How To Sequence a Yoga Class

You’ve done your 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training and are now a yoga teacher — congratulations! Now what? This is the time to build your own yoga studio or start giving online classes or associate with a yoga school and start creating yoga sequences. Sequencing a class can be daunting even for experienced teachers. But a well-sequenced class can make all the difference in how students feel grounded, balanced and energized.

In this guide, you’ll find the top tips for sequencing a class, practical advice and examples of class themes to help you create great classes.

What is a Yoga Class Sequence?

Yoga Class sequencing is the way you organize yoga poses (asanas) so the class is effective, engaging and safe. It’s a logical flow that takes students from simple to more complex poses. Proper sequencing addresses muscle engagement and relaxation, flexibility and harmony in the practice. When done well, it benefits the body and calms the mind.

Why is Yoga Sequencing Important?

A good yoga class sequence ensures students are physically prepared for each pose, reduces the risk of injury and creates flow. It also enhances focus, emotional balance and leaves students feeling recharged and calm.

The 5 Elements of a Yoga Class Sequence

1. Breathwork (Pranayama): This part is all about breathing exercises to calm the mind and stay present. Simple breathing techniques like deep breathing or Ujjayi breathing set the tone for the class and sync breath with movement.
2. Warm Up Poses: These are gentle stretches and easy movements to prepare the body for the main poses. They get the blood flowing, loosen tight muscles and help students get into the practice.
3. Main Poses (Core Flow): This is the meat of the class, standing, balancing and strength building poses. The poses should follow the theme of the class whether it’s strength, flexibility or relaxation.
4. Cooling and Stretching Poses: After the main poses this part helps the body unwind. Forward bends and twists calm the nervous system and stretch tired muscles.
5. Final Rest (Savasana): This is the end of the class where students lie down and relax completely. It helps the body absorb the practice and leaves students feeling calm and refreshed.

These 5 elements make up a balanced yoga practice class for body and mind.

How To Sequence a Yoga Class

1. Begin with a Purpose

A well sequenced yoga class starts with a clear intention. The intention is the theme or purpose of the class and can be physical, mental or emotional. Examples of intentions are opening the heart, building core strength, improving balance or cultivating mindfulness.

Examples of Intentions:

• Heart-Opening Flow: Poses that open the chest and shoulders like Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) and Camel Pose (Ustrasana).
• Strength and Stability: Strong standing poses like Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) and balancing poses like Tree Pose (Vrikshasana).
• Relaxation and Renewal: Restorative poses like Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) and Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani).

To create a cohesive experience for your students, you should choose poses to match your intention.

2. Consider Your Students’ Level

You need to tailor your class to the level of your students. A beginner’s yoga class plans should have simple foundational poses like Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Child’s Pose (Balasana) and Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana). For more advanced students, you can introduce inversions like Headstand (Sirsasana) or challenging poses like Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III).

If your yoga students have different levels of asana mastery, you can follow these tips:

• Offer modifications for tricky poses.
• Use props like blocks, straps or bolsters.
• Give clear verbal cues for entering and exiting poses.

3. Create a Good Warm Up

A good warm up prepares the body for the main flow of the class. It should include gentle stretches and dynamic movement to get students connected to their breath.

Warm Up Poses:

• Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana) to mobilise the spine.
• Side Stretches to awaken the obliques.
• Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) for full body activation.

Warm ups should take 5-10 minutes and gradually get more intense to prepare for more complex movements.

4. Build to a Peak Pose Sequence

A peak pose is the highlight of your sequence. It’s usually a more challenging pose that students work towards throughout the class.

How to Build to a Peak Pose:

1. Choose your peak pose (e.g. Camel Pose for a backbend class).
2. Choose preparatory poses that target the key muscles. For example Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) to stretch the hip flexors and Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana) to engage the back.
3. Offer modifications or alternatives for students who can’t do the full pose.

5. Include Balancing, Backbends and Forward Folds

A balanced yoga class has different types of poses:

• Balancing Poses: These poses build core strength and focus. The examples include, Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) and Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III).
• Backbends: These energise the body and open the chest. The examples include, Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) and Bow Pose (Dhanurasana).
• Forward Folds: These calm the mind and release tension. The examples include, Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) and Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana).

Having a variety of poses means students get a full practice.

6. Include Prone and Supine Poses for Core Strength

Prone (Stomach-Lying) Poses:

• Sphinx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana): Strengthens the lower back.
• Locust Pose (Salabhasana): Engages the glutes and hamstrings.
• Bow Pose (Dhanurasana): Opens the chest and strengthens the spine.

Supine (Back-Lying) Poses:

• Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Strengthens the glutes and spinal muscles.
• Supine Leg Lifts: Build hip flexor strength.
• Reclining Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana): Releases tension in the spine.

7. Offer modifications and use props

Props can make poses more accessible for all levels. Encourage students to use props to support their alignment and comfort.

Examples of modifications:

• Use a block under the hips in Bridge Pose for extra support.
• Provide a strap in Seated Forward Bend for hamstring flexibility.
• Add a bolster in Child’s Pose for extra comfort.

