Pushed for time? If you’re looking for a quick routine to fit into your hectic schedule, a yoga vinyasa is for you, says Natural Health expert Sue Fuller.
Pushed for time? If you’re looking for a quick routine to fit into your hectic schedule, a yoga vinyasa is for you, says Natural Health expert Sue Fuller.15 minutes a day of vinyasa style yoga . All you need is a yoga mat and loose, comfortable clothing.
The term vinyasa refers to breath synchronised movement. With each inhalation and exhalation the body is moved harmoniously through a series of postures. The synchronicity between breath and movement is maintained throughout the entire practice; this helps to clear and focus the mind and assists the body physically as it moves between each posture. When we inhale, the torso naturally expands as the lungs inflate. During inhalation it is ideal to perform postures that elongate the torso. When we exhale the diaphragm contracts and muscles are able to relax, so performing any forward folding or rotating posture would be perfect. It is also the ideal time to release and deepen various stretches and postures.
A simple version
Rolling through cat (majaryasana) is the perfect example of a simple vinyasa sequence that allows for the expansion of the torso and the contraction of the diaphragm as you inhale and exhale.
Begin on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Exhale and as you do so look through your legs and round your spine up towards the sky. Draw up your stomach muscles and, as you do so, co-ordinate the movement with your lungs emptying and the diaphragm contracting. As you inhale begin to lengthen the torso by moving through your starting position and then tilt your pelvis up and lift your chest and head. Continue with these movements synchronised to your inhalation and exhalation for at least five complete breaths.
Practising vinyasas and bringing this fluid motion into your day will increase your heart rate, build long lean muscles, reduce excess body fat, clear and focus the mind, improve flexibility, massage internal organs, help to balance the body, raise vitality, release endorphins, remove toxins, reduce stress and tension and encourage you to ‘go with the flow’.
Try the following version of a surya namaskar (sun salutation) at the start of each day
Begin in tadasana (the mountain) as shown in pic 1. Stand with a straight spine and a small space between the insides of your feet with the outside edges of your feet parallel. Begin to breathe slowly in and out through your nose. When you are ready, fully inhale, and as you exhale bring your hands to a prayer position in front of your chest.
Inhale and lift your hands above your head, allowing your hands to part so they are shoulderwidth apart with your palms facing forward. Activate your lower abdominal muscles (to protect the lower back) and lift your breast bone, drop your head back and allow your hips to move forward (pic 2).
Exhale and fold your body into uttanasana (standing forward bend). Make sure you engage the lower abdominal muscles as you fold forwards. Your arms take the natural path down until your fingertips touch the floor or they just hang alongside your legs (pic 3).
Inhale and step your right leg back as far as possible whilst bending your left knee, to form a long lunge and place your hands onto the floor. Make sure that your left knee is over your left ankle (to protect the knee) as shown in pic 4.
Exhale and move to adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog). Step the left foot back so it is beside the right, and allow your hips to move up and back to create a triangular shape with your body and the floor. See pic 5.
Inhale and move to plank by moving your shoulders forward and lowering your hips to form a straight line between your shoulders and your heels. Make sure that you brace the abdominal muscles as you move through this transition to protect your lower back. See pic 6.
As you exhale, lower your knees, chest and chin to the floor whilst the hips remain lifted (pic 7). Inhale and move to urdhva mukha svanasana (upward facing dog). Slide your chest forward, lower your hips and straighten your arms, lifting your shoulders and torso from the floor (pic 8).
Exhale and activate the lower abdominal muscles firmly as you move back to adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog), as in pic 5.
Inhale and step the right foot forwards to form a long lunge. This time the left leg is extended (pic 4). Exhale and step your left foot beside your right, straighten your legs and relax your upper body into uttanasana (standing forward bend) as in pic 3.
Inhale and slowly uncurl whilst lifting the arms, keeping them parallel. When thehands are above the shoulders, lift the breast bone, drop your head back and draw up the lower abdominal muscles as the hips move forward (pic 2).
Exhale as you lower your arms in front of your body keeping them parallel and returning to tadasana (the mountain) as in pic 1.
Repeat all of the above, stepping back with the left leg. Continue working both sides equally for at least five complete rounds and then gradually increase the amount of repetitions.
Mix it up a bit…
If you are not comfortable passing through plank from adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog), replace the plank with majaryasana (cat). Then roll through cat by creating a convex shape with the spine as you exhale and reverse the movement concaving the spine as you inhale. Then pick up the second downward facing dog and continue with the rest of the sequence.
Top tip
Sit on the edge of your bed, breathing slowly in and out through your nose. As you inhale, lift your arms out to the side. Keep lifting the arms until your palms join above your head. As you exhale reverse the movement. Repeat 10 times.
Sue Fuller’s range of audio yoga classes including yoga vinyasa for beginners and improvers are nowavailable from her online store. Sue has gathered together experts in areas such as pilates, meditation, yoga, diet and nutrition to create a range of audio classes and products which can be downloaded or delivered on CD. Visit wellbeingworldonline.com
Article by
Sue Fuller
Yoga Teacher
Sue Fuller is a leading yoga teacher, writer and co-founder of wellbeingworldonline.com A leading yoga teacher for over 15 years, Sue trained with the Sivananda organisation in Neyyar Dam, India...
Discover more
Article by
Sue Fuller
Yoga Teacher
Sue Fuller is a leading yoga teacher, writer and co-founder of wellbeingworldonline.com A leading yoga teacher for over 15 years, Sue trained with the Sivananda organisation in Neyyar Dam, India...
Discover more
By Sue Fuller
