Like most things in life, your yoga class must also have a structure. How you will begin your class, what the students will do once they have completed the initial rollout, and how the class will conclude – these are simple yet important things to consider before preparing for a yoga class. This very flow is called a yoga sequence, a series of asanas that is usually structured with a warm-up included right at the beginning, followed by the main sequence of asanas and a cool-down period. Yoga sequencing your class is important, as it enables learners to feel more balanced and grounded within the practice, creating a more effective learning environment. For you, it ensures that you are heading in the right direction with your teaching.
Understanding the Purpose of Your Sequence
The main purpose of yoga sequencing is to structure the entire flow of a class in a way that allows learners to transition from one pose to another in a simple, safe, and smooth manner. There are no set templates, nor is there a right or wrong way to sequence a class or a set routine that can be used for all learners. Since there are different types of yoga, numerous permutations and combinations can be created to form a sequence. However, your main aim in sequencing a yoga must be to ensure that your students feel comfortable following.
Any yoga class would comprise students of different ages and abilities. You must sequence your class in a way that best suits all of them. You must find that common denominator that passes through them all and gives them the best yoga experience. Your yoga sequence must be coherent so that it provides meaning and transformative potential to the students.
To start with, you can base your sequencing on a template adopted from yoga books or yoga teaching manuals. It may give you a good head start. However, you must then customize the yoga sequence according to your student group. The one-size-fits-all concept may not work in all classes. Which is why being flexible with your sequence is also important. You may design a sequence of your own, but it may not work for every class. So, always be flexible and adapt as per the student’s requirements.
A successful or meaningful yoga sequence respects and accommodates the learners. It is flexible enough to be adjusted according to every class and structured enough to provide them a transformative experience every time they complete your class.
Essential Components of a Yoga Sequence
Every yoga class sequence includes some basic characteristics. You can customize or reiterate certain points based on what your students are looking for.
Your yoga sequencing must be:
- Informative: Uses correct information about all the elements that make up a certain practice session.
- Effective: Achieves the goals of a session, while providing a safe, balanced and healthy learning experience.
- Efficient: Leads students towards the goal in the safest, smoothest, and simplest way, without requiring them to stretch or strain beyond their capabilities. Such efficiency gives students a chance to experience a deeper and more satisfying yoga practice.
- Integrated: Is complete and integrated to provide an engaging, transformative learning experience.
While the above-mentioned points make the sequence rich and meaningful, there is more to it than meets the normal eye. To ensure that your sequence is informative, effective, efficient and integrated, it should also have the following:
The right intention and the right beginning are essential. Begin with a warm-up, get to the core practice, reach the peak of the session and then cool down. Follow it up with a final relaxation session, and conclude with mindful activities like breathing and alignment to strengthen the connection between the mind and the body.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Sequence
Every yoga journey is different. It is rather difficult to create a path that everyone treads with equal or similar experiences. That is why it is challenging to create a sequence that suits everyone. It is mostly about adapting and customizing the sequence based on your students. However, there is a definite structure that you can base your sequencing on.
Set the Intention: The primary requirement to set up a meaningful learning experience through a proper yoga flow sequence is setting the right intention. It is what you want your students to learn. It could be something as simple as opening the heart to building body strength or finding inner peace. Once you have the intention in place, you can then proceed to develop the yoga sequence that will work towards solidifying the intention.
Level up with Student: As important as the intention is, understanding the level of your students is equally crucial. Within a class, you may have students of different ages, backgrounds, yoga experience and physical abilities. You must consider all these factors before finalizing a sequencing and create one that all students are able to do. It is best to avoid advanced poses in the initial lead-up. You can then modify or customize the sequence later.
Add a Warm-up Sequence: It is best to start your yoga class sequence with a warm-up session. Just like any form of exercise, a warm-up session is essential to help the body get ready for an extended session.
Build-up for the Peak Pose: Any class works towards a challenging pose that stretches the learners towards advancing their learnings. Create a sequence of poses that work towards this peak pose. You must also include certain modifications/alternate poses for those who are not quite there to attempt the peak pose. The difficulty level of the peak pose would definitely depend on your students’ level.
Balancing Poses, Backbends, and Forward Folds: One of the major intentions of any yoga class is to improve students’ yoga capabilities, and this can effectively be done by improving their balance. Prone and supine positions are a great way of doing so. Balancing poses help improve bodily strength and mental focus. You can include seating and standing poses for a complete experience. Backbends, on the other hand, help in opening the heart and the chest. Forward bends release tension and calm the inner self.
