How to Craft a Perfect Yoga Sequence

Crafting the perfect yoga sequence can be a difficult concept to consider. As yoga teachers, it is important that we keep our students engaged, interested, and also challenged by the classes that they attend. And, a huge part of this is being able to create yoga sequences that are creative!

Although it can of course be argued that there is no such thing as ‘the perfect yoga sequence’, there are ways to ensure that the sequences that you create are enabling your students to grow and progress, both physically and emotionally.

Today I want to share my tips for being able to always embrace this concept and do your best!

Be Authentic

One of the most important things that you can do when you are trying to craft the perfect yoga sequence, is to find a way to make it your own, and to let your teaching style shine through.

Don’t base your sequences on what you think is working for someone else, this is all about what works for you and your students!

Starting Each Sequence

The beginning of each sequence can set the pace for the rest of the flow that is to come, and I suggest that you always start each sequence seated on the mat. From this seated position, you can guide your students to find their centre, and to truly bring their focus and their energy to the movement that they are about to engage in.

Your students must always let go of any distractions and negative thoughts if they are to get the most from each session, so a few moments spent preparing to do this is a fantastic first step. There are always going to be reasons that their attention is being taken away from the task at hand, but with the right amount of practice and encouragement they can master this process.

Even in the studio, we can never guarantee that we can establish a totally silent and peaceful environment, which is why we must instead teach our students to take control of their minds and block out external distractions.

A simple way to do this is to have your students close their eyes and guide them to bring their concentration solely to their breathing. I find it helpful to ask my students to place one hand on their heart, and one hand on just above the belly button as they do this. This helps them to be able to feel the way the body moves as they breathe, thereby further encouraging the mind to focus.

Warming Up

Once your students are mentally prepared for the sequence then it is time to get the body ready. A few moments of simple movements, such as hip circles, and gentle poses, such as the Cat Cow Pose, will help the body prepare for the more intense movements that are about to come.

Warming up is key to a perfect yoga sequence, as it helps your students to go deeper into the poses and enjoy the flow more. Remember, warming up is particularly important if you are teaching yoga first thing in the morning when your students may still be stiff from having been lying in bed right before your class!

Up the Tempo

Once the mind is clear and the body is warm, then it is time to up the tempo and get the heart beating. Flowing quickly through some simple poses that require the whole body to get involved is a great way to do this. Make sure to get some twists in there to further warm the body.

The movements in this portion of your sequence may even be referred to as cardiovascular movements, and they should be energetic enough to get your heart rate up!

Focus on the Body

The next step to crafting the perfect sequence is to call upon a range of movements that specifically target each of the muscle groups that you want to work.

Often these sequences will be developed with the goal of working towards certain complex poses, and therefore these sequences can be tailored to building the necessary strength and flexibility to master these goals.

When you are trying to work your way up to a pose, then you will often have to enhance your existing skills and build upon them slowly. This is something that you can guide your students through by figuring out which poses in sequence are going to help them best develop and reach the next level of their yoga practice!

Build Muscle Memory

Within each of your yoga classes you will have a number of different sequences prepared for your students. I advise that you start by going easy, and then build upon the complexity of these sequences as you progress through the class.

By this I mean that the first sequence should be focused on waking the muscles up, and then each sequence should become increasingly more difficult.

Starting slow and then building up to the more difficult poses with each sequence is also a good way to maintain the motivation of your students. This helps because they will be able to see a clear progression in their ability.

Call Upon Creativity

Crafting a perfect yoga sequence is an impossible task if you are unable to get creative! You will have to call upon both your experience and your imagination to produce an amazing yoga sequence. It must stimulate and challenge the minds and bodies of your students, and encourage them to come back for more!

If your sequence doesn’t flow together well, or consists of the same old movements that your students have already conquered and moved on from, then they are not going to be inspired.

How to Sell Out Your Classes

When you invest your time, energy, and imagination into crafting the perfect yoga sequences for your classes, then your students are going to appreciate and value their time with you.

A few weeks ago I shared my tips on how to sell out your yoga classes. Maintaining your creativity and enthusiasm was one thing at the top of this list, but there are also many other actions to consider!

Click the image below to head back in time and check out these tips!

Mandala and Mentoring

For any yoga teachers out there who are looking for a helping hand with creating the perfect yoga sequences, I have a new training course that you can check out!

In this YACEP training course, I not only teach you a selection of amazing sequences that will bring more creativity into your classes but I’ll also give you the tools you need to help grow your yoga brand and business!