How to Sequence a Yoga Class Around a Peak Pose

Start with the peak, not the warm up.

The peak pose decides everything upstream of it. Which joints need to open, which muscles need to fire, which shapes count as preparation and which are noise. Pick the peak first and the rest of the class writes itself.

• Name the primary action of the peak in one sentence (for example, "deep external hip rotation with a neutral pelvis").
• List two or three secondary actions that support it (for example, hamstring length, thoracic openness).
• Note anything the peak explicitly does not want (for example, tight hip flexors for a backbend).

The arc most classes follow.

A well sequenced class is the same shape every time even when the poses change. Arrival, warm up, build, peak, integration, rest.

1. Arrival and breath. 3 to 5 minutes. Ground the room and set an intention that names the peak's primary action.
2. Warm up. 10 to 15 minutes. Mobilise the joints the peak needs. Skip anything unrelated.
3. Standing and build. 15 to 20 minutes. Progressive shapes that rehearse fragments of the peak.
4. Peak. 5 to 10 minutes. Two or three attempts with variations for different bodies.
5. Counterposes and cool down. 5 to 10 minutes. Neutralise, then unwind.
6. Savasana. 5 to 8 minutes. Non negotiable.

Work backwards from the peak to find the preparatory shapes.

Take each action the peak needs and list three to six shapes that rehearse a fragment of it. Smaller range, less load, more support.

Worked example. Peak is Hanumanasana (front splits):

• Hamstring length. Supine hamstring stretch, then half splits at the wall, then half splits on the mat.
• Hip flexor length. Low lunge, then lizard, then runner's lunge with a bind.
• Pelvis awareness. Constructive rest with pelvic tilts, then chair pose emphasising a neutral pelvis.

Design the cool down as the counter to the peak.

The cool down is not a generic "seated forward folds" block. It is the specific counter to whatever the peak just asked of the body.

• Backbend peak. Neutral spine, then gentle twist, then supported forward fold.
• Deep hip peak. Constructive rest, then reclined bound angle, then gentle twist.
• Inversion peak. Child's pose, then seated neutral, then savasana.

Put it into practice. Plan, play, practice.

The arc above works in a notebook. It works better when the poses, timing and cues live in one place you can teach from, drop onto your week, and edit right up to the mat. Āsana/OS is built for that step. The vinyasa sequence builder gives you a drag and drop canvas for the arc, and the class planning app handles the calendar, the printable outline and hands free Play Mode for the day itself. For the wider picture see the yoga sequencing app overview.

1. Write your peak and its primary action in the sequence title.
2. Drop the arc in as six blocks (arrival, warm up, build, peak, cool down, savasana).
3. Fill each block with the shapes you chose, in order.
4. Drop the class onto tomorrow in the calendar.
5. Rehearse once in Play Mode at teaching pace.
6. Adjust timing until the peak lands with about 20 minutes left in the class.

Frequently asked questions

How long should each part of a 60 minute class be?

A useful default is roughly 5 minutes arriving, 10 to 15 warming up, 25 to 30 in the standing and peak section, 5 to 10 cooling down, and 5 to 8 in savasana. Adjust for your style. Yin peaks live in the middle and hold longer, restorative classes drop the standing section entirely.

How do I pick a peak pose?

Pick a peak that asks for one clear action, like deep hip flexion, thoracic extension or external rotation, and design the class around opening that action. If you cannot name the primary action in one sentence, the class will drift.

How many preparatory poses does a peak need?

Three to six shapes that share the peak's primary action, taught progressively. Fewer and the peak feels sudden. More and the class becomes a warm up with no arrival.

Do I have to teach both sides of every pose?

For asymmetrical standing poses yes. The body reads uneven as an injury risk. For seated and floor poses you can hold longer on one side (Yin does this on purpose), as long as you are deliberate about it.

What is a good counterpose after a deep backbend?

A neutral spine shape first (constructive rest, knees to chest), then a gentle twist, then a forward fold. Jumping straight from a backbend into a deep forward fold can compress the lumbar spine.

How do I know the sequence actually works before I teach it?

Rehearse it once through in your own body at the timing you plan to teach. If a transition feels rushed on you, it will feel rushed on the room. This is the practice step of plan, play, practice.