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Yoga Timer
Choose a style, come into your first pose and press Start. Hold until the tone, change pose in the pause, and finish in Savasana.
Round 1 / 12
20 poses of 30 seconds, about five breaths each, with 5 seconds to change. Then 5 minutes of Savasana.
12 poses of 1 minute with 10 seconds to change, then 5 minutes of Savasana: 19 minutes.
8 floor poses of 3 minutes with 15 seconds to change, then 5 minutes of Savasana.
6 floor poses of 5 minutes with 20 seconds to change, then 5 minutes of Savasana.
How long to hold yoga poses, by style
| Style | Hold | Change | Poses | Total with Savasana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flow | 30 s | 5 s | 20 | 16 min 45 s |
| Hatha | 1 min | 10 s | 12 | 19 min |
| Yin | 3 min | 15 s | 8 | 30 min 55 s |
| Long yin | 5 min | 20 s | 6 | 36 min 50 s |
Totals include the 10-second get-ready and the 5-minute Savasana. A pose done on the left and then the right counts as two poses. Hold lengths are common class conventions, not rules; change Work with the stepper to suit your teacher’s sequence.
How to use it
- Write down or decide your sequence first, counting each side as one pose: 12 for hatha, 8 for yin. Lay out blocks, a bolster or a blanket within reach.
- Choose a style, lower the volume until the beeps are present but gentle, and place the screen at the top of your mat.
- Press Start and settle into the first pose during the get-ready. Three short beeps end each hold; move to the next pose in the Change pose pause.
- After the last pose the timer goes straight to Savasana for 5 minutes. Lie back and stay until the final tone.
Hold times in flow, hatha and yin
Styles differ mostly in how long you stay. In flowing styles a pose is often held for about five breaths, roughly 30 seconds, before you move on, and the movement between poses is part of the work. Hatha classes commonly hold poses for around a minute, long enough to adjust your alignment and then be still in it.
Yin yoga is a different practice. You take passive floor poses, relax the muscles and stay for about 3 to 5 minutes so that the stretch reaches slowly into the hips, thighs and lower back. That is why the yin chips have longer change pauses: after several minutes in one shape, you should ease out slowly, pause in a neutral position, and only then set up the next pose.
Why practice with a yoga interval timer
Without a teacher calling the changes, you either count breaths or keep glancing at a clock, and both pull your attention out of the pose. A beep does the counting. It also keeps the two sides honest: most people hold their easier side longer when left to feel.
Savasana, the final relaxation, is commonly 5 to 10 minutes and is the part home practice most often drops. Building it into the timer makes it part of the session. Yoga should never involve sharp or pinching pain; back off or use a prop when it does. If you are pregnant, have an injury or high blood pressure, ask a qualified teacher or your doctor which poses and hold lengths are suitable for you.
Common mistakes
- Forcing depth in a long hold. In yin, go to the first point of clear sensation and let time do the rest.
- Springing out of a 5-minute pose. Come out slowly and rest flat or on all fours for a few breaths.
- Counting a two-sided pose as one. Give the left and right their own holds or the second side gets skipped.
- Skipping Savasana because the active part is over. Stay for the full 5 minutes.
- Leaving the beeps at full volume. Loud beeps are jarring in a quiet room; turn the volume down instead of switching Beeps off, which would remove your cues.
Questions people ask
How long should you hold a yoga pose?
About 30 seconds, or five breaths, in flowing styles; around a minute in hatha; and about 3 to 5 minutes for passive yin poses. Beginners can use the shorter end of each.
How long should you hold yin yoga poses?
About 3 to 5 minutes. Start with 3-minute holds and move to 5 when you can stay relaxed and still for the whole time.
How long should Savasana be?
Commonly 5 to 10 minutes. This timer ends every style with 5 minutes; raise Cool down with the stepper if you want up to 10.
Can I use it only as a Savasana timer?
For Savasana alone, the meditation timer is the better fit: one quiet countdown of 5 or 10 minutes with a tone at the end. On this page Savasana always follows the poses.
How do I time both sides of a pose?
Count each side as one pose. Hold the left side, switch in the Change pose pause when the timer beeps, then hold the right. Eight yin holds are four two-sided poses.
How many poses fit in a 20-minute yoga session?
With 1-minute holds, 12 poses plus a 5-minute Savasana takes 19 minutes. With 30-second flow holds, 20 poses and Savasana take under 17 minutes.