The style of yoga you practice may use a set sequence of poses that instructors do not veer away from. It may also vary, according to the instructor you see, and whether your class starts standing, seated or supine. "Yoga Journal" contributor and Iyengar instructor, Donald Moyer, categorizes some of his sequences according to whether the focus is on forward bends, backbends or twists. Try a variety of yoga styles to find out if you prefer set orders of poses or mixed sequences.
History
Stone carvings from 3,000 B.C. show people practicing yoga poses. The development and recording of the physical aspect of yoga, or hatha yoga, has roots in ancient scriptures, such as the Upanishads, Vedas, Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras. The practice of yoga poses in the modern world developed through many famous yogis, such as Krishnamacharya, Swami Sivananda, Pattabhi Jois and Yogi Bhajan.
Function
Yoga poses often build upon each other, preparing the appropriate muscles for the next pose to be practiced. If your goal is to practice headstand, you might practice poses, such as dolphin, plank and wide-legged forward bend in preparation. Sequences used in the Ashtanga-style focus on building heat in the body within an uninterrupted flow of poses, according to the Glasgow Yoga Centre founded by Nirmalendu Roy. In non-traditional yoga classes, the order of poses used may change, depending on the goal pose or general area of the body to be worked.
Styles
While yoga styles, such as Jivamukti and Viniyoga, vary the order of poses taught, others stick to a set sequence. Bikram yoga uses the same 26 poses for every class taught. Ashtanga yoga has three main series of poses--with students mastering each before moving on to the next. In B.K.S. Iyengar's "Light on Yoga," he prescribes several sequences for students to follow, although Iyengar-stye classes may deviate from these suggestions.
Sequencing
A thoughtfully designed yoga sequence should warm-up students before it has them hold deep stretches. A basic yoga sequence often begins with sun salutations A and B, which are each a collection of poses linked together with breaths. Warriors, triangles and other standing poses often follow the sun salutations. Floor poses, such as boat, side plank and seated forward bend can follow standing work or can occur after warm-ups. Class closing sequences often include bridge, shoulderstand, fish and supine twist.
Considerations
Breathing plays a significant role in the order of yoga poses. In the beginning of a yoga class, you may find you only hold a pose for an inhale or exhale. After the body is warm, you can expect to hold poses in a standard hatha yoga class for three to 10 breaths. For example, you are unlikely to practice triangle pose for five breaths in the beginning of a yoga class, but you might flow through it for one breath during a modified sun salutation sequence. Avoid going back and forth between deep backbends and forward folds.
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