A framework for timing a yoga class

// two flows using the tip toes to activate and stretch the feet

Dear Humans,

When I think about what I am going to write each week for this newsletter, I am often drawn back to the months directly following my yoga teacher training, when I was about to audition for my first studio class.

It was while I was planning for that class, writing out my poses from the start of the class to the end, that I was struck by a very clear and loud question: How do I know how long all of this is going to take?

I guess I could add some punctuation here, because it felt more like: How do I know how long all of this is going to take?!?!?!

I didn’t want general answers. I wanted to be able to map out the timing, minute by minute for my yoga class. At the time, the information I found online wasn’t helpful. It was a lot of: “It depends!”

And that’s true, it obviously does depend. It depends on how long you hold students in each posture most of all.

But for the sake of our letter today, and for any new teachers out there, I am going to try to answer that questions and break down how I think about my yoga classes, minute by minute. I am also going to give you an understanding of how I use my yoga playlist to cue myself on where I am in class, and the other markers that I think about while teaching.

Then, I have two really fun flows to share with you. They are TIP TOE flows! Meaning at various points in the sequence I invited students to lift their heels and try to balance on the balls of their feet. The great thing about these sequences is that there is always the option to bring the heels down and the flow still feels great, so it’s a nice way to provide options of intensity.

For everyone I am sharing the mini flow and for my paid subscribers I’m sharing the main flow. I think looking at the timing framework below will also clarify how I think about the “mini flow” vs. the “main flow.:

I hope you enjoy, my friends!

Timing a Vinyasa Yoga Class

This is how I think about timing for my vinyasa yoga classes. For context, I like to teach a dynamic class. Typically, I like a slowish warm-up, followed by a heat-generating central portion of class, and a cool down. I will try to explain why and where I make choices about timing, including if I want to include a longer cool down or if I want to workshop something. However, this is just one approach! Regardless, I hope it will give you some interesting things to think about.

Minutes 1-3: This time is your intro. It’s walking into the space. It’s allowing for the late student. It’s introducing yourself and the theme of your class, if any. This isn’t “lost time” — it’s actually really important time. Don’t rush through introducing yourself. It’s the first moment where the students feel your energy and it sets the tone for your class.

Minutes 3-7: In my classes, this is where I have students settled into an opening posture. This is often called integration. This is when I am cuing them into their breathing practice. It’s also where I introduce an intention and read a poem.

*Playlist Tip: I try to match my playlists with the energy of my class. So the first two-ish songs on my playlist are very slow and quiet, like savasana songs. When I hear the song switch into a slightly more upbeat song, I know that’s my cue to move away from the opening integration.

Minutes 7-10: Slow introductory movements. Like hip circles from the back or backbends. This could also be where you start to find your cat / cows and any other spinal exploration. This is a great time to gently stretch parts of the body that will be activated later.

Minutes 10-15: If you are teaching a more gentle class, then you might still be in the introductory movement portion of class. For my classes, it’s around this time that I am starting to move into sun salutations, both A and B, with whatever variations I am introducing that day. Sometimes I am teaching my warm-up flow here, instead of sun salutations.

Playlist tip: Around the 10-15 minute mark, my playlist has now started to pick up tempo a little bit again. It’s another cue that I am entering into a new “phase” of my class.

Minutes 15-25: I am now teaching my Mini-Flow. This is the first, more “activated” standing sequence that I will teach in class.

Micro-Break: Typically I introduce a little break or pause in the sequence around here! It might be a “break” or it might be core work…lol. Depends on who you are as a teacher!

Minutes 25-40: I am now teaching my Main Flow. In my class, this is a longer standing sequence (15-25 poses). Depending on how long the set of poses is, I might teach it one time slow, and then teach it one time on each side, moving breath to movement. If I do this, then I might push toward 45 minutes.

Note: If you are teaching shorter sets of sequences, then you can do more sequences within this window. You can also think of it like I am doing a “warrior sequence” and then maybe a “balancing sequence.” But your general window for “activate sequences” is the 15ish minute mark to the 45ish minute mark. This is also when my playlist is at its full tempo. Trying to keep the energy of the playlist matched with the energy in the room.

Minutes 40-45: This is workshop time in my classes. That doesn’t always mean we are workshopping one pose. It might mean we are moving through a backbend series or some floor work. Or maybe, yes, arm balances or inversions. If my “peak pose” is something like splits, then I will start to move into the “cool down” here to integrate that.

Playlist tip: My playlist will start to slow down around here. I incorporate more lofi songs here. This is another timing cue for you that you are reaching the final 15 minutes of class.

Minute 45-50: Stretching and cool down. This might look like pigeon. It might look like forward folds. It might look like coming down to the earth for a longer cool down from the back.

Minutes 50-53: Supine twists, happy baby, and final cool down postures from the floor.

Playlist tip: The playlist is playing its final song before savasana.

Minutes 53-58: Savasana! Ahhhhhhh!

Playlist tip: Savasana music. Dreamy. Slow. Ideally no words to prevent distraction for your students.

Minutes 58-60: Pulling students out of savasana and closing class together.

SO there you go! I hope you see the general approach, and I hope you also see the places where you have room to wiggle and play. The main markers for me are my 15 minute marks, and using my playlist as a tool to help me know when that is happening is a great trick.

Is this helpful, my freinds? Any other questions? Let me know!

Need a playlist that matches this structure? Try this one!

Enjoy the sequences. Enjoy the week. Take care of yourselves. And I’ll be back in your inbox soon with our monthly set of readings.

Sending love,

Izzy

Izzy Martens

author, yoga teacher, sequence enthusiast

yogahumans.substack.com | yogahumans.com

IG: @yoga.humans

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What I Taught in Yoga This Week | Feb 26, 2025

write-up:

• cow pose

• cat pose

• hover the knees

• shoot right leg back

• tiger curl

• three legged dog (right leg lifts)

• scorpion tail (bend the knee, open the hip)

• knee to elbow tap

• scorpion tail

• low lunge

• high crescent lunge

• cactus backbend

• airplane pyramid

• pyramid variation

  • back heel lifted

• high crescent lunge

• chair pose

• chair pose on tip toes

• extended mountain on tip toes

• fold halfway down, see if you can stay on tip toes!

• forward fold

• chair pose

• shift weight into your right leg, hover the left leg

• bent leg airplane

• airplane

• high crescent lunge

• warrior II

• reverse warrior with front heel lifted

• cartwheel into a vinyasa!

One more flow! Here is the Main Flow that I taught in class. I love this flow because it introduces the “peak postures” that we’re seeking to find using our tip toes. It also challenges our notion of which postures need to have that front heel planted. Enjoy!