Vinyasa Flow — Flow 4
Exercise Breakdown
21 exercises in Flow 4
Warm-up4 exercises6m 48s
“Start making big circles outwards here, bringing a little bit more of mobility to that hip.”
“Take it as a massage for your spine.”
“Spread those fingers, big circle, moving in one direction.”
“Bring the weight to the heels. Toe stretch, super important.”
Flexibility6 exercises12m 45s
“Left foot comes on top of your right thigh. Open that knee.”
“Palm is going to face up, and the fingers pointing towards your knees.”
“Hips stay in line with the knees, and we're going to start walking with the hands forward.”
“Lower the hips as much as we can. Open those knees to the side.”
“Try to keep the chest on the thighs, hips up, crown of the head down.”
“Reach far with the nose towards that big toe.”
Balance2 exercises6m 10s
“Right leg goes back. Now, your left hand goes forward.”
“Left arm goes far back behind us. Follow it with your gaze.”
Cool-down2 exercises2m 10s
“Bring the knees down towards the floor, next to the ribs.”
“Whenever you find your mind going somewhere else... come back to your breath.”
breathing1 exercise4m 20s
“Bring the soles of the feet together and the knees out.”
yoga6 exercises16m 49s
“Elbows in line with your shoulders here. Roll the shoulders away from the ears.”
“Wave the spine forward to a plank. Bend the knees, chest back to the thighs.”
“Shoulders, hips, and heels in the same straight line for plank.”
“On the exhale, we go deeper down. We bring the elbows farther back.”
“Catch those heels, flex those feet, and pull back to open the chest.”
Muscles Targeted
Primary
Secondary
Equipment & Modifications
Equipment Needed
- block
- mat
Don't Have Equipment?
You can substitute with:
Available Modifications
- Bring feet farther back for inner thighs
- Bring feet closer in for hips
- Bring knees closer to fingers for more space
- Bring forehead to floor instead of chin
- Stay in Bird Dog without bending the knee
- Keep a bend in the knees
- Widen the stance to help ground the heels
- Knees on the floor for Chaturanga
- Bend the back knee slightly to align hips
- Use blocks or books to bring the floor closer
- Lift toes for a deeper calf stretch
- Perform one side at a time
- Stop if there is sharp pain in the lumbar spine
- Grab calf muscles if legs are tight
- Grab big toes with peace fingers
Coaching Highlights from Nuni Soriano
“Start making big circles outwards here, bringing a little bit more of mobility to that hip.”
Form
“Press the lumbar spine towards the floor a little bit more without bringing tension to the shoulders.”
Safety
“Option two, bend the knee, bring the left hand back, find that foot.”
Modification
“Whenever you find your mind going somewhere else... come back to your breath.”
Motivation
“Nuni teaches yoga as movement meditation. Her vinyasa flows build heat gradually, and she's unusually attentive to hip and shoulder mechanics. She'll slow down mid-flow to fix your alignment.”
Form
“She pauses mid-flow to say 'find your breath first'. and won't move on until you do.”
Form
Health Benefits
Women who want to move freely again. If chronic pain, vaginal dryness sound familiar, the joint mobility work here directly supports your recovery. The spine, hips, core emphasis addresses the most common restriction patterns in women. Beginner level with modifications — depth comes with time, not force.
chronic pain
90% relevantpain gate modulation; endorphin release; joint mobility improvement; muscle tension release
vaginal dryness
90% relevantIncreased blood flow to pelvic region; Improved pelvic floor muscle tone and relaxation; Reduced stress and sympathetic nervous system activation; Enhanced body awareness and interoception; Support for hormonal balance through stress reduction
painful sex
90% relevantPelvic floor relaxation and release; Increased hip mobility and flexibility; Reduced muscle tension and guarding; Enhanced body awareness and interoception; Parasympathetic nervous system activation
joint pain
90% relevantImproved joint lubrication and nutrient delivery; Enhanced range of motion and mobility; Strengthening of supporting musculature around joints; Reduced inflammation and pain perception; Improved proprioception and body awareness
frozen shoulder
90% relevantRestoring glenohumeral joint capsule mobility; Reducing pain and inflammation through gentle movement; Improving scapulohumeral rhythm; Preventing muscle atrophy and weakness in surrounding musculature; Enhancing body awareness and controlled movement patterns
Relevant For
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does this flexibility workout target?
