Sequencing! For many yogsters it can make or break a yoga class. For teachers it can be a chance to add personal flare or create a real case of ajita. So how DO I transition from ardha chandrasana to parivrtta trikonasana? or what have you. There’s a multitude of styles out there, and more sprouting up every day. We’ve been noticing a trend of fancier combinations and ever cleverer transitions, sequences that riff on creativity, and some that hardly touch upon the most famous of sequential postures, the sun salutation.
There’s something to be said for each approach, but getting right down to the nuts and bolts of asana arranging, what works the best for you? Are you curious what others think about it? Us too! So we took an interwebs poll. YD pals on twitter and facebook responded with a wide array of preferences.
General consensus? Unpredictable, but thoughtful, structured and to the point. What do you think? Vote in the poll!
Many also responded that it depends on mood: some days you want the crazy complex, some a structured flow, and other days you just want to tune out the world and flow in a familiar groove. Sound familiar?
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Earlier…
I like to shake up students’ samskaras in class…I always notice how people go through sun sals by rote, so I’ll throw in something completely different.
I do the same thing… I feel we need to keep the mind fresh as well and not fall into rote… plus I like to mess with my students. Fortunately for me they are all game.
I have my own customized 25 pose routine I like to do in the same order every time. However, I do vary is the pacing quite a bit.
If I want a quick pick-me-up, I do the whole routine in a continual flow that takes only five minutes. If I want to make it a meditation routine, I’ll hold each pose for a long time and the same routine might take 20-30 minutes.
This works perfectly for me.
Bob W.
YogaDemystified.com
Hi, this is David, working for DEERLI Sports and Leisure, a manufacturer and exporter in China, who produces PVC yoga mat, EVAyoga mat, TPE yoga mat and NBR yoga mat. One of them are NBR/PVC foam yoga/Pilates mat, comes out thick (from 10mm, 12mm, 15mm and 20mm) and I would like to get your comments on this yoga mat. Do you use this mat? What do you like it?
Sorry. I forgot my website listed:
DEERLIMats.com
I like my cheap-ass mat from some convenience store. I also like expensive ones. I also like practicing on the floor or carpet that hasn’t been vacuumed in months.
For me, sequencing depends on who’s in class and what they need at the time. In general, I give warming poses early and work up to a peak of intensity, when people are warmed up and ready for it. Then I always leave time for a good cool-down and long savasana.
I find that I appreciate a variety of sequences. Sometimes the Astanga primary series is fantastic, but sometimes I want something more intricate and creative, or something working towards a difficult apex pose, with everything leading in that direction. Most often, though, a creative and mindful sequence gets me every time. (In NYC, many of the Laughing Lotus teacher training grads seem to be amazing at this.)