How Do You Cue Vinyasa Flow?

How do you cue vinyasa flow?

What is Vinyasa Flow?

Before we can learn how to cue vinyasa flow, we must answer the question, "what is vinyasa?" Vinyasa comes to us from two Sanskrit words - the Sanskrit word nyasa, which means "to place" and the Sanskrit prefix vi, which means "in a special or sacred way."  Together Vinyasa means "to place in a special way" or "to place in a sacred way."  When you think of all the planning that goes into a Vinyasa sequence, you can understand how fitting this definition is.  Yoga Teachers spend hours planning out Vinyasa flow classes, each yoga posture being placed in a sacred and special way before the next.

At the heart of a Vinyasa practice is the breath.  In Vinyasa, the breath is linked to movement.  We know that yoga means "to yoke," and yoga is about union or connection.  One of the principal forms of connection that come to mind when I think of yoga is the connection between breath and movement.  

Establish a Vinyasa Practice

In the yoga teacher trainings that I host, yoga teacher trainees often ask me "how do you cue vinyasa flow?"  And the answer is both simple and complex.  Sometimes people are brand new to yoga and want to get a yoga teacher certification as they slowly start to cultivate a yoga practice.  In these cases, learning to cue a vinyasa flow may be more complicated.  However, if you've already established a regular Vinyasa practice, it may come more naturally.  

Sun Salutations in Vinyasa Flows

Vinyasa is a style of yoga.  Included in most Vinyasa classes are sun salutations.  There are multiple types of sun salutations, the most common being "Sun Salutation A" and "Sun Salutation B."  Sun Salutations in Sanskrit are known as "Surya Namaskar," Surya meaning "sun" and Namaskar meaning "salute" or "greeting."  Quite literally, Surya Namaskar means to salute the sun.  

Sun Salutation A Poses

The postures included in Sun Salutation A include:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) (alternatively lower to the belly)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) (alternatively cobra)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

How to Cue Sun Salutation A in Vinyasa Flow Classes

There are several ways to cue Sun Salutation A.  I will share with you the cues that I personally use most commonly.  My students respond well to these cues.

Come to stand in mountain pose at the top of the mat.

• Inhale, reach the arms up.
• Exhale, forward fold.
• Inhale, lift halfway, flat back extension.
• Exhale, forward fold, bring the hands to the mat
• Inhale, step back to plank
• Exhale, lower down Chaturanga Dandasana or lower all the way down to the belly.
• Inhale, Upward Facing Dog Pose, or Cobra Pose, your choice.
• Exhale back, Downward Facing Dog.
• Inhale, press the hips back.
• Exhale, walk the feet towards the top of the mat
• Inhale, lift half way, flat back extension
• Exhale, forward fold
• Inhale, rise and float both arms up over head
• Exhale, bring the hands to the heart.

Sun Salutation B Poses

The postures included in Sun Salutation B include:

• Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend)
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) (*Option to skip second Uttanasana and Plank and jump straight back to Chaturanga*)
• Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) (alternatively lower to the belly)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) (alternatively cobra)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
• Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) - Right side
• Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) (alternatively lower to the belly)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) (alternatively cobra)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
• Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I Pose) - Left Side
• Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
• Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) (alternatively lower to the belly)
• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) (alternatively cobra)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)

How to Cue Sun Salutation B in Vinyasa Flow Class

There are several ways to cue Sun Salutation B.  I will share with you the cues that I personally use most commonly.  My students respond well to these cues.

• From mountain pose take an inhale.  
• On the exhale, bend the knees, lower the hips and sit back in chair pose.
• Take an inhale in chair as you lengthen the spine.
• Exhale, forward fold.
• Inhale, lift halfway, flat back extension
• Exhale, forward fold (option to skip this and plank and jump straight back to Chaturanga)
• Inhale, step back to plank.
• Exhale, lower down Chaturanga Dandasana or option to lower all the way down to the belly.
• Inhale, Upward Facing Dog Pose or Cobra Pose, your choice.
• Exhale back, Downward Facing Dog.
• Inhale, lift the right leg for three-legged dog (optional)
• Exhale, step the right foot between the hands
• Inhale, rise up, Warrior I
• Exhale, plant the palms on either side of the foot
• Inhale, step back for plank (option to skip plank and jump straight into Chaturanga)
• Exhale, lower down into Chaturanga Dandasana or come onto the belly.
• Inhale, Upward Facing Dog or Cobra Pose, your choice.
• Exhale back, Downward Facing Dog.
• Inhale, lift the left leg into three-legged dog (optional)
• Exhale, step the left foot between the legs.
• Inhale, rise up into Warrior I.
• Exhale, plant the palms on either side of the left foot.
• Inhale, step back into Plank (option to skip Plank and jump straight into Chaturanga).
• Exhale, lower down Chaturanga Dandasana or lower flat onto the belly.
• Inhale, Upward Facing Dog Pose or Cobra Pose, always your choice.
• Exhale back, Downward Facing Dog.
• Inhale, press the hips back.
• Exhale, slowly walk the feet to the top of the mat.
• Inhale, lift halfway.
• Exhale, forward fold.
• Inhale, rise and float both arms up to the sky.
• Exhale, hands come to the heart.

How Do You Cue Vinyasa Flow Beyond the Sun Salutations?

Once you get the hang of how to cue Sun Salutation A and how to cue Sun Salutation B, and most importantly, you become comfortable cueing the breath, you will be ready to add onto your Vinyasa class plan.  Cueing the remainder of your Vinyasa flow class will come naturally after you've learned how to comfortably cue Sun Salutation A and B.

Often times, there are standing postures, including balancing postures, that follow Sun Salutations in Vinyasa flow classes.  The standing postures are connected to the breath and linked through a sequence that is repeated on both sides of the body.  Once the standing postures are over, it is common to come down on the ground for seated postures that may or may not include ore activation and backbends.  There may be inversions and twists.  The Vinyasa flow will end in relaxation, most commonly Savasana final resting pose.

How to Cue the Breath in Vinyasa Flow

Throughout the remainder of the Vinyasa class, you want to continue to cue the breath.  We typically inhale for expansive movements, such as reaching up or opening the heart.  When we come into spinal extension we usually inhale.  Exhales are usually for spinal flexion, closing the heart and movements that seem to close the body.

Learn How to Cue Vinyasa Flow in Yoga Teacher Training Online

To learn more about how to cue Vinyasa flow, join us in an upcoming online 200hr yoga teacher training course.  If you already have your 200hr yoga teacher training certification, you can join us in our 300hr yoga teacher training course online.  If you're looking for a yoga teacher continuing education course, you can also take our course for the best yoga teacher cues.  We would love to help train you on how to appropriately cue a Vinyasa flow class!