What is Vinyasa Yoga? We will tell you everything about it!

Vinyasa yoga is one of the many yoga styles of today. Are you looking for a yoga style that suits you completely? Or are you just curious about the answer to the question "what is vinyasa yoga?". Then you've come to the right place.

We tell you everything about vinyasa yoga, from its origins, to what you can expect in class, to vinyasa poses, to the benefits, to what you need for vinyasa yoga.

What is Vinyasa Yoga?

Let's start at the beginning and look at what vinyasa yoga is. Vinyasa yoga is one of the most common yoga styles and is also called Flow Yoga. It is a dynamic form in combination with your breathing. You do "a flow" of yoga postures in succession on the movement of your breath. The exercises flow into each other. Vinyasa literally means "putting things in the right order" and "connection of movement and breathing." Vinyasa yoga is an active form of yoga and therefore falls under yang yoga.

Vinyasa yoga comes from Ashtanga yoga. Where Ashtanga yoga has a fixed series of yoga postures and you cannot deviate from this, vinyasa yoga is freer and there is more room for creativity. There is no order within this yoga style that you must strictly follow, which means that the interpretation is different every time. The one time the focus is on your whole body, the other time on arm balance and the other time on back bending. But the focus in vinyasa yoga can also be based on the time of day or position of the sun or moon.

A vinyasa yoga class

If you go to a vinyasa yoga class, expect a powerful lesson where you really put your body to work. Because of the different postures and the dynamic way of moving, you notice that you need concentration and focus. Vinyasa yoga thereby strengthens both your body and your mind. This yoga style is about:

• Physical strength
• Flexibility
• Endurance

But what really matters is breathing. Most instructions that are given during a vinyasa class are about breathing. At which movement you breathe in and which movement you breathe out. This sounds awkward, but your yoga teacher tells you exactly how you breathe and after a while you notice that this goes without saying. During the lesson the yoga teacher ensures that the postures build up, so that you are well prepared for the heavier and more difficult postures.

There is a good chance that you will sweat with this yoga style, which of course is great for your body. And the best thing? The vinyasa yoga class is concluded with the Savasana. The exercise where you lie on the floor with your eyes closed for a few minutes and relax. With this exercise you process the lesson and let all energy flow through your body. A perfect relaxed end to a spicy lesson.

What do you need with vinyasa yoga?

Vinyasa yoga is a style for which you do not need many yoga props. You only need comfortable clothing and a yoga mat. For vinyasa, you need a yoga mat that is not too thick and where you do not slip quickly when you start sweating. The Love Generation yoga mats are perfect for Vinyasa yoga. You can buy this in the Yogashop from 22.50 euros and you will receive it the next day. Do you notice that with certain postures you slip away with your hands or feet? Then a yoga towel on your yoga mat is a good option. This absorbs the excess moisture, giving you much better grip during yoga. And it is also hygienic, because these yoga towels are machine washable.

The benefits of vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa yoga is wonderful, but what are the benefits of vinyasa yoga? We list a few for you:

• Good exercise or sport: the dynamic and powerful postures demand something from your body and it is a wonderful way to be in action
• You become more flexible: yoga provides a flexible and strong body
• You clean your body: through the movements of vinyasa yoga your blood circulation starts and you lose waste because your sweat glands are stimulated
• More power: through the different postures you develop more muscle power and your body becomes stronger
• Conscious breathing: because your breathing is central to vinyasa yoga, you also learn to be more aware of your breathing in daily life. This generally provides more peace and relaxation
• More energy: you are consciously concerned with your physical and mental health, which provides more energy in your daily life

Vinyasa poses

To give you an idea of ​​what you can expect in terms of yoga postures with vinyasa yoga, we have worked out the most common postures from this yoga style for you. Often these are English names, because they are also referred to by the yoga teachers.

Sun salutations
The sun salutations are several positions in succession, it is a series that you perform. The various loose positions in this series include the mountain pose, forward fall, plank, chaturanga and downward facing dog. The yoga teacher will never simply say that you now have to do sun salutations yourself, the teacher will guide you in your posture and breathing.

Downward facing dog
One of the best known yoga postures is of course the downward facing dog. This is a versatile posture focused on letting energy flow through your entire body. Your shoulders, back, wrists, hands, hamstrings, calves and even your toes and fingers are important.

Cat cow
A wonderful stretch position for your back, your neck and your stomach.

Standing forward
This forward fall posture increases your flexibility and it creates an opening in your back and in your legs. These postures also provide a better focus.

Childpose
The childpose is the recovering yoga posture that releases tension in your muscles. This posture also helps against stress and helps you to calm down. This posture is often done in between to recover.

Warrior
You have three different warriors and all three of them are standing up. This posture provides strong leg muscles and a strong lower body. Your upper body opens and extends.

And? Is vinyasa yoga something for you?

Have you never done yoga before and do you want to try this for relaxation and exercise? Then vinyasa yoga is a great style to start with. This style is for every level, so you learn everything about this wonderful yoga style at your level.