Yoga · Flow sequences

Building a vinyasa flow

Students learn how a vinyasa flow is built, from breath-linked moves to peak and counterpose, then plan a short flow in pairs and teach it to each other.

T leads a model flowA1B1C1A2B2C2T
Start / 6
Time
30 min
Players
2–24
Age
U16+
Area
Mat per person
Equipment
matsblockspaper and pens

Setup

  1. Mats in pairs of rows, an arm's length apart, with room to stand beside each mat; blocks, paper and pens to hand.
  2. Pair students up (A1 with A2 and so on). Anyone pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or with a medical condition should check with a health professional and tell the teacher before class.

How it runs

  1. Model flow, 5 minutes: the teacher leads child's pose (Balasana), tabletop, cat-cow, downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), low lunge, warrior II (Virabhadrasana II), extended side angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana), a vinyasa (plank, low plank or knees-chest-chin, cobra, down dog) and the other side. One breath, one movement.
  2. The breath rule: rising, opening and backbending moves go on the inhale; folding, twisting and lowering go on the exhale. Students call out "in" or "out" as the teacher names a few transitions.
  3. The template: arrive, warm the spine, standing build, peak, counterpose, cool down, rest. Choose the peak first, then ask what it needs opened or strengthened and build backwards.
  4. Pairs plan, 5 minutes: each pair writes a flow of six to eight moves towards a simple peak (such as crescent lunge or warrior III), marking each move inhale or exhale, adding an option for every move and a counterpose after the peak.
  5. A1 teaches A2, 4 minutes: A1 stands beside A2's mat and cues breath first, then the movement, then one alignment point. A2 flows both sides and says where the breath felt rushed.
  6. Swap, 4 minutes: A2 teaches A1. Pairs tweak the flow with what they noticed.
  7. Share and rest: one or two pairs teach their flow to the class, then everyone rests in corpse pose (Savasana) for 3 minutes.

Coaching points

  • Breath first, then the movement: "Inhale, lift the arms."
  • Teach both sides and keep transitions steppable rather than jumped.
  • Every peak and backbend gets a counterpose before rest.
  • Offer an option for every move so everyone can follow at their own level.

Common mistakes

  • Cramming two or three movements into one breath.
  • Forgetting the second side.
  • Leaving out the cool-down and rest.
  • Cueing what students should feel instead of what to do.

Say it: “One breath, one movement.”

Make it harder

  • Build the flow around a theme, such as a twist peak, and teach it to a group of four.
  • Include one held pose of five breaths and teach the transition into and out of it.

Make it easier

  • Give pairs a fill-in-the-gaps template with the peak already chosen.
  • Flow without low plank: knees down, or tabletop to child's pose instead.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.

Building a vinyasa flow · Yoga drill | Sportdify