Frog Lotus Yoga – or FLY – Vinyāsa Yoga is a focused, creative, and intelligent flow style with an emphasis on safety, form, and alignment. It can be easily adapted to different levels and tempos.
Vinyāsa yoga developed from aṣṭāṅga – whilst aṣṭāṅga is fixed sequences, followed by the practitioner in a set manner, a vinyāsa class is likely to be different each time, as it consists of creative flows orchestrated by the individual teacher. Vinyāsa yoga still adheres to the same breathing techniques, as well as use of the bhāṇḍa, or physical locks, as aṣṭāṅga yoga.
In vinyāsa yoga more standing poses can be woven into the sun salutations in a dance-like style; the sequences are varied and music can be used to create atmosphere.
What’s Unique about FLY VINYĀSA Yoga?
A FLY vinyāsa flow class opens with a seated prāṇāyāma (breath control technique) and continues with a thorough warm-up of all the major joints in the body. This is followed by various creative flow sequences, the potential for appropriate inversions, some floor-based practice, and ending with a guided śavasāna and an inspiring quote, poem, or other short reading. The atmosphere created in lessons & classes is focussed, meditative, and joyful.
FLY vinyāsa classes intelligently weave together elements of the different styles of yoga that founder Vidya Heisel has studied including Iyengar, Aṣṭāṅga, Forrest, and Kundalini Yoga.
Options and modifications of poses will be offered to suit all levels of practice, and the practice can be adapted to work for various limitations and injuries. Safety and longevity is of prime importance in our teaching.
In ongoing, monitored, and discreet agreement with each individual student, safe and effective hands-on assisting may be offered.
Safety and suitability
Injury can be common when practicing aṣṭāṅga or vinyāsa, mainly because the practice moves quite fast, and challenging āsana may be performed repetitively. If the practitioner doesn’t have the strength, body awareness, or knowledge of the proper alignment, they may be doing the pose in a way that is injurious.
In FLY vinyāsa yoga we make every effort to teach safe alignment of all āsana, and to support students with discrete verbal cues, modelling, and/or physical assistance. We skilfully offer options and modifications in the practice, so students can adjust to their own level of practice within the context of the class.
In many styles of flow there can be little attention given to alignment. Some teachers may call out poses, count breaths, or simply say “inhale….exhale…”. At FLY we think that when students are not provided with enough verbal guidance, this can contribute to bad execution of āsana and possible injury, so we skilfully give as much information as we can to practitioners when they are moving in and out of āsana, as well as when they are holding them. This helps each individual to understand and correct their alignment, for their own body, and begin to get an understanding of the mechanics of each āsana in their own body.