Dear Humans,
As some of you know, I just started grad school. All of a sudden my life has shifted from routine to busy. My days are jam-packed with household duties, work, class, readings, homework, teaching yoga, writing this newsletter, and trying to connect with other humans. Where once I felt I had a lot of time, now I have very little.
I know some of you have been in this “busy” space for a long time. Some of you add kids or other caretaking into the mix. Hats off to you. You are out there doing it, and I see you and I appreciate you.
So in this new mode, I’m having to re-think my approach to sequencing. I don’t have the time to spend a few hours in the studio, playing around and writing things down. Last night before class, for example, I didn’t have time to do any of my normal routine. I, more or less, came up with my class in my mind while sitting in my office.
But it was an interesting lesson in coming up with a sequence quickly.
And it all comes down to structure. If you have a class structure that you know well (meaning a typical approach to creating a full yoga class–a lineage that you follow or are inspired by) then you can easily create a class by keeping many of your elements the same, and changing up just certain pieces.
At a very basic level, here is how I typically structure my yoga classes:
Opening & Centering: Usually laying down, sitting, or in child’s pose)
Cat / Cow & Other Exploration: Spinal movements and other slow movements to warm-up the body
Sun Salutations: Salutations A, B & C are all good options here, and you can add some flair
First Flow or “Mini-Flow”: Typically 5-10 postures that will warm-up a student for the main flow ahead
Main Flow: The main standing sequence. You can repeat your mini-flow and then add on a few more poses, by doing this you are memorizing less overall
Playtime: If it makes sense, add in a peak posture or workshop an inversion
Stretching: Typically half-pigeon, lizard lunge, splits, etc.
Floor-Work & Savasana: Usually these are floor backbends, supine twists, happy baby, final inversions, followed by final Savasana
If I was using this approach to quickly sequence a class, I would start by thinking through my set of standing postures (which I can ultimately place in my mini-flow or main flow). Maybe I come up with 5 postures. For example, last night the first string of poses I came up with were: high crescent lunge, high side lunge, star pose, shooting star, scarecrow, curtsey. I came up with those poses by thinking through what felt like it flowed and what postures I haven’t played with in a while. Those five poses right there became my mini-flow.
Then, I thought to myself, “Okay, how can this flow be tuned-up for the main flow?” From there, I added in the other transitions that you see in the sequence I’ve shared with you. I stood up in my office, and just lightly moved around. It didn’t take me more than a few minutes.
Lastly, and this might be before class, or in real time, I thought through what other poses I could use in the other sections of the structure: opening, salutations, closing, etc. I asked myself: What are they moving in their body? What can be stretched or strengthened? This helped me decide how to fill in the others pieces of the puzzle. I have a bank of these poses and transitions in my mind at this point, so I was able to fill in the blanks.
This approach mixes a conversation I’ve been seeing online lately about sequencing in real-time versus planning the class out fully before you teach. It’s a bit of both.
But sequencing quickly is a skill that takes time. It requires some base-level understanding. “Slotting in” other postures might be easier said than done. But keep learning, keep building up that bank of poses and transitions, and soon you’ll be able to make a class quickly that your students will love and will be safe.
Final note: You don’t always have to make a new sequence! If you’re writing your sequences down, and you don’t have time, pull from an old one. Or, head here and use one of mine. :)
What else do you think?? Tell me how you approach teaching yoga in a busy life in the comments.
I hope you’re taking good care of yourselves out there. Drink water. Take a breath. Do something just for you.
Sending love,
Izzy
Izzy Martens
author, yoga teacher, sequence enthusiast
www.yogahumans.com
What I Taught in Yoga This Week | August 21, 2024
main flow
three legged dog
knee to nose
three legged dog
knee to elbow
three legged dog
fallen triangle
three legged dog
low lunge
high crescent lunge
high side lunge
star pose
goddess
star
shooting star (back foot is down)
scarecrow
curtsey
scarecrow
curtsey
pivot to the front of the mat
step starting foot forward and float into airplane
warrior III
one leg mountain
eagle
extended mountain
forward fold
halfway lift
optional: squat and curl or crow pose
vinyasa (or go to boat pose and add some core work!)
If you’re new here – hello!
Let me introduce myself! My name is Izzy Martens and I’m just a human who teaches yoga, writes, hangs out with her two cats, hikes around Colorado, and enjoys creating yoga sequences.
I teach three yoga classes a week and I started this publication to simply share what I was teaching, in the hopes that other yoga teachers would find it helpful. My real flows designed for real yoga teachers.
My style and study background are mostly vinyasa, power, ashtanga, rocket, and hatha. Though I have a touch of training in yin, dharma, iyengar, and yoga nidra as well.
My husband and I started yogahumans.com because we were new-ish teachers and we found we had so many questions about the actual act of teaching yoga after our 200hr training. We started Yoga Humans to provide some of the answers we were finding and create a sense of community around teaching yoga.
Many years later and my husband, Kyle, is now tattooing and just opened his own tattoo studio in Fort Collins, Co (foundtattoo.com) – a space for intentional and beautiful tattoos. I’m primarily posting on this newsletter now and on social media (@yoga.humans on IG).
Ethos. I believe that yoga is a beautiful practice and the more people who have the opportunity to practice it, the better. I believe in deeply honoring the traditions and history of yoga. I also acknowledge that much of the modern yoga we teach now has evolved away from the original teachings. I, like much of the modern yoga world, am working to find the best way to continue to practice, breathe, move, play and evolve, while also honoring the deep roots of the yogic practice. It’s not always a perfect attempt. I am by no means an expert. Just a human, trying to figure it out as I go. One of my main goals for this publication is to come at it from a place of love and compassion. This is a place where we can discuss our ideas and ask questions without fear of retribution or judgement. I notice a lot of critique and anger online in the yoga world. Honestly, it’s disheartening and I know prevents people from sharing. You’re always welcome to send messages and leave comments, but please do so from a place of curiosity. First and foremost, let’s extend love and empathy towards one another. Let us remember that we’re all humans, walking this path together. A key principle of yoga in ahimsa - non-harm - let’s seek to find that online as well as in our real lives.
Who are you, dear human? Leave a comment and get into the discussion! My door is always open. I’m so glad you’re here.
Just today I was trying to figure out my sequence on the drive over to class. And it turned out great! I wish I had more time to ponder sequences but it’s also kind of fun (and a little scary) to see what happens in the moment.