The Sankrit word Vinyasa means "breath-synchronized movement" and during Vinyasa yoga classes the teacher will instruct you to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale, creating a smooth series of postures that run together and flow like a dance. Essentially, the breath dictates the quality of the movement and the length of time held in each pose. Unlike other styles of yoga, attention is also placed on the transition between postures not just postures themselves.
Although Vinyasa Yoga classes will almost always feature Sun Salutations, Vinyasa Yoga's strength is in its diversity. Since there is no rulebook or sequence that teachers must follow, Vinyasa yoga encompasses a wide variety of classes, allowing room for individual personalities to be expressed and celebrated in a safe and inspiring environment. If you like things to be a little loose and unpredictable, and are looking to get your heart-rate up and to move through poses in a dynamic and fast-paced way, Vinyasa is probably right for you.
