Yoga Flow

- Mikes Martial Arts

Vinyasa Yoga or YogaFlow - what is it?

Vinyasa is an approach to yoga where you move from one pose directly into another paired with breath control and gaze of the eyes. Poses are strung together in a certain way so that they blend into one movement. One good example of a flowing Vinyasa is Surya Namaskara.

You may also hear the term ASHTANGA yoga used interchangeably with Vinyasa. However Ashtanga yoga follows the same sequence of positions for every class whereas no two Vinyasa yoga classes are alike because the yoga instructor can put poses together in whatever combination they see fit.

Origin of Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa yoga was founded by Rishi Vamana about 4,000 years ago. during that time villages in India were growing rapidly increasing the demand of people's time. The society needed a practice that would encompass all the elements of yoga but take less time. Rishi Vamana fulfilled their need by introducing the concept of Vinyasa or flow yoga in his book ' Yoga Karunta'.

Who can practice Vinyasa Yoga?

1. People who are familiar with yoga poses and know the basics of how to do them;

2. Have less time on hand but want to perform all the elements of traditional yoga;

3. Have moderate to good fitness level;

4. Want to get a cardio and strength training during yoga sessions;

5. Want to feel challenge during yoga sessions

How will YogaFlow benefit us?

1. Improve energy level while promoting relaxation and lowering stress level and anxiety;

2. Because the poses are done in a quick succession Vinyasa yoga helps build muscle strength while improving fitness;

3. The fast paced movements make it an ideal light intensity cardiovascular workout;

4. It is a great way to add an aerobic element to yoga practice without turning it into a full blown bodyweight workout;

5. It is also known as moving meditation because it focuses and explore the relationship between body, mind and breath;

6. In a February 2012 study in the 'journal of women's health' researchers showed that women complementing their CBT or cognitive behaviour therapy to quit smoking with vinyasa yoga twice a week could stay longer without smoking than the other group;

7. It is also preferred over traditional HATHA yoga to lose weight if you if practice for a minimum of 45 minutes for three to five days weekly.

**Please note that Vinyasa / Yoga Flow as practiced by us is a strictly guided training program depending on condition of the person. Unless you have substantial Yoga Experience, it is not recommended that you practice it without supervision**