8. Use dynamic and static movements

Having both dynamic and static movements in your sequence will help students build strength and flexibility.

• Dynamic Movements: Poses that flow with the breath, such as Sun Salutations.
• Static Poses: Held for longer to build endurance and alignment, such as Warrior II.

Dynamic movements increase blood flow, static holds increase muscle engagement.

9. Allow time for cooling poses and deep stretching

After the peak pose, include cooling poses to calm the body and bring the heart rate down.

Examples of Cooling Poses:

• Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) to release tension in the back.
• Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana) to stretch the hips.
• Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) to release the lower back.

10. End with Final Relaxation (Savasana)

Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is the most important pose of all. This final pose allows the body to absorb the practice and cool down. It resets the nervous system and deepens relaxation.

Tips for Savasana:

• Tell students to close their eyes and breathe slowly.
• Use calming cues like “let go of anything” or “soften your shoulders”.
• Allow at least 5-10 minutes for Savasana to feel fully relaxed.

11. Use your voice to guide and inspire

Your voice sets the tone for the class. Use clear, calm and concise instructions to guide students through the sequence safely.

Tips for Verbal Cues:

• Don’t rush through transitions.
• Use positive affirmations like “trust your body” and “breathe through the challenge”.
• Pause during stillness to give students time to reflect.

Yoga Class Sequence Template

A yoga class sequence template helps teachers plan a balanced and smooth flow of poses. It can be adjusted for different types of yoga, like restorative yoga or yin yoga, by changing the pace and poses. Here’s a simple template you can use:

1. Centering and Breathing (5-10 Minutes)

• Begin with a few minutes of calm breathing to help students relax and focus.
• Example: Deep belly breathing or alternate nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhana).

2. Warm-Up Poses (10-15 Minutes)

• Add gentle movements to prepare the body and loosen muscles.
• In a restorative yoga class sequence, use slow, supported poses with props like bolsters and blankets.
• In a yin yoga class sequence, include longer holds for stretches that target deeper tissues.
• Example Poses: Cat-Cow Pose, Side Stretches, and Butterfly Pose.

3. Main Poses (Core Flow) (25-30 Minutes)

• This is the main part of the class where the key poses are practiced.
• In a restorative yoga class, use relaxing poses like Child’s Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose.
• In a yin yoga class, include deep stretches like Dragon Pose and Half Shoelace Pose.
• Example Poses: Warrior II, Pigeon Pose, or Seated Forward Bend.

4. Cooling Poses (5-10 Minutes)

• Shift to gentle, calming poses to help the body cool down.
• Example Poses: Supine Twist and Happy Baby Pose.

5. Final Relaxation (Savasana) (5-10 Minutes)

• End the class with Savasana or a simple guided relaxation to help students fully rest.
• Ask students to close their eyes, relax their bodies, and focus on slow breathing.

This yoga class sequence template works for different types of classes and durations. Restorative yoga focuses on rest and uses props to support the body, while yin yoga focuses on long holds to release tension in deep muscles. By following this template, you can create sequences related to any yoga style, like Hatha, Vinyasa, or Ashtanga Yoga.

Mistakes to Avoid in Yoga Class Sequencing

1. Skipping Warm-Ups: Jumping into complex poses without warm-ups will lead to injuries and stiffness.
2. Imbalanced Sequences: Too many backbends or forward folds without counterposes.
3. No Modifications: Not offering variations makes the class inaccessible to beginners or those with limitations.
4. Rushed Transitions: Quick pose changes break the flow and students lose focus or balance.
5. No Rest and Relaxation: Skipping Savasana or cooling poses means students don’t get to absorb the practice.
6. Overcomplicating the Flow: Don’t cram too many advanced poses into one class. Keep it simple so each sequence flows and serves the theme.

Tips for Sequencing a Beginner’s Class

1. Safety first: Low-impact poses and no complex transitions to build confidence.
2. Introduce Breath Awareness early: Teach simple breathing techniques so students can connect with their breath throughout the class.
3. Body Alignment: Give clear cues for good posture in foundational poses.
4. Repeat Poses: Repeating simple poses like Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana) builds muscle memory and familiarity.
5. Short Holds: Keep poses short to avoid fatigue and keep beginners engaged.
6. Pause: Add short pauses between poses for students to reset and check in with their body.
7. Don’t Overload: Limited number of poses and give students time to fully experience each one without feeling overwhelmed.

The Bottom Line

Sequencing a yoga class is an art and science that takes practice to get right. Start with a clear intention, consider your students and build towards a peak pose and you’ll create sequences that inspire, empower and transform your students.

Siddhi Yoga teaches yoga teachers how to teach safe and effective classes. Our online yoga teacher training programs provide guidance on sequencing, anatomy and teaching techniques to help you become a confident teacher.

Ready to take your teaching to the next level? Join Siddhi Yoga and learn how to sequence like a pro!