Tag Archives: hatha yoga

What is power yoga? It’s a good workout and it ain’t easy.

Fitness and Yoga, , , , ,

Why do health and fitness clubs always promote yoga based classes as “easy”? I find this to be the case even if the style of yoga on the time table is a more challenging type like Ashtanga. There are enough pre-conceptions that prevent people from trying yoga without creating any more barriers.

what is power yoga?

Look at the boys. They tend to shun fitness classes anyway because they are seen as something the girls go to. But tell them a class is easy and you’ll definitely never get them to give up the treadmill or weights room to give it a try.

And the girls? Labeling it as the more “sedate” class puts off the ladies who are looking for a calorie busting more intense cardio work out.

I wrote recently that there is a type of yoga for everyone. From those styles that include more of the spiritual elements, to those that offer a more physically challenging, strengthening and high heart rate experience. If the latter is what you are looking for the give power yoga a try.

What is power yoga? Well for one thing it isn’t easy. Let me repeat that slowly so the clubs can hear me. It isn’t easy!

I guess it developed as an Americanised version of traditional Ashtanga. Ashtanga can be tough and is always a set series of poses progressing through the so called standing, primary and intermediate series and beyond. Power yoga takes the physical intensity of Ashtanga but introduces variety. No two classes will be the same. You will do different sequences of poses in a different order in each session all linked together by a flow of movement.

There are variations of power yoga across the world. In the US there is Baptiste Power Yoga (named after a famous yoga teacher called Baron Baptiste – it is certainly worth googling his videos and books). In the UK it might appear on timetables as fitness yoga or dynamic yoga.

What is it like? Well you are going to get hot and sweaty and you will be almost constantly on the move. You’ll start with some deep breathing to calm you down and to get some oxygen into the muscles before they begin to work. Then on to some warm up stretches before the hard work begins.

You’ll do anything up to 12 rounds of sun salutations – which is a linked sequence of between 10 and 20 poses each one held for as long as it takes to inhale or exhale. This raises the heart rate, warms up the muscles and prepares you for the main series of exercises.

What is power yoga

There will be flowing sequences of standing strength exercises, some balances and moves on the floor to strengthen the tummy, the side abs and the back. Each group of exercises will be linked together by a vinyasa which again is a series of poses similar to part of the sun salutation.

The class will last for between an hour and an hour and a half. At the end you’ll relax for the last few minutes and allow the heart rate to return to it’s normal resting beat. And you’ll need it because your body will have been challenged, the muscles strengthened and stretched.

People who have tried my classes have been surprised how tough it has been. There are times when I will look up to find a few participants taking a break in child’s pose as they get their breath back under control. I often wear a bandana when teaching. Not because I think it is cool, but because I sweat like a tap. And I’ve even seen those doubting weight lifters admitting that it’s tough. Everyone seems to like the results. More strength, flexibility and range of movement in the body.

So clubs. Can we drop the “E” word?

Over to you: Have you tried power yoga? Do you agree that it is quite a good workout. Have you seen results? Please leave a comments and let me know.

Other Yoga Blogs:

“Should I try Yoga?” – I always say, “Absolutely, yes you should.”

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , ,

People who come to my Body Combat and Body Balance classes know that I am also a yoga teacher and often ask,“Should I try yoga?”. My answer is always a resounding yes. Of course you should. But many then qualify their question with, “But I really don’t fancy all that chanting and mystical mumbo jumbo.”

I am often saddened by this because people obviously have the wrong impression of yoga. Some think that it is some sort of religion. Others fear that they will be instructed in an obscure ancient language. Or that they will have to contort their body into impossible bendy shapes. Or that it is too easy and that a good session pumping weights will do them more good. It’s true that these perceptions have been created to an extent by the reality. But let’s consider the truth.

should i try yoga

Yoga is definitely not a religion. Admittedly, for some practitioners, it is a way of life, and it can be quite a spiritual one at that. But modern styles of yoga have evolved to focus on just three elements of the so called “8 limbs of yoga”; The asanas or poses (exercises between you and me), breathing (well more like controlling the breath and integrating it into the exercise), and meditation (and if that still sounds too “mystical” you can change this to simple relaxation if you want to).

People who do like more traditional spiritual styles might be critical of these modern approaches and they are entitled to their opinion and to practice what they like. The truth is if you want a yoga class that is just about the exercise you can find one.

Certainly the language used probably hasn’t helped either. If you are asked to move into Prasarita Padottanasana it genuinely sounds almost frightening. In English all you are being asked to do is to perform a wide leg forward bend. Or in even simpler terms a very intense hamstring stretch.

It’s true that very advanced Yoga poses need high degrees of skill and flexibility but no one is going to shoe-horn you into something your body can’t cope with. But the same is true in any sport. A novice skier would never tackle the most challenging run without years on the nursery slopes or easier descents.

should i try yoga

There are many levels to suit all ages, skills and body shapes. For those who think it will be too easy, I have seen men who can pump weights for hours on end reduced to gasping in pools of sweat in a power yoga session. Whilst in gentler classes not a bead of sweat will break onto the skin. The bottom line is that everyone can be catered for, you just need to find a class that suites your needs, desires and goals.

So what’s available?

Hatha Yoga – a calmer class, less energetic style, more emphasis on breath and less complex exercises.

