five tips for spicing up your sequences

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By: Helaina Thompson

Looking to remodel your same-old yoga routine? Here are five easy ways to change things up.

1. Break away from a traditional class structure.

Pick a posture you usually place at the end of your practice, and find a way to repurpose it in your warm up. Begin a warrior sequence with a balancing posture. Warm up with a flowing bridge.

2. Get low.

Rather than transitioning into standing postures from mountain pose, experiment with entering a standing posture from the ground up. Downward facing dog, forward fold, and runners lunge are great places to start.

3. Twist.

Many asanas—from chair to triangle—have twisting variations. Twists massage the internal organs, encouraging digestion. They feel great and bring new perspective to your sequences.

4. Free up your arms.

Changing the way your arms interact with a posture can make any asana feel brand new. For example, in warrior two, swing the arms together in front of the torso for eagle arms, or seal the hands behind the lower back in reverse prayer. Experiment with different mudras (yogic hand gestures) during postures, too.

5. Get inspired.

Attend new classes to discover fresh sequences and transitions. Draw inspiration from a variety of instructors, and incorporate these ideas into your practice—with your own unique spin.

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