Sequence
Vinyasa Full-Body Flow
Vinyāsaविन्यास· vin-YAH-saha full-body breath-linked flow
A flowing full-body vinyasa practice that links standing poses, lunges, forward folds and the classic vinyasa transition into one continuous, breath-led sequence. It builds strength, flexibility and stamina across the whole body. Best once you're comfortable with the foundational poses.
Step by step
- 1
Sun Salutation warm-up (Surya Namaskar)
Begin with the Surya Namaskar: stretch your arms all the way up, then fold down, before coming back up to start the flow.
- 2
Low lunge with elbow lock
From the Surya Namaskar, take one leg back into a lunge, then lock your elbow behind your bent front knee.
Breath: Hold for 30 seconds.
- 3
Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
Move into Trikonasana, reaching toward the front foot and trying to bring your forehead toward your knee.
Breath: Hold for 30 seconds or 5 breaths.
- 4
Warrior 2
Come into Warrior 2, keeping your front knee bent at 90 degrees and your arms extended in one straight line.
- 5
Warrior 1
Transition into Warrior 1.
- 6
Warrior 3
Move into Warrior 3.
Breath: Hold for 30 seconds or 5 breaths.
- 7
Vinyasa flow-through
Flow through the sequence: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (low lunge), Santolanasana (Plank), Ashtanga Namaskara (eight-point pose, lowering chest and chin to the floor), Bhujangasana (Cobra), Parvatasana, and back to Ashwa Sanchalanasana (low lunge).
- 8
Padahastasana (standing forward fold)
Come to standing and fold into Padahastasana, then fold again, take your hands behind your knees, and rise all the way up to finish the Surya Namaskar.
- 9
Repeat on the other side
Repeat the entire sequence again leading with the other leg.
Poses in this sequence
Benefits
- Builds full-body strength, flexibility and stamina
- Raises the heart rate for an energising practice
- Improves focus through continuous breath-led movement
- Ties together the poses you've learned individually
About this practice
Once the individual poses and the basic vinyasa are familiar, a full-body flow strings them into one continuous, breath-led practice. The result is energising and strengthening — closer to a moving meditation than a set of separate exercises. Keep the breath steady and let it, not ambition, set the pace.
Related practices
Video transcriptThis video guides you through a full-body vinyasa flow that moves through Surya Namaskar, Trikonasana, the Warrior poses, and a closing sequence back to standing.
The following is a basic vinyasa flow. Do this after your warm-up practice, starting with the Surya Namaskar, stretch all the way up and coming down, taking one leg back, and from here we'll lock our elbow behind our knee, holding this for 30 seconds, followed by Trikonasana, holding again for 30 seconds or 5 breaths, basic stretch, we'll try to get our forehead to touch our knee.
Followed by Warrior 2, making sure our knee is at 90 degrees and up top is aligned, followed by Warrior 1, and Warrior 3, holding again for 30 seconds or 5 breaths.
Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Santolanasana, Ashtanga Namaskara, Bhujangasana, Parvatasana, Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Padahastasana, and Padahastasana, taking our hands behind our knees and going all the way up and finishing the Surya Namaskar, and doing the same with the other side.
Frequently asked questions
- Is vinyasa flow good for building strength?
- Yes — the continuous transitions, especially the repeated chaturanga-to-upward-dog vinyasa and standing poses, build strength in the arms, core, shoulders and legs while also improving stamina.
- Is vinyasa flow suitable for beginners?
- A gentle, slow flow can suit beginners, but faster full-body flows are best once you're comfortable with the foundational poses and the basic vinyasa transition. Start slow and modify.
References
- Traditional Hatha/Vinyasa lineage; see B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga · Book — Reference for the component postures.