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Vinyasa yoga is one of the most popular yoga styles by far. It is a dynamic, flowing sequence of poses, often called Vinyasa Flow Yoga. The practice involves synchronizing the breath and movement through a continuous flow of postures, and fluid, dance-like sequences that increase strength, flexibility, and stamina and calm the mind. For one of the most wholesome yoga experiences, be sure to visit us at Red Diamond Yoga.
The Sanskrit word "vinyasa" literally means to place in a certain way. It refers to a certain sequence of yoga poses, performed in specific order. Today, the word “vinyasa” also means a style of yoga that focuses on breathing synchronized with body movement.
The flowing Vinyasa yoga style evolved from Ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga is a powerful, dynamic style of yoga developed in the 20th century that incorporates a sequence of linked poses. The difference is that, while Ashtanga yoga follows a structure, Vinyasa yoga is more exploratory and creative.
Vinyasa yoga incorporates most of the poses in the Ashtanga yoga series, but does not require them to be performed in the same exact sequence. In Ashtanga yoga, students must master the current series of poses before moving on the next, while Vinyasa yoga often includes poses from different Ashtanga sequences in a single class.
Vinyasa yoga classes can vary widely, depending on the expert level of the instructor and the studio. At Red Diamond Yoga, our instructors are an amazing group of highly-skilled, dedicated teachers, each of whom brings a unique style to our studio, with a common thread of consistency in every class. One component of Vinyasa yoga never varies – the emphasis on linking breath with movement.
This style of yoga uses a deep breathing technique known as Ujayi Pranayama, which means “victorious breath” in Sanskrit. Practitioners breathe through the nose to completely fill or empty the lungs. Each movement is accompanied by an inhalation or an exhalation, upward movements generally correlating with inhalation, and downward movements with exhalation. This practice creates a flowing link between breath and movement.
Classes typically include a wide range of poses, including standing postures, balancing postures, twists, backbends, inversions, forward folds, and seated poses. Every class will end with the final relaxation posture called the Corpse Pose (Savasana).
Most Vinyasa yoga classes demand strength and stamina from students, which makes them ideal for those who want a workout style of yoga. Vinyasa generally places less emphasis on precise alignment and more emphasis on the ability to flow. Each class is energized with the addition of fun music that suits the dance-like motions and energizes the student to find the ease within the effort and have a truly authentic yoga experience.
Come visit our yoga studio, where we offer a variety of well-rounded, intelligently sequenced classes, each designed to leave you feeling open, balanced, connected, and calm. You can expect consistency in quality, service, and authentic yoga practice throughout our classes and teachers, with the same level of experience and quality from every teacher.
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