Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa (often listed as "flow") links poses together into continuous sequences, with one breath cueing each movement. Instead of setting up a pose, holding it, and resting, you move more or less constantly: inhale into one shape, exhale into the next. The Sun Salutations are the backbone — short, repeatable sequences that warm you up and reappear between longer standing series.

A typical class starts slow, builds through several rounds of Sun Salutations, then works through standing poses, balances, and often a peak pose — an arm balance or deeper backbend — before winding down with seated poses and rest. Sequences vary class to class; unlike Ashtanga, there is no fixed order, so no two vinyasa classes are quite the same.

The pace makes it more cardiovascular than Hatha, and you will likely sweat even in an unheated room. It helps to know the basic poses first, since instructions come quickly. Most teachers offer slower options — stepping instead of jumping, knees-down chaturanga — so beginners can keep up while they learn the transitions.