Vinyasa Flow Yoga combines physical movement and breathing. This particular Yoga technique covers a broad range of yoga classes. Because of the continuous movement of the postures like a dance, this yoga is also sometimes called flow yoga. When the practitioners flow from one posture to the next, at the time of inhalation and exhalation, breath acts as an anchor to the movement. While practicing this dynamic style of yoga, practitioners have to stay focused in the present so that they can keep up the sequence and keep themselves from drifting off. Vinyasa is a Sanskrit term that may be broken down into its Sanskritic roots to assist in decoding its meaning, Nyasa denotes ‘to place’ and Vi denotes ‘in special way’.

Vinyasa Yoga have four basic definitions:

1. Body movement and breathing synchronization.
2. Specific sequence of body movements with breathing used to make transition between sustained postures.
3. A particular type of Yoga class.
4. A setting  made for a personal yoga practice and to develop necessary steps to reach the goal.

Origins and History:

Vinyasa Flow Yoga is also originated from Hatha Yoga, like all other Yoga styles. Sri Tirumala Krishnamacharya started this style of yoga as Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Later his student Parrabhi Jois developed an Institute for practicing the specific form of Vinyasa Yoga.

Benefits of Vinyasa Flow Yoga:

Decrease Stress, Anxiety and Depression:

Regular practice of Vinyasa Yoga help us to get rid of any kind of stress, tension, depression, frustration or anxiety and to keep mind body alignment. During the practice, the practitioners need to move through the continual flowing poses mindfully and this synchronization help them to alleviate the thoughts running through the brain. They also have to focus on their inhalation and exhalation and that makes a positive, steady and calm effect on their central nervous system. As this process of practice makes the mind stable and shifts the attention from the external to the internal, this style of yoga is also called a moving meditation.

Strength Training:

1. If we practice Vinyasa Yoga workouts regularly, it will also help building lean muscle mass through the body. This style of Yoga consists different postures especially arm balance, backbends, standing and inversions.
2. During the practice, all muscle groups receive equal attention and the workouts create balance strength throughout the body. It builds and maintain strong bones.
3. Vinyasa Yoga workouts helps building lean muscle mass throughout the body. It consists different poses especially back-bends, arm balances, standing and inversions.
4. While practicing these Vinyasa Yoga postures, all muscle groups receive equal attention and throughout the body it creates balanced strength.
5. Vinyasa Yoga workouts helps building and maintaining strong bones, muscles and connective tissue to maintain a high metabolism, healthy and an active and alive body.
6. Studies show that women over the age of 65, a large percentages start losing strength that leaves them unable to live active daily lives and many of them can not live independently in their old age.  If they regularly practice Vinyasa Flow Yoga workouts, they can have strength, balance and function to maintain fitness even in their old age.
7. Vinyasa Yoga is a functional exercise that means the body works in union with all systems and body parts.
8. Every individual should work in their own pace as they develop strength, modifying as they need to as their body gets stronger, more flexible, and as technique improves.

Improve Flexibility:

People who have stiff muscles, they feel difficulties to make any kind of physical movements. Vinyasa Yoga workouts are helpful for soothing muscle joints and make them flexible. Continuous movements of the workouts help the practitioners to stretch muscle and strengthen it simultaneously. Regular practice of this style of Yoga workouts also increase the range of motion as well as mobility. At the time of breathing in sync with the movement, the practitioner inhale fresh oxygen that really helpful for fuel and loosen up all the muscles and makes those part flexible. By releasing stress from muscle joints, ligaments and tendons, it prevents muscle pulls and injuries.

Increase Energy:

Regular practice of Vinyasa Yoga workouts also boost our energy.

Regulate Breathing:

During Vinyasa Yoga practice, practitioners need to focus on breathing for 60 to 90 minutes that help them to breathe harmoniously. Vinyasa breathing method of Kapalabhati Pranamaya is helpful for purifying brain and body and the Ujjayi Pranamaya helps to make the brain calm and quiet.

Toxin Free:

This style of Yoga have to be practiced in a continuous movement that makes sweat and makes the body toxin free. By detoxifying the body, this Yoga also makes the organs operate more efficiently.

Losing weight:

For burning more calories, Vinyasa Yoga workouts are very effective. This Yoga style also improves body/mind awareness, enhance movement pathways in the body to enhance agility, mobility and “grace in motion”.

Physiological and Medical Benefits:

Vinyasa Yoga workouts also helpful for reducing the risk of heart disease and it decreases high blood pressure,  stroke and type 2diabetes. Regular practice can help balancing metabolic system and also to enjoy sound sleep.

Disadvantages of Vinyasa Yoga:

1. There are some postures in Vinyasa Yoga which might create repetitive strain on wrists if those are done without much instruction or refinement.
2. These workouts can become mindless and self-aggrandizing exhibition rather than an ecstatic release.
3. Sometimes practitioners give less attention on alignment and linking of the poses and take the practice as a cool and challenging class rather than getting benefited physically.
4. The repetitive movement of the body might make the body muscles fatigued and unsupportive.

If you want to know about some Yoga retreats in Costa Rica so that you can choose a perfect place that will match your budget and other requirements, you can check out this article: Costa Rica Yoga Retreats.