Fun fact: Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement.” It’s a series of poses that move through the power of our inhalations and exhalations. Breath is CRITICAL during your vinyasa flow. Vinyasa is designed to build physical strength, flexibility and vitality, while bringing your mind into a state of balance and stillness. It’s important that clients work at their own pace as they develop strength: safety and technique is more important than repetition. 

How to correctly set up:

• Start in down dog. Press palms into mat, send tailbone to the ceiling and drive down through heels. Gaze is between thighs. Melt shoulders down back. 
• Inhale into a straight-arm plank. 
• Exhale down to the mat. Elbows should graze ribcage. Drop knees first before lowering down (make sure to demonstrate this way for people who haven’t built up strength quite yet).
• Inhale up to low cobra or upward dog, pressing shoulders down back and lifting gaze.
• Exhale back down to mat.
• Inhale as you tuck toes.
• Exhale as you press back to down dog.
• Repeat. 

Benefits:

• This is an active cool down, which helps with stiffness, pain or weight gain from sitting all day at a desk or studying. 
• Builds upper body strength (especially lean muscle!).
• Improves endurance in other exercise types.
• Calms mind and hones in on mind-body connection.
• Releases toxins. 
• Reenergizes body.
• Builds and maintains strong bones, muscles and connective tissue to maintain a high metabolism, healthy posture, and an active body.
• Yoga is “functional exercise” ie: the body works in union with all systems and body parts, which is the way we use the body. This work will burn more calories, improve body/mind awareness, enhance movement pathways in the body to enhance agility and mobility. 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/332693-what-are-the-benefits-of-vinyasa-yoga/

https://www.doyouyoga.com/my-breakup-with-bikram-how-vinyasa-flow-yoga-stole-my-heart/

https://dellaterrawellness.com/benefits-of-vinyasa-yoga/