Flow Sequence of Classic Standing Poses

1

Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana

Downward dog

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

Learning to put poses together so that they flow naturally is one of the biggest challenges when you are trying to do yoga at home. It's recommend to start with sun salutations when you are stuck, but you're going to need something to add on to those pretty quickly.

This series of standing poses is intended to fit that bill. If you've taken a few yoga classes, you've probably at least seen these poses because they are all classics.

Getting yoga poses to flow together to make a seamless sequence isn't hard, it just takes practice.

You'll do all the poses with the right foot forward, then take a vinyasa and do the left side. Repeating both sides a few times is an easy way to lengthen your workout. Try taking 5 deep ujjayi breaths the first time you go through. In this long hold, you have plenty of time establish your alignment correctly.

The next time through, stay in each pose for 3 breaths. The final time, try moving on every breath to emphasize the flowing nature of the series.

The only prop you may need is a block. It's totally optional but can be nice to have handy if you normally use one. If you don't own one, don't worry. You can always make do with something you have around the house.

Let's Get Started

Start the sequence in downward facing dog. If it's your first down dog of the day, take a few breaths to peddle out your legs and settle into the pose.

2

Lunge Pose

8 Standing Yoga Poses Sequence - Low Lunge
Low Lunge. Ann Pizer

1. On an exhalation, bring the right foot forward next to the right hand as you come into a lunge position. Make sure the toes on your right foot line up with the fingertips on your right hand.

2. If the foot doesn't quite make it all the way to the front of the mat on its own, use your right hand to help scoot it forward.

3

Warrior I - Virabhadrasana I

8 Standing Yoga Poses Sequence - Warrior I
Warrior I - Virabhadrasana I. Ann Pizer

1. Pivot on the ball of your left foot, dropping your left heel down to the mat. Your foot will be at about a 45-degree angle.

2. On an inhalation, raise your arms up into Warrior I. Make sure that both your hips are facing the front of the mat. If this is hard, try widening your stance by moving each foot toward the side edges of your mat.

3. Deepen your front knee so that your right thigh moves toward being parallel with the floor.

4

Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II

8 Standing Yoga Poses Sequence - Warrior II
Warrior II - Virabhadrasana II. Ann Pizer

1. On an exhalation, open your arms so that they are parallel to the floor. At the same time, pull the left hip back, so that you come into Warrior II.

2. Take a moment to notice that this is a different hip position than in Warrior I. Instead of facing the front of your mat, your hips are now facing the left side. Make sure the hips are level.

3. Also note the position of the feet. Your right heel should align with the arch of your back foot.

4. Continue to keep your right knee deeply bent. Notice if your right knee wants to move toward the midline and nudge it back over your right ankle.

5

Reverse Warrior

8 Standing Yoga Poses Sequence - Reverse Warrior
Reverse Warrior. Ann Pizer

1. On an inhale, reach your right arm forward a few inches and then lengthen and extend it over your ear as if to reach for something behind you. Keep the palm facing down as you move into a reverse warrior.

2. Let your left hand trail down your left leg and rest lightly on your thigh or calf. 

3. The right leg really wants to straighten. Don't let it!

6

Extended Side Angle Pose - Utthita Parsvakonasana

Extended Side Angle Pose

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

1. On an exhale, come into extended side angle pose by lowering the right arm and placing the forearm on your right thigh (which is still parallel the floor).

2. Extend the left arm on a diagonal to hover over the ear.

3. If your hips are a bit more open, you can choose to bring your right hand down inside or outside the right foot. Use your block under the right hand, if necessary.

4. Add in any extended side angle variations that you like. If you're going through this sequence more than once, you can add in your variations on a subsequent pass.

7

Triangle Pose - Utthita Trikonasana

Triangle Pose - Utthita Trikonasana

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

1. On an exhale, straighten your right leg coming into triangle pose.

2. Your right hand can rest on your shin, ankle, or a block placed on the outside of your right hand. 

3. Extend your left arm straight overhead. 

4. Think about stacking the left hip over the right hip and the left shoulder over the right shoulder.

5. Twist toward the ceiling to open your chest.

8

Half Moon Pose - Ardha Chandrasana

8 Standing Yoga Poses Sequence - Half Moon Pose
Half Moon Pose - Ardha Chandrasana. Ann Pizer

1. Bring your left hand to your left hip. and soften your right knee by bending it slightly.

2. Slide your right hand forward until it is 12-18 inches in front of the right foot and about 6 inches to the right. Take a block under your hand, if necessary.

3. Lift your left leg parallel to the floor to come into half moon pose.

4. Your left shoulder is directly over your right hand.

5. Straighten the left arm toward the ceiling and bring the gaze up to the left hand.

9

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

1. Step back to the downward facing dog.

2. Rest here for a few breaths or take a vinyasa or rest in child's pose before repeating the entire sequence on the left side.

By Ann Pizer, RYT
Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes.