlist in this fitness workout?

Toluca Lake by Tep

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Until next time,
Maryanne K

Photo credit: Lee Hughes aka Coach