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Vinyasa Yoga

If you want to explore vinyasa yoga for the first time, you are in for a wild ride. Whether you are seeking a vinyasa yoga DVD to jumpstart your practice, or a studio near you, you will have a wide range of options at your disposal. Knowing how to narrow those options, first, can be useful.
If you have previously been attracted to a highly cardiovascular form of exercise, you may wish to first consider Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, also known as power vinyasa yoga. The quality that distinguishes this form of yoga from others is the speed and intensity with which the yogi changes from one pose to another. Because the yogi’s heart rate will rise quickly, this can be a fun, immediate-gratification sort of yoga for the fitness-minded person who likes to sweat and move quickly. The downside to taking Ashtanga vinyasa yoga as a beginner, however, is that the speed of the vinyasas (the sequential series’ of poses, or asanas) may not give you an opportunity to fully articulate each pose. But do not worry; people turn yoga into a life-long practice, and many believe that you never really get an asana “right.” There is always a deeper place to go.
What you can expect of vinyasa yoga poses fall into a category called a sun salutation, or surya namaskar. You begin in a standing position with hands at heart center, and move from diving forward over your legs, arching half way up, jumping or stepping back into plank (high push up position), lowering yourself down into chatranga (low push up position), and back to downward facing dog. Jump or step forward, arch half way up, fold in toward your legs, your stomach touching your thighs, and rise, reaching your extended arms up along your sides and to the sky. End in mountain pose.
In starting vinyasa yoga for the first time, you may want to seek out vinyasa flow yoga, which will allow you to move through your asanas and sun salutations at an easier pace. You may be concerned that vinyasa flow will not give you as good a workout as power yoga; don’t be. The workouts are different, not better. A good steady flow class can allow you to learn the proper articulation of the poses, so that when you do take an Ashtanga class, you can really kick your own asana.

If you want to explore vinyasa yoga for the first time, you are in for a wild ride. Whether you are seeking a vinyasa yoga DVD to jumpstart your practice, or a studio near you, you will have a wide range of options at your disposal. Knowing how to narrow those options, first, can be useful.

If you have previously been attracted to a highly cardiovascular form of exercise, you may wish to first consider Ashtanga vinyasa yoga, also known as power vinyasa yoga. The quality that distinguishes this form of yoga from others is the speed and intensity with which the yogi changes from one pose to another. Because the yogi’s heart rate will rise quickly, this can be a fun, immediate-gratification sort of yoga for the fitness-minded person who likes to sweat and move quickly. The downside to taking Ashtanga vinyasa yoga as a beginner, however, is that the speed of the vinyasas (the sequential series’ of poses, or asanas) may not give you an opportunity to fully articulate each pose. But do not worry; people turn yoga into a life-long practice, and many believe that you never really get an asana “right.” There is always a deeper place to go.

What you can expect of vinyasa yoga poses fall into a category called a sun salutation, or surya namaskar. You begin in a standing position with hands at heart center, and move from diving forward over your legs, arching half way up, jumping or stepping back into plank (high push up position), lowering yourself down into chatranga (low push up position), and back to downward facing dog. Jump or step forward, arch half way up, fold in toward your legs, your stomach touching your thighs, and rise, reaching your extended arms up along your sides and to the sky. End in mountain pose.

In starting vinyasa yoga for the first time, you may want to seek out vinyasa flow yoga, which will allow you to move through your asanas and sun salutations at an easier pace. You may be concerned that vinyasa flow will not give you as good a workout as power yoga; don’t be. The workouts are different, not better. A good steady flow class can allow you to learn the proper articulation of the poses, so that when you do take an Ashtanga class, you can really kick your own asana.


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