The #1 Mistake Yoga Teachers Make With Sequencing

Do you recognise this?

You sit down to plan your class. You start writing a list of āsana. You add a few transitions. You tell yourself: “That should flow.”

But when you teach it, something feels…off.
The class looks fine on paper, but it feels disjointed, flat, or unbalanced.

This isn’t about whether you chose “the right” poses.
The real mistake is something deeper.

The biggest sequencing mistake

Most yoga teachers plan without naming a clear goal first.

When you don’t know what you’re aiming for, every pose looks possible. That’s why planning feels overwhelming, and why the class can end up scattered.

Sequencing isn’t about creating variety or filling time.
It’s about guiding students toward a specific effect.

What changes when you plan with a goal

When you define a goal at the start, such as:

• steadiness and focus (langhana)

• uplifted energy (bṛṃhaṇa)

• more space across the chest

• calmer, slower breath

…suddenly your decisions become simpler.
You can ask of each āsana: Does this lead toward the goal, or is it just “extra”?

The role of pratikriyā

Once you’ve chosen a goal and the main work that supports it, you then need to think about pratikriyā.

Pratikriyā is often misunderstood as “returning to neutral.” In the Viniyoga approach, it means protecting and integrating the desired effect while minimising potential downsides.

That’s what gives your class integrity.
It allows your students to feel the benefit without leftover tension, imbalance, or fatigue.

A practical example

Goal: calming, langhana effect through forward bends.

• Main work: Dynamic uttānāsana with extended exhalation, followed later by a simple seated forward bend like paścimottānāsana.

• Pratikriyā: Gentle, dynamic extension such as dvi pāda pīṭham (two foot suppport pose) and/or a simplified cakravākāsana (goose/cat pose) coordinated with breath, enough to protect the spine and chest area without cancelling the overall quieting effect.

• Integration: Seated, steady breath with a slightly longer exhalation, letting the calming state settle.

The class might only include six or seven postures, but it will feel purposeful and complete.

Why this matters

When you stop making the “no clear goal” mistake:

• Planning becomes faster and easier.

• Classes feel more coherent and effective.

• Students notice the difference: they leave saying, “I feel so much better”, not “That was a random set of poses”.

Ready to avoid the overwhelm?

This is exactly what I teach in my short course Revitalise Your Yoga Teaching.

You’ll learn a practical, repeatable framework for sequencing that starts with a goal, builds with clear preparation, and integrates with pratikriyā.
The result? Less stress for you. More meaningful yoga classes for your students.

Get instant access here for €37

Don’t let your yoga classes feel flat or random. With the right framework, every sequence has purpose.