What is the name for a sequence of yoga positions?

A sequence of yoga positions is called a vinyasa. The term describes poses arranged in a deliberate flow, usually linking each movement to an inhalation or exhalation.

“Vinyasa” comes from Sanskrit and is commonly interpreted as placing or arranging something in a special way. In modern yoga, it can describe the linking principle itself, a short transition sequence, or the broader Vinyasa style of practice. The exact poses are not always fixed.

Vinyasa became especially influential through the teaching of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya in 20th-century India. His students, including Pattabhi Jois, B. K. S. Iyengar, and T. K. V. Desikachar, helped shape several major modern yoga traditions.

A common mix-up is confusing vinyasa with asana. An asana is an individual yoga posture, while a vinyasa connects postures into movement. In many classes, “take a vinyasa” specifically means moving through plank, Chaturanga, Upward-Facing Dog, and Downward-Facing Dog, though teachers may use the word more broadly.