Don’t you love when you’re in a yoga class and you feel like you’re gliding on air? The teacher calls out moves that flow from one to the next. You are guided to gracefully transition from standing to sitting to lying down with little effort. It’s almost as if the yoga positions were created for your body only. They’re that natural and organic to you. When you have a magical class like that, it’s thanks in part to your yoga teacher.
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What is a yoga sequence?
In a nutshell, a yoga sequence is the order in which your yoga teacher structures the class. You’ll have a warm-up, where you get the body centered and moving. Then, you’ll have the core of the class, where you’ll be moving and where the theme of the class or style of yoga will be presented. And finally, you’ll have a cool down, where you do your final stretches that then lead into meditation and stillness. It takes skill and creativity to draw up a great yoga sequence.
And each style of yoga has different yoga sequencing. A yoga sequence for a hip opening Hatha class is completely different from an Ashtanga yoga sequencing, which is completely different from a yin yoga sequencing. A hip opening Hatha sequence will be slow and there may be plenty of mat work to stretch your hips. Practicing hip-opening yoga poses helps alleviate tension and mobility in your lower body. An Ashtanga yoga sequencing entails a lot of standing poses and may be paced more quickly than a Hatha class. And then a Yin class is altogether different from Hatha and Ashtanga. A yin yoga sequence may only include six poses. Normally, all of those poses will be done in a seated position on the mat. And the sequence will be very slow. You may be holding a pose for over a minute.
You see, a yoga teacher needs to be skilled at creating a yoga sequence for a variety of wildly different classes. Will the class be vigorous or meditative? Will it concentrate on the hips or the core? A yoga teacher has many things to consider. Also, a yoga teacher may need to throw their prepared sequence out the window, if let’s say, someone with bad knees comes to a class with a lot of planned lunges. An adept yoga teacher will be able to wing it and think up a new sequence in their head that can cater to their students’ needs. Learn the 12 basic yoga poses for beginners to run smoothly in your next yoga sequence.
Take a look as we go in-depth into yoga sequencing. We discuss how to write a yoga sequence and we tell you about a great course that will aid you in sequencing your yoga class. We also answer the question about how many poses are in a sequence. Lastly, we give you a couple examples of great yoga sequences. So read on as we take you into the world of yoga sequencing.
How do you write a yoga sequence?
Before writing a yoga sequencing, a yoga teacher will need to determine whether the class is going to be vigorous or mellow. Will it follow a specific niche? Will it be for a group with movement problems? Will the class before beginner yoga students or advanced practitioners. After answering those questions, the yoga teacher can then follow rough template to write a yoga sequence, adjusting it as necessary.
It is important to know how to adjust when writing a yoga sequence. These amazing yoga adjustment workshops online, that can help you go further in adjusting to your student’s physical or personal needs.
Here the framework for a typical yoga class:
1. Centering
Practitioners will typically sit cross-legged on the mat, with eyes closed. They’ll start listening to their breath and calming their minds.
2. Warm up
Poses will include Cat and Cow that allows the students to start moving their spine. They may do some gentle twists.
3. Standing poses
Students will move to standing, where they will do lunges and perhaps balance on one leg.
4. Peak poses
Peak poses are those that will cover the theme of the class. If students are at a hip opener class, peak poses will help stretch the hips. An online Vinyasa course will have a flow of poses that move smoothly from one to the other at this point.
5. Floor poses
The class will slow down, and students will move to the floor. The floor is where twists and forward folds will take place.
6. Cool down
During cool down, students may move onto their backs. They typically do gentle stretches and twists, slowing their breath and movement.
7. Final relaxation
During cool down, students may move onto their backs. They typically do gentle stretches and twists, slowing their breath and movement.
Practice
During final relaxation, students move into Corpse pose. They’ll lay on their backs, legs and arms straight and their eyes closed. Sometimes, students cover themselves with blankets. They will begin to relax and may be guided through a brief meditation. During this state, some students even fall asleep. The teacher will then gently wake the students up, and then send them on their way, feeling relaxed, limber and healthy.
What is a great course so you can create yoga sequencing lesson plans?
You may have already taken your online yoga teacher certification or in-person but would like a refresher in sequencing. Having deeper knowledge under your belt will allow you to create more powerful classes that really resonate with your students. And, if you take an advanced sequencing class, you’ll be able to focus on sequencing topics that may not have been covered in your yoga teacher training program.
My Vinyasa Practice 40-Hour Advanced Sequencing Course
My Vinyasa Practice’s Online 40-Hour Advanced Sequencing course will allow yoga teacher to work at their own pace to strengthen their knowledge in yoga sequencing. Students will be able to finish the class in as little as four weeks, but My Vinyasa Practice encourages them to take longer so that they can fully absorb all of the information presented. And, the course will count for 40 hours of continuing education units with yoga certification body Yoga Alliance. Once students have finished the course and received certification, they can join My Vinyasa Practice as a paid Mentor Teacher to help other students expand their yoga knowledge.
