General Principles of Yoga Asana Sequences

The right order to perform asanas or yoga poses in a session is a tricky matter. It depends on a number of factors such as -the schools of yoga (like Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga etc.) age, experience, how you’re feeling mentally and physically on a certain day and even the weather. However, the sequencing of asanas plays a very important role in achieving maximum benefit from the session. A well-sequenced session is a well balanced session that reaches below the surface of the skin and muscles and bones of the body and get in touch with the energetic body at a more cellular level.

Most yoga traditions have their own precepts on how to sequence an asana practice. Sessions usually start with a Prayer, chanting Omkar or Mantra for brief relaxation which helps students forget their anxieties, worries and let go of stress related thoughts. Asana sequences which follow can be linear where one posture follows another in a logical step-by-step direction, moving from less challenging to more challenging and back to less challenging poses. Other types of sequencing including sequencing movements within a pose, from one poses in the same category of poses to the next or from one category of poses to another all of which are important for a positive impact not only on your body, but also on your mind and emotions.

Here’s a look at some general principles or guidelines behind the order of doing yoga asanas-

• Always start with preparatory poses and movements to loosen the joints, align the ligaments, tendons and muscles at joints. Work on all joints and areas specifically joints like waist, knee, shoulder, wrist, ankle, neck etc.
• Standing poses are a good preparation for forward bends and also for back bends.
• Adho Mukha Svanasana is a good preparatory poses for almost any asana and also serves as good warm down or resting pose after both forward bends and back bends.
• Alternating between forward bending poses and back bends is not good. After a series of back bends, gentle forward bends is the best way of relaxing the spine however, going back and forth between the two is not practice and can weaken the spine.
• After deep forward bends consider doing a few twists to balance and release your spinal muscles.
• Move from heating poses or more strenuous poses to cooling poses, easier poses but don’t go back to heating poses.
• Warm down with easier poses towards the end of the session to bring your body back into a neutral mode in preparation for complete relaxation.

While there no definite order to do things or any set rules, a good sequence to follow is
- Warm up movements and exercises
-  Surya Namskar (Sun Salutation)
- Standing poses like Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana
- Arm balances including full arm balance like Adho Mukha Vrksasana
- Inversions like Halasana, Sarvangasana and Sirsasana
- Back bends like Virabhadrasana, Bhujangasana and Dhanurasana
- Forward bends like Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Twisting asanas Parivrtta Trikonasana, Parsvottanasana
- Restorative poses like Adho Mukha Virasana, Supta Baddha Konasana followed by Savasana

* Photo Credits: photos by Kelly Loves Whales and tarnalberry on flickr

Looking for a Yoga Weight Loss Workout? – Turn to Power Yoga

Power Yoga: The Physically Intensive and Exercise Driven Modern Yoga

If your looking at Yoga as a form of physical exercise and want minimal amount meditation and spiritual guidance, then Power Yoga is just the type of Yoga you’re looking for.

Started by two American Yoga teachers Beryl Bender Birch, based in New York, and Bryan Kest, based in Los Angeles, almost at the same time, Power Yoga was designed to suit the weight loss and physical work out needs of Americans. Adapted from Ashtanga Yoga, power yoga practices a fitness approach to yoga and is a sweat-producing, muscle-building series of yoga asanas (poses) that flow into each other without the usual pauses between the poses practiced in traditional yoga. The goal of power yoga is health and fitness rather than spiritual quest for enlightenment or a balance of body, mind and heart. At the same time power yoga leads to a calmer mental state by releasing tension, making you feel lighter and better balanced and a healthy body harbors a healthy mind. It’s this connectedness of the physical body influencing the mind, that Power yoga touches upon. It creates optimal physical health by enlivening and invigorating the whole body which is a direct manifestation of the mind, as the body heals, our mind naturally follows.

A Glimpse of What They Do at Power Yoga
While all Power yoga classes will differ from teacher to teacher the essence of the emphasis on strength and flexibility remains the same. There are no set series of poses, but it’s dynamic mix of stretches, nd poses all done while struggling to maintain balance and support your own body weight. This increases strength by natural moments, tones muscles, makes you more flexible and improves posture.