Prone poses: These include the sphinx pose, locust pose, and bow pose. These help in strengthening the back and core, building better spine health.
Supine poses: These include bridge pose, supine leg lifts, and boat pose. These poses help in building hip flexors and core, essential in building the right balance.
Keep Room for Variations: As we understand that each student will come with certain limitations and different capabilities. So, not every student will be able to do all the poses in your yoga sequence. It is, thus, important to keep certain variations within your sequence handy. These variations (read easier poses) will help everyone work towards the peak pose.
Add Relaxation and Rest: After any kind of workout, it is important to give your body some time to relax and rebuild. Keep time for this at the end of your class.
Evolve: Such is the nature of a yoga class sequence that it is likely to evolve with time and as the class moves forward. So, it is best to keep an open mind, allowing for the sequence to evolve with time. Keep experimenting and try new things to ensure that the sequence incorporates the changes as you move forward in your journey as a teacher.
Tips for Creating Smooth Transitions
Transitions in yoga are often overlooked. They are movements between two poses. For example, stepping forward after completing the Downward Dog pose and moving into a lunge, or moving up after a Cobra Pose and transitioning to a Mountain Pose. These movements are where your yoga practice actually becomes more fluid, moving from mere poses to the actual embodiment of the yoga philosophy. Right transitions are also important, as it is this space where injuries are most likely to occur. You may also lose your balance or concentration, breaking the flow.
Right transitions will:
- Help you avoid injuries
- Build more strength and stability
- Heighten awareness and cultivate mindfulness
- Develop the right flow
To ensure that your transitions are smooth and safe:
- Keep things slow.
- Breathe mindfully; breathe with your movements. It will help you maintain your calm and create a rhythmic pattern with your sequence.
- The body’s core is an essential asset to keep your physical strength going. So, work on the core. Engaging the centre of the body right ensures that the rest of the body is balanced and in control.
- Keep the body relaxed and flexible to ensure that your transition movements are under control.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
It is human to err, and it is quite possible to overlook simple things while sequencing a yoga class or planning your yoga transitions that may result in discomfort or injury. It is therefore important to ensure that you avoid certain mistakes that most people commonly end up making.
Mistakes to Avoid While Sequencing
- Not Doing Warm-up: Not warming up before doing yoga increases your chances of getting injured. Do include a proper warm-up in your sequence.
- Unbalanced Sequence: A sequence that lacks counterposes can cause strain. Balance your sequence for maximum output.
- Doing Too Much: Overpopulating your sequence with too many advanced poses can overwhelm students and fail to achieve the desired results.
- No Modifications: Not having alternates for difficult poses can make your sequence undoable for beginners.
- Skipping Resting: The final resting pose does more than just relax the students. Not having that in the sequence can make the class more strenuous.
Mistakes to Avoid During Transitions
- Rushing: Yoga is all about a set pace. Rushing into transitions can cause imbalance and make you more prone to injury.
- Lack of Coherence: Random or disconnected transitions can negatively impact your practice. Ensure that you have a proper transition sequence.
- Improper Alignment: The right alignment is key to successful yoga practice. Ensure that you don’t lose your alignment while transitioning.
- Overdoing It: Always listen to your body. Overdoing things, over-stretching your physical limits, can reverse all the benefits yoga offers.
Sample Yoga Sequence
Any yoga sequence generally includes an opening and centering, warm-up, peak pose, cool down and finally, relaxation. Here’s a sample yoga sequence:
Opening (5-10 mins)
- Sukhasana
- Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
Warm-up (10-15 mins)
- Adho Mukha Svanasanacap
- Surya Namaskar (2-3 rounds)
Peak Pose (15-20 mins)
- Tadasanacap
- Utthita Trikonasanacap
- Utthita Parsvakonasanacap
- Virabhadrasana II
- Vrksasanacap
Cool-down and Floor Poses (10-15 mins)
- Paschimottanasana
- Baddha Konasana
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasan
- Supta Matsyendrasana
Final Relaxation (5-10 mins)
- Savasana
Conclusion
Yoga is quite fluid in nature. It is all about bringing the body and the poses into a natural momentum that creates a harmonious union, taking your body through different asanas towards a healthier and more peaceful you. The sequence, thus, is an important part of learning, especially when the students are new to yoga. Remember, the key to creating a successful and effective yoga sequence is to keep it simple enough for everyone in the class to follow, while incorporating sequences that will create an impactful learning experience.