Yoga teachers who take the My Vinyasa Practice Advanced Sequencing class will get:
- Pre-recorded lectures and written content
- Written scripts and recorded practices
- Instructions and practice
- Application and reflection
- 40 non-contact CEUs with Yoga Alliance
- Access to the MVP Community
- Yoga practices with Michelle Young, owner of My Vinyasa Practice
- Access to class materials for life
And they will learn:
- The fundamental movements in the major joint systems of the body
- How to group poses that address the major joint systems
- The transitions in and out of neutral joint positions
- How to confidently advance students’ practice through progressive sequencing
The course is on-demand so you can start anytime.
How many poses are in a yoga sequence?
How many poses in a yoga sequence depends on the style of yoga you are practicing. A Yin sequence may have as little at six poses. However, those poses are held for a few minutes. A full Ashtanga primary series practice, on the other hand, has 41 asanas, or poses, and you aren’t in those poses for long. A gentle Hatha yoga class may have 28 asanas. Again, the number of poses in a yoga sequence varies greatly depending on what type of yoga you are practicing.
2 Great Yoga Sequences for Beginners
If you’re a brand-new yoga teacher, you may be looking for a couple of great beginner yoga sequences, ones that you’ll be able to easily and smoothly teach to your students. Well, look no further. We’ve got two sequences that will be sure to please any beginner yoga class! Check with your healthcare provider before beginning yoga or any exercise.
1. Introduction to Yoga sequence
Cross-legged Pose
Sit cross-legged on your mat. Begin to listen to your breath and calm your mind. Set your intention for your practice
Seated Twist Pose
While cross-legged, begin to twist your torso, first to the right and then to the left.
Cat/Cow Poses
Place yourself on all fours and curl your spine up like a cat, and then, drop your belly down like a cow. Repeat.
Child’s Pose
Kneel on the floor and rest your chest on your knees
Downward Dog Pose
Move into an upside-down vee. You’ll support yourself on your palms and your feet
Standing Pose
Stand straight, rooting your feet into the floor
Wide-legged Forward Fold
Stand with your feel far apart and fold forward
Warrior II Pose
Lunge with your arms out straight parallel to your legs
Extended Side Angle Pose
Lunge with your right leg forward. Rest your right elbow on your right thigh and as you twist your torso to the left, raise your left arm straight and over your head
Balance Pose
Balance on one foot and then the other
Seated Twist Pose
While cross-legged, begin to twist your torso, first to the right and then to the left.
Corpse Pose
Lie on your back with arms and legs straightened and eyes closed. Your teacher will lead you in a short meditation
Cross-legged Pose
Come back up to Cross-legged Pose, slowly open your eyes and regain your awareness
2. Quick Standing Yoga Class
Standing Pose
Stand straight, rooting your feet into the floor
Standing Forward Fold Pose
Exhale and fold forward, pointing your fingertips to your feet
Lunge
Bring your left knee to your mat and lunge your right knee at a 45-degree angle. Keep your hands on the floor outside of your front foot
Downward Dog Pose
Move into an upside-down vee. You’ll support yourself on your palms and your feet
Lunge
Bring your right knee to your mat and lunge your left knee at a 45-degree angle. Keep your hands on the floor outside of your front foot
Downward Dog Pose
Move into an upside-down vee. You’ll support yourself on your palms and your feet
Standing Forward Fold Pose
Exhale and fold forward, pointing your fingertips to your feet
Standing Pose
Stand straight, rooting your feet into the floor
Balance Pose
Balance on one foot and then the other
Standing Side Bend – Right Side
Reach both arms overhead. Lower your right arm down to your right side. Stretch your left arm over your head, bending to the right.
Standing Side Bend – Left Side
Reach both arms overhead. Lower your left arm down to your left side. Stretch your right arm over your head, bending to the left.
Standing Spinal Twist
Straighten your arms out in front of you. Twist your torso to the right, looking over your right shoulder. Come to center, and then twist your torso to the left, looking over your left shoulder
Standing Forward Fold Pose
Exhale and fold forward, pointing your fingertips to your feet
Standing Pose
Stand straight, rooting your feet into the floor. Close your eyes and meditate for a moment. Then open your eyes, orientate yourself and regain your awareness
Sequencing for success
If you’re a student of yoga, proper sequencing can make a yoga class more meditative. The class will flow more smoothly. And you’ll come out of the class feeling refreshed. But it takes some practice for a yoga teacher to successfully sequence a yoga class. A teacher will need to learn how to flow your students from seated to standing effortlessly. They’ll need to incorporate twists, bends, balances, etc., that will meet their student’s skill levels. And they’ll need to include poses that will move students through the theme of the class, such as hip opening.
So check out all of our tips and tricks on how to write a great yoga sequence and our info how the number of yoga poses varies depending on the type of yoga. You can look at the class that we listed to increase your yoga sequencing knowledge. And, don’t forget to look at two examples of sequencing for beginning yoga classes. Feel free to incorporate those poses in your own class. You probably won’t write great sequences overnight. It will take some practice. But, if you use all of the information we’ve given you above, you’ll be well on your way to creating great yoga sequences and running successful yoga class that your students will love!