Classes often start with a series of stretching poses like the child’s pose or Cat – Cow Stretch as a warm up. This is followed by a five to six pose set, flowing from one to the next with no break. All poses are done twice on both your left and right sides. Another very important aspect of a power yoga routine is the breath flow. Each pose is synchronized with one’s breathing patterns and each movement is soft and free-flowing like a rhythmic dance. It’s important to first know the correct posture and alignment of each pose before going on the power yoga which needs to be uninterrupted to be effective. The transition from one pose to the next is not fast, but slow yet steady pace.

Some of the popular poses in Power yoga include the warrior poses, triangle poses, side angle pose, a variety of balance poses, forward folds with chest openers, seated folds, twists and balances. For the more advanced students poses like the side crane, tree pose into warrior 3, eagle pose, deep lunge with back bend and twist into pigeon are popular. A brief breathing exercise or meditation poses closes a session.

So what are you waiting for? If you want that intense physical workout with none of the spiritual jargon grab that yoga mat  & yoga apparel and join your nearest Power Yoga classes for a all round workout that works!

*Photo Credits: photos by myyogaonline, Kelly Loves Whales, BeckyKP on flickr.

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Surya Namaskar: The 12 Step Sun Salutation Yoga Sequence

A Well Rounded Yoga Exercise Sequence

Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation is a 12 step sequence of Hatha Yoga Asanas often performed as a warm up exercise before a Yoga session. Each of the 12 poses performed in a rhythmic sequence brings a different vertebral movement to the spinal column. The positions are tuned to the inhalation or exhalation of each breath and improves circulation, stretches the body making it limber and also strengthens it. A full round of Surya namaskara consists of two sets of the twelve poses starting alternating with starting the starting leg through the series. In some sessions, 12 Surya Namaskaras are performed at one practice. However, if you’re new to Yoga and just starting the practice for the first time, it is generally started with 3 to 6 Namaskaras per day and gradually increased to 12 Namaskaras.

Here’s a Step by Step on How to do Surya Namaskar: all you need is a Yoga Mat and you are good to go:

Step 1: Pranamasana (prayer pose)- Stand erect with your chest out, feet together, knees pulled up and thighs tight like in Tadasana. Bring your hands forward, in front of your chest as if in prayer, elbows straight and not drooping.

Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (raised arms pose)- On inhale, stretch your arms up over your head, palms still together. Then arching back as far as you can go, stretch with your arms apart for next pose.

Step 3: Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose)- While exhaling, swing down from the hips keeping your upper body and torso straight.Without bending the knees place your hands on either sides of your feet flat on the mat, head as close to your knees as possible.

Step 4: Aekpaadprasarnaasana (equestrian pose)- Inhale bring the right foot to the back of the mat on the toes like a lunge. Using your finger tips for support and the left leg at a right angle start bending the extended leg at the knee towards the floor and look up.

Step 5: Dandasana (plank pose) - Retain your breath and extend your left leg back on your toes side by side your right without moving the position of your hands and leg at all. Palms flat on the mat, keep your spine straight and elbows locked. Do not let your head or hips drop. It should look like you are about to do a push up.

Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with 8 limbs pose)- Exhale, bending your elbows towards your body and going down as low as you can at the shoulders while keeping the rest of your body perfectly stiff exactly like a push up. Once down near the floor, bend and drop your knees, chest and forehead to the ground lightly touching in that order. Your hips and pelvic should still be raised. Eight points should be touching the floor in this step- forehead, chest, and two palms, both knees and both feet.

Step 7: Bhujangasana (cobra pose)- Inhale, while swinging your body forwards, straightening your arms, stretching your shoulders upwards and lowering your hips down to the ground. Lift your chest upward and arch your back and look up towards the ceiling.

Step 8: Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose)- Exhale and without moving your hands and feet, tuck your toes and raise your hips and backside up. Elongate the spine and straighten the knees, spreading the fingers evenly push down from your forearms and try to put your heels down to the ground pushing back the thighs. Let your head hang and try lowering your shoulder blades to broaden the collarbone.

Step 9: Aekpaadprasarnaasana (equestrian pose) - Lunge forward while inhaling and bring your right leg in between your hands repeating the position in Step: 4

Step 10: Uttanasana (standing forward bend pose)- On exhale, bring the left foot forward next to the right and forward bend into Uttanasana (Step:3).

Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana (raised arms pose)- Straighten the back and raise your arms above your head, palms joined and repeat Step:2

Step 12: Pranamasana (prayer pose)- Lower your hands in down to your chest as in Step:1.

* Photo credits: Photos by Joseph RENGER on Wikimedia commons & tarnalberry on flickr