This session works through spine, hips, core as primary focus areas, with shoulders, chest, quads getting secondary attention. For hip mobility exercises, what matters is the combination of active and passive range of motion work. Nuni Soriano sequences these 21 movements to progressively open tissue — starting gentle and building depth. A systematic review in Sports Medicine found this progressive approach yields better long-term flexibility gains than aggressive static stretching alone.
Do I need any equipment for this workout?
You'll need: block, mat. Don't have these? A thick towel on carpet works fine as a mat substitute — I've coached women who started with nothing but a clear floor space and still got results. The equipment here supports comfort and alignment — it doesn't make or break the workout. This aligns with principles of core workouts at home that make sessions like this effective.
Is this workout suitable for beginners?
Yes. Nuni Soriano built this for people who are starting or restarting their movement practice. Every exercise has a clear entry point, and she demonstrates modifications throughout. Here's what I tell women who are nervous about starting: the first session is about learning the movements, not about intensity. Your body needs to build motor patterns before it can build capacity. Give yourself three sessions before you judge whether this works for you. This aligns with principles of core exercises at home that make sessions like this effective.
How long is this flexibility session?
About 60 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down. Nuni Soriano packs 21 exercises into that window — I want to be honest: 60 minutes doesn't sound like much. But research from the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that even 15-20 minutes of structured exercise produces measurable improvements in cardiovascular health and mood when done consistently. It's not about marathon sessions. It's about showing up regularly.
Are there modifications available?
Yes, and this matters more than people realize. Nuni Soriano demonstrates modifications including: Bring feet farther back for inner thighs; Bring feet closer in for hips; Bring knees closer to fingers for more space — I've worked with women recovering from knee replacements, managing chronic pain, dealing with diastasis recti. Modifications aren't 'cheating'. they're how you make the exercise YOUR exercise. The American Physical Therapy Association emphasizes that individualized modification is key to long-term exercise adherence. Skip the ego, take the modification.
What's the difference between hip mobility exercises and general stretching?
I get this question constantly, and the answer actually matters. General stretching typically targets muscle length in a single plane. Hip mobility exercises works through multiple planes of motion — flexion, extension, rotation, lateral movement — to improve how your joints actually function in daily life. This session uses active range of motion challenges alongside passive holds. Nuni Soriano's sequencing moves through spine, hips, core in patterns that mirror real-world movement. A core strengthening exercises approach addresses not just muscle flexibility but joint capsule mobility, fascial glide, and neuromuscular coordination. That's why you'll feel improvements in how you move, not just how far you can reach.
How often should I do this flexibility workout?
3-4 times per week is the sweet spot for flexibility work. Your tissues need time to adapt and remodel — daily intense flexibility training can actually be counterproductive if you're not giving connective tissue time to recover. Alternate this session with complementary sessions from the same course. Rest days aren't lazy days — they're adaptation days. The research is clear: progressive overload applies to flexibility just as it does to strength.
Is this workout suitable for women over 35 or in perimenopause?
Flexibility work matters more for women over 35 than most people realize. Collagen production declines starting around age 30, and accelerates during perimenopause as estrogen — which stimulates collagen synthesis — drops. That's why joints feel stiffer, recovery takes longer, and range of motion quietly shrinks. This session counteracts those changes through progressive tissue loading. Nuni Soriano's approach targets the fascial system alongside muscle flexibility, which research in Frontiers in Physiology (2019) identifies as a critical but often overlooked factor in age-related mobility loss. Consistency here literally changes your tissue architecture.
How does this session address ab workout at home?
Ab workout at home requires a combination of joint mobility and muscular control through range. This session addresses both. Nuni Soriano includes active flexibility challenges — where you're building strength at end ranges — alongside passive holds for tissue adaptation. That dual approach is what the literature calls 'functional flexibility': not just how far you can go, but how strong and controlled you are at those ranges. A 2020 review in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy found that active flexibility training produced better functional outcomes than passive stretching alone.
Related Workouts & Topics
More from Vinyasa Flow
More with Nuni Soriano
Browse Exercise Collections
Helpful For These Concerns
About the Trainer
Nuni Soriano
Flexibility Trainer
From: Vinyasa Flow



