Everyone would enjoy doing something that is both relaxing and beneficial. Right? Vinyasa yoga is the best example. Vinyasa is a Sanskrit word meaning “to do or to place in a specific way”. Like many other yoga styles, Vinyasa yoga has its origins from Hatha yoga.
Vinyasa yoga is designed in a specific way to enhance the benefits of yoga. It is fun and perfect yoga to interest the beginners. It is more like dance and graceful moves rather than an exercise. Yoga with fun is all everyone wants. It gives you both greater joy and optimum benefits. Vinyasa yoga synchronizes with the breath. The yoga poses flow along with the breath as a medium transforms the yoga into a graceful dance.
Breath
As mentioned earlier, breath plays a significant role in Vinyasa yoga. Each inhalation and exhalation measure the length of time spent on the transition between asanas. In vinyasa yoga, the primary attention is on breath and in between asanas. Diaphragmatic style of breath or Ujjayi is the breathing method in Vinyasa yoga.
Breathing during yoga or meditation creates deeper awareness. Inhalation properly aligns the spine and encourages expansion. It also naturally expands belly and ribs.
Exhalation contacts torso and abdomen. It encourages retraction.
So, you move into pose against gravity while inhaling, creating upward movements. Move out of posture with gravity and create downward movements during exhalation.
Muscle contractions or bandhas
Muscle contraction is another primary aspect of vinyasa yoga along with breathing. Bandhas are locks or seals with lock and stop from the energy moving out of the body. It also assists in retaining pose and moving grace in and out of poses. There is three main bandhas. They are as following:
- Mula bandha: Tighten the muscles around perineum and pelvic region.
- Uddiyana Bandha: Move the naval region inwards to the spine and slightly upwards contracting the muscles of a lower abdominal area.
- Jalandhara Bandha: Slightly lower the chin and raise the sternum by bringing the sight or gaze to the tip of the nose.
There are many yoga poses in Vinyasa yoga. Below mentioned are the primary and the most important of the Vinyasa yoga that boosts overall health benefits.
Yoga asanas in Vinyasa yoga
Practice pranayama for 20 minutes before starting yoga sequence.
Once done with pranayama start with Surya Namaskar or Sun salutation. Suryanamaskar increases circulation and enhances solar plexus.
Alongside, practices this basic vinyasa yoga poses to experience the vital benefits of Vinyasa yoga.
- Plank Pose or Kumbhakasana
- Knees-Chest-Chin Pose or Ashtanga Namaskara
- Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana
- Downward Facing Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Plank Pose or Kumbhakasana
- Four-Limbed Staff Pose or Chaturanga Dandasana
- Upward Facing Dog Pose or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
- Downward Facing Dog Pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana
There are many benefits that you get from these yoga poses. Besides, vinyasa yoga adds a flavor to the mood and enhances the benefits.
- Purifies and promotes the health of cardiovascular system.
- Increases circulation.
- Internal heat causes sweat, thereupon removing toxins and purifying the body.
- The slow and soothing breath brings calming effect, increases concentration, and mental power.
- Increases flexibility, and strength in muscles.
- Brings the mind into the present moment. The present moment is where the happiness, truth, and content resides.
Conclusion
You don’t feel like working out or doing yoga or exercise? Is your day lazy and your mind bogged up?
One thing that could boost up to the optimum is vinyasa yoga. It is not only because of the benefits but also gives you joy and refreshing mood all along.