Ashtanga Yoga – very traditional, quite physically challenging, the same exercises every class always in the same order

Power Yoga – a more modern version of Ashtanga, less traditional, still challenging, but the exercises will change from class to class. (Often called Dynamic Yoga, Freestyle Fitness Yoga, Baptiste Yoga or Vinyasa Yoga)

Bikram Yoga – the same 26 exercises every class, performed in a hot room to encourage sweating and cleansing.

Hot Yoga – same as Bikram but without the adherence to the 26 pose class structure.

Body Balance – yes I’m going to include this as it is Yoga based. Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates moves choreographed to music.

Should you try yoga? Absolutely of course you should. There is a style out there for you just waiting to be discovered.

Over to you: Do you want to try yoga but haven’t tried it yet? What more could I do to convince you? Have you recently taken it up? What do you think? I would love it if you would post your thoughts and experiences in the comments box.

Yoga is good for you despite what the newspapers seem to think.

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , , ,

The New York Times published an article with the sensational headline, “How Yoga Can Wreck your Body” at the beginning of January. Great timing when many people are looking to start a New Year with a determination to get fit. What a great way to put off anyone considering Yoga as their resolution. The article naturally caused outrage amongst Yoga teachers and many rebuttals have appeared since.

Yoga is good for you

On 29 Jan The Sunday Times published their own version. Since then I have seen Internet forums flooded with questions like, “Is yoga really safe?” or,  “Is Yoga dangerous?” People have even stayed behind after class to voice their concerns and seek advice.

Should they be worried? No – yoga is good for you but let’s be clear. Newspapers love sensational headlines. They also love to scare us. The Daily Mail is always running stories that one day claim something causes cancer and then next day that the same thing prevents cancer.

When you see a headline claiming that eating a certain type of food increases the chance of cancer by, say, 78% naturally you think that is a worrying figure. But they never publish the base statistic. If the incidence of that form of cancer is one in a million. Then a 78% increase means the incidence is still pretty close to one in a million. But it scares you none the less.

The Yoga article quotes 46 people who have suffered back problems, spinal issues and joint pain. Oh my God so every one should stop practicing Yoga immediately then, just in case. At the same time we should stop eating, drinking, going to the cinema, riding bikes, flying kites, taking dogs for walks, stroking cats, playing football and having sex. In fact curl up in a dark room and shut out the world.

There is risk associated with everything we do in life. And I mean everything. You may sprain your ankle running for the bus. You may trip and fall down the stairs and break your arm. It’s possible you might burn your hand severely whilst cooking your dinner.

Now consider what that 46 injuries really means in context. In the UK in 2010 nearly 2000 people died in car accidents. 22,600 were seriously injured. 184,000 were slightly injured. But newspapers don’t recommend you stop driving even though the fact remains that you are many more times more likely to be hurt driving to a Yoga class than you are to be hurt in one.

“Yoga is good for you.”

As long as you have a qualified teacher who gives you clear instructions, doesn’t over exert, extend or stretch you, then yoga will be of amazing benefit to your body’s strength and flexibility. Like any form of exercise take it at your own pace, grow in confidence, and enjoy it.

Don’t worry about what you read in the papers. Yoga is definitely, really good for you. Come along to a class and feel the benefits.

Over to you: If you are a yoga teacher what do you do to make your clients feel good, safe and confident? Are you a participant? Do you ever feel that yoga is not doing you some good?

Is there a Modern vs Traditional Yoga argument?

Fitness and Yoga, , , , , ,

There was a fascinating article in The Guardian this week looking at the development of “modern” yoga classes which are abandoning the spiritual and the mental elements and focusing on entirely on the physical. The headline posed what seems like a simple question.

Is this still yoga? A new generation of teachers is replacing traditional spirituality with plain-spoken simplicity.

Of course the answer is far from simple.

Having qualified as a Level 3 Yoga Teacher last year – I experienced quite a bit of snobbery on my journey. There are those who insist that Yoga has to be the full Physical, Spiritual and Mental experience – and in extreme cases will not tolerate dissension. In answer to that view we know that from the success of Freestyle Fitness Yoga and Body Balance that there are many people who simply want access to the physical side of yoga. Indeed for those people the Spiritual and the Mental aspects can be barriers to them trying traditional yoga out.

modern vs traditional yoga

I’ve seen some church halls ban yoga classes because they perceive the spiritual side of it to be some affront to Christianity. This is wrong too because Yoga isn’t a religion despite its spiritual overtones. I’ve seen some people put off yoga classes because they think they are going to have to chant and ring singing bowls. So for those that predominantly want the physical experience why not give them that aspect alone?

In the end it is all about meeting the needs and expectations of your clients. When I teach yoga I do use the ancient names for the poses where appropriate, and provide more focus especially around meditation. If your clients are more into the full traditional experience then they will expect it of course.

But if someone is only interested in the physical aspect – does it matter whether it is a Virabhadrasana 2 – or a position in which one leg is bent at 90 degrees and the other is straight, the hips are forward and the arms are at shoulder height? Even if we use the English version of the pose names, does it really need to be a Warrior 2 or what I have just described.

I would like to make yoga accessible to all and if the entry point to that is the physical experience then fine. Personally I would like them to then consider the other aspects if and when they feel comfortable. But starting from the point of view that it has to be all or nothing is likely to keep the barriers up.

Ultimately modern vs traditional yoga can exist harmoniously and that has to be a good thing if it benefits the lives of more people.

Over to you: Do you practice yoga? Is it a traditional or modern variant? What do you prefer. Please click on “Leave a Reply” below and let me know your comments and thoughts.