At what pace should we move in our yoga practice?  

“Vinyasa” means “to flow.”  (Technically, this sanskrit word has several definitions, but this works for us now.)  It is a term that is often used to describe a yoga class that is constantly in motion, linking numerous poses together with the breath.  I sometimes think of this type of practice as yoga’s version of aerobics - you will keep moving, create heat, sweat & finish feeling stretched out.  Nice.

Yogi beware, though.  There is such as thing as moving too fast.  Yoga is a series and system of compromises, among many other things, which keep us balanced and safe.  If we choose to flow, we should move fast enough to build the heated practice we desire but slow enough to maintain optimal body alignment.  Few yogis want to leave class feeling refreshed and renewed with a new kink in the lumbar spine.

Think of  flowing through class as running bases in baseball.  You want to get to the next base as fast as possible, but if you fail to slow down enough to actually make contact with the bag, you’re not going to do yourself any good even if you make it home.  So, slow down enough in your practice to allow yourself to fully find the pose, and stay aligned even through the transitions.  Remember:  it’s yoga.  Moving from Warrior I to Warrior II is just as important as the poses themselves.

Moving “fast” through a yoga practice may seem easier than not, because you don’t have to hold the poses as long, and therefore don’t require as much muscle control.  (Try holding chaturanga/low push-up for an extended period of time and you’ll know what I mean.)  However, it can be deceiving to practice at that rate.  You may feel like you’re doing fine and getting a great work-out because you’re moving fast, breathing harder, and sweating, but if you’re not paying attention, you can flow right through your entire class with rounded shoulders and a misaligned spine.  It’s actually quite difficult to stay connected at a faster pace.

Many of us spend so much time slouching in front of the computer, hunching in the car, and stooping to pick up our children, that we need to spend a little extra time straightening ourselves out.  We can use yoga to help put ourselves back together.  We can also use it to rock-out on the mat without being mindful and create new so-called “bad habits.”  The choice is always up to us.

I’m not suggesting that flowing through class is bad.  That’s not it at all.  I’m just voicing the opinion that we may get more out of our long term practice if we only flow as fast as we can maintain our alignment, and that pace can actually get faster as we gain more control over our bodies.  So, practice, right?  We crawl before we run.  We hold handstand before flowing from handstand into chaturanga.

So, at what pace should we move in our yoga practice?  It all depends on our intentions.

- Mod

Mod at play in Lord of the Dance pose

Last week, I substitute taught for 2 classes, each for a different teacher. It’s always interesting to do this, because you never truly know what type of class situation you will walk into until you get to the studio. (However, this can apply to any class you teach, even your so-called “regular” classes.)

Some of my regular students had decided to join me on this irregular teaching day. I introduced myself to all of the others who had come to learn from a different teacher. Many had smiles that expressed their confidence and willingness to try something new. Others gave a look of anxiety - perhaps at the thought of venturing into a strange class with a strange teacher for what may be a very strange 90 minutes of their time. They would be my challenge and a good portion of my focus.

Since I teach from what I know, I can’t really teach someone else’s class. I have to teach my class from my understanding. Otherwise, it simply won’t make as much sense or feel as genuine. So, that’s what I did. I asked my students for their pose requests and went from there.

Let’s digress for a moment to discuss our preferences in yoga. I’m sure we all have our favorite yoga teachers – the one who taught our first yoga class, the one who likes to spend half of class upside down, or the one who’s got the trick for the perfect neck release. We gravitate toward these special people and we make time for them in our schedules. We spend money to see them and learn their methods. So when we show up for class and they don’t, we are presented with an opportunity to practice outside of our yoga box. The question is: do we take the opportunity to open our practice, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, to new horizons?

I quite frequently drive 40 miles to take a class from a specific teacher. So, when I show up and there is an unexpected schedule change, it’s difficult for me to just jump back in the car and head home. I try to use the situation as an opportunity to expand my practice. If I just follow the physical postures and in my head repeat the mantra, “this stinks, I wish I hadn’t come,” I’m not really opening myself to any possibilities of growth. Sometimes I do a better job of it than others, but I try to learn from every teacher.

Every instructor has something different to offer by virtue of his or her own special style. They all teach basically the same poses, but with different words or variations on a demonstration. 5 teachers can explain the same concept, but in different words, and one explanation will resonate more with you for various reasons. Then, you might realize that all the other teachers were talking about the same thing and say, “OoooOoooh, that’s what they meant by tucking my tailbone!”

So, let’s get back to my class. I taught it from my background in yoga and my experience with substitute teachers (which may be a yogic practice in itself). I stayed true to what I know and I offered that knowledge to my students, but it was up to them to take it. We moved, played, laughed, sweat and finally rested in corpse pose.

After class ended and the lights returned to normal, the faces that seemed so worried 90 minutes prior were now the most exhilarated. These students had taken a journey into a metaphorical abyss and had come out on the other side, and better for it. It seems that they were most in need of practicing outside of their yogic boxes, and as a result, perhaps got the most out of the class.