GO-TO SEQUENCES FOR VINYASA CLASSES WITH CURVY STUDENTS

CURVY YOGA EXPLORATION

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GoGo--To Sequence for Vinyasa To Sequence for Vinyasa

ClassesClasses with Curvy Studentswith Curvy Students

It’s always handy to have a go-to sequence, right? We all need ‘em – for those days when we walk into class and realize our students are all wanting/needing something completely different from what we planned, when we don’t have as much time to plan as we might like, etc.

That’s why I created this go-to sequence for vinyasa classes with curvy students. If you don’t yet (emphasis on yet!) have curvy students in your classes on a regular basis, it can be a momentary deer-in-headlights moment while you scramble to figure out what to do.

Consider this your de-headlighter.

I designed this for maximum (planning) flexibility. The sequencing works well on its own, but you will obviously be the one deciding on the pace. In addition, you can also add in your own transitions between

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poses, move these poses around as you see fit, etc. This is a template that you can use to create your own wonderful classes, as I’m sure you will.

• Lying down centering o Have students start with their knees bent – this helps anyone whose booty prevents them from

lying down comfortably with their legs extended

• Dynamic Bridge o This is a very gentle version of Bridge – have students come into position. They will then inhale

and lift their hips up any amount and exhale and come down. I find that saying “any amount” is helpful – gives people who may not be able to lift up much or at all permission to do their thing. Sometimes I also say something like “your hips may not lift off the ground at all – work in a way that feels good for you.”

• Supta Padangusthasana o I always teach this with a strap. I start with leg extended, knee bent. I then ask students to

“work their leg toward straight,” noting that they “may not get there today, or even in this lifetime, but that’s just the direction we’re going.” I like to do leg straight, leg out to the side, leg crossing the book & leg straight again on one side before going to the other side.

o Sometimes it’s challenging for curvy students to get the strap from one foot to the other, so I always teach the in-air trade-off. For example, if the right leg is extended in the air, foot in strap, I’ll ask the students to bring their left leg up to meet it. Once the left foot is in the strap, they can gently move the right foot out and down.

• Come up to seated (on a blanket or bolster if possible). We’re coming from lying down to seated instead of standing to give students a moment to acclimate.

o Depending on the shape/size of the student’s body, some curvy students cannot lay on their side comfortably – or at all. Their body makes them too high to rest their head on the ground, even with an arm tucked underneath.

o Therefore, I usually instruct coming up in a few ways. Here are some examples: “If you feel comfortable rolling to your side, do so, pausing for a breath or two with your

arm underneath your head. Then slowly come up to seated.” “If that’s not comfortable for you, come up however you like – finding a way to do so

gently and with kindness. You want to avoid rocketing up because that might make you not feel good.”

• Seated Sun Breaths o Inhale: reach arms overhead

o Exhale: arms come back down by sides

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o Repeat as many times as you’d like

• Seated wide-legged forward bend o The wide-legged version of this pose is much more accessible for curvy students because their

belly has a place to go when they fold forward – instead of getting smushed on their thighs as in Paschimottanasana.

• Come up to standing o If students are set up near a wall, I’ll remind them that they can use a hand on the wall for

support if needed. If not, I’ll ask them to come up however feels good for them.

• Sun Salutations A o See the Sun Salutations Document for curvy recommendations

o Repeat as many times as you’d like

• If you normally teach Sun Salutations B next, do that

o See the Sun Salutations Document for curvy recommendations

o Repeat as many times as you’d like

• Warrior 1, both sides o I like to start this pose at the back of the mat: stepping forward into the pose is often easier for

people because they can see where they’re going. I ask them to step forward a regular step to start and then scoot their foot forward as needed. If that will be too weird for your other students, though, just step back into it.

o See the “Curvy Alignment from the Ground Up” Document for recommendations on moving students into this pose.

o Feel free to add in a sun salutation wherever you like

• Turn to step wide on the mat

• Warrior 2 Side Angle, Right o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on these poses

o Add in vinyasas wherever you’d like

• Standing Wide-Legged Forward Bend

o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on these poses

o Add in vinyasas wherever you’d like

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• Warrior 2 Side Angle, Left o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on these poses

o Add in vinyasas wherever you’d like

• Step feet together & walk to front of mat

• Warrior 1 again, with held arms, both sides

• Turn to step wide on the mat

• Warrior 2 Side Angle Triangle, Right

o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on these poses o Add in vinyasas wherever you’d like

• Wide-Legged Forward Bend

• Warrior 2 Side Angle Triangle, Left

o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on these poses o Add in vinyasas wherever you’d like

• Vinyasa to the ground

• Come to seated (on a blanket or bolster if possible)

• Janu Sirsasana, right & left

o See Permission to CURVE for recommendations on this pose

• Other seated poses of your choosing. You might also like to do inversions or backbends here if they’re part of your typical class. I recommend going back to that Bridge from the beginning of class, perhaps holding it longer with a block and/or adding on lifting up the legs for something Shoulderstand-esque

• Transition to lying down

• Do whatever you normally do to prepare students for Savasana

• Savasana