How to sequence a vinyasa flow
A vinyasa flow is a short chain of poses linked by the breath, usually taught on one side and then the other. Here's how to build one that feels smooth instead of choppy.
Short answer: choose a starting pose, add three to five poses that share the same foundation and hip orientation, link each move to an inhale or exhale, finish with a vinyasa back to downward dog, and repeat the whole chain on the second side.
1. Start from a shared foundation
Smooth flows move between poses that share a stance. From a lunge stance you can go to warrior I, crescent twist and pyramid without the feet moving much. From a wide stance you can go to warrior II, reverse warrior, side angle and triangle. Each change of stance costs a transition, so keep them rare.
2. Stay in one hip orientation
Poses are either hips square (high lunge, warrior I, pyramid, revolved poses) or hips open (warrior II, side angle, triangle, half moon). A flow that keeps switching between the two feels choppy and makes students re-set their back foot each time. Group open-hip poses in one flow and square-hip poses in another.
3. Link movement to breath
As a rule, inhale to lengthen, lift or open; exhale to fold, twist or lower. Reaching the arms up is an inhale; folding forward is an exhale; turning into a twist is an exhale. If a transition needs two breaths, give it two. Rushing the breath to fit a movement is the most common pacing slip.
4. Decide where to hold
In vinyasa most transitions take one breath, and a few poses are held for three to five breaths. Hold the pose that matters most for your focus, and move through the rest.
5. Close with a vinyasa and switch sides
End the chain with a vinyasa (plank, lower down, cobra or upward dog, downward dog) and teach the same flow on the left. Keep holds the same on both sides.
Example: an open-hip flow
| Breath | Movement |
|---|---|
| Inhale | From downward dog, lift the right leg |
| Exhale | Step it forward between the hands |
| Inhale | Spin the back heel down, rise to warrior II |
| 3 breaths | Hold warrior II |
| Inhale | Reverse warrior |
| Exhale | Extended side angle, hold 3 breaths |
| Inhale | Straighten the front leg, triangle, hold 3 breaths |
| Exhale | Hands down, step back to plank, vinyasa to downward dog |
Then the same on the left. For the full class around flows like this, see how to sequence a yoga class or try the yoga flow generator.
Questions
What is the difference between a vinyasa flow and a vinyasa class?
A flow is a short chain of linked poses, often three to six, taught on one side and repeated on the other. A class is the whole arc: centering, warm-up, sun salutations, several flows, a peak, floor work and savasana.
How many poses should a vinyasa flow have?
Three to six poses is usually right. Fewer feels repetitive; more is hard for students to remember when you repeat it on the second side.
What is a vinyasa between sides?
It's the linking movement used to reset between sides, usually plank, chaturanga (or knees-chest-chin), upward or cobra, and downward dog. It brings students back to a neutral shape before they start the second side.