Tag Archives: yoga

What is the difference between Yoga and Body Balance?

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In a Yoga class you might do an pose (exercise) called Warrior 2. In Body Balance you could be asked to perform the same move. You may see Yoga classes and Body Balance classes appear on the timetable in the same fitness club. So what is the difference between Yoga and Body Balance?

Crucially Body Balance is an exercise to music class based upon moves from Yoga, T’ai Chi and Pilates. Les Mills, the New Zealand based fitness giant behind the programme describes Body Balance as follows:

BODYBALANCE™ is the yoga, t’ai chi and Pilates workout that builds flexibility and strength, and leaves you feeling centred and calm.

And the exercises are often modified from the originals to make them more achievable for people of all ages and abilities.

In a Yoga class your teacher may play music but it will be very much in the background rather than a focus for your attention. In Body Balance the exercises are specifically choreographed to the music. So you might perform the Warrior 2 move during the verse of a well known song and then move into a different pose during the chorus.

Les Mills launch a new class structure every 3 months with new moves and a whole new play list of great songs.

difference between yoga and body balance
Poster for Body Balance release 58 – launching September 2012

Depending upon the style of yoga the class might embrace more of the “8 Elements of Yoga” rather than simply the exercises and the breathing awareness you will focus on in Body Balance. In Yoga there is much more to explore and for some people it can become a way of life (although others will not consider these other elements).

Sometimes, unfortunately, people can be put off Yoga because they have heard it has religious overtones (it doesn’t), or that it is about chanting and spirituality (it can be but it doesn’t have to be). Body Balance focusses entirely on Yoga based exercises and leaves out all the rest.

As a teacher of both, I have found that that Body Balance has more general appeal initially but can provide a great introduction to Yoga. Both can provide similar physical and health benefits such as greater strength, more flexibility and muscle stretch.

Many people go on from Body Balance classes to find they enjoy the “full” Yoga experience even more.

Over to you: Which do you prefer, Yoga or Body Balance? What elements of each do you prefer? Please share your thoughts and leave a comment below.

Find out more about here – What is a Body Balance class?

Find answers beginner’s Yoga questions by clicking here..

Which is hotter – Bikram Yoga versus Hot Yoga?

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Do you sweat a lot when you exercise? Me too. I sweat so much it pours out of my head like water from a tap.

That’s why I often wear a bandana when I teach. It’s not an image thing so not because I think bandana’s look cool. Just that wearing one soaks up the moisture and stops me spraying the front row participants.

Sweating like a river is almost guaranteed in Bikram Yoga and Hot Yoga – two styles I am often asked about. I studied a little about Bikram when I trained but I have only tried it once. Until recently neither styles were available in Edinburgh anyway.

So what are they and what is the difference? Well they are quite similar but they are not the same

Bikram Yoga versus Hot Yoga?

Bikram Yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhury, a yogi who has caused controversy by trying to copyright his style of yoga. This has annoyed traditionalists because they argue you can’t copyright poses that are thousands of years old. In fairness to Bikram, the aim was to copy protect his  “sequence” of poses rather than the poses themselves.

(Is this fair? Well you cannot copyright the individual words; “Mash”, “For”, “Smash”, and “Get”. But one maker of instant mash potato copyrighted the marketing strap line, “For Mash Get Smash”. Is that the same sort of thing?)

Bikram teachers have to be certified to teach the 26 pose sequence in a  special room heated to 105 degrees F with a humidity factor of 40%. This is key because it means that any Bikram Yoga class you go to anywhere in the world will always be exactly the same taught by Bikram graduates. It’s consistent and you know what to expect.

Hot Yoga is similar with a studio heated to between 94F and 105F. It’s different because the teachers will vary the selection of poses from class to class. It could vary between a gentle sequence and a harder, more energetic one.

Both styles promise the following:

“Improved sleep, reduced stress, glowing skin, lubricated joints, better blood pressure, weight improvements, improved mental clarity, better lung capacity, enhanced physical performance, toned and stretched muscles, better flexibility and chronic pain relief.”

In other words all the usual great yoga benefits with the added advantage of lots of sweating.

Before I tried Bikram I wondered how they stop the room turning into a lake with people sliding all around, or slipping into the splits unexpectedly. You need to be armed with a sticky mat, a yoga towel to cover the mat to soak up your juice, and a hand towel to mop down your “glowing” skin. I personally also needed an industrial strength bandana to boost absorption. Even the best yoga towel can become a swamp after 90 minutes of Bikram.

bikram yoga versus hot yoga

Now that both styles have come to Edinburgh I’ll certainly give them another try. My one experience was invigorating and very damp, though I felt faint at one point so drink gallons before class.

Which is better? I guess that comes down to whether you want variety or consistency. Which is hotter? Hot Yoga rooms might be slightly cooler but what’s a few degrees F when streams of sweat are oozing out of every pore of your body?

Over to you: Have you tried either of these classes? What was your overall experience? Have you a preference? Bikram Yoga versus Hot Yoga? Is the hot room an attraction or not? Please tell me your stories and share your experiences below.

11 great answers to beginner’s yoga questions

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Yoga has changed my life. Since I started doing it 10 years ago I have become fitter, stronger and more flexible. I’m also calmer and more relaxed. Now I am also a teacher I have the joy of seeing these great things happening to other people.

When I talk to people who are thinking of giving it a go, or chat with beginners in class I find some of the same questions come up again and again.

answers to beginner's yoga questions

Here then are the answers to beginner’s yoga questions that people ask me most often. Just click on the question to link to a post that will answer that question.

Unsurprisingly the most common question is the simple but important: Should I try yoga?

Some people may have heard some bad things about yoga and will want to know: Is yoga safe? Or they may have read provocative newspaper articles which prompts them to question: Is yoga really good for you?

Flexibility is a concern for many people. They’ll want to know: Do I need to be flexible to do yoga? and then they want to know: How long will it take to get flexible by doing yoga? These are great questions and the answers can give the beginner much more confidence.

Unfortunately many men dismiss yoga as a fluffy practice that is just for the ladies. Some will take the time to ask: Is yoga any good for men?

Having overcome some of these issues thoughts usually turn to the different types of yoga. For example: What is the difference between traditional vs modern yoga? Then we move onto: What should I expect from a hatha yoga class? Or: What is power yoga and is it a good workout?

Fashion conscious participants may want to know:  What clothes to wear to a yoga class?

Despite getting answers to these questions people will naturally still be reluctant to go to a yoga class and might seek out videos or on-line classes that they can try in there own home. Here are 6 yoga teachers from around the world who have produced videos that you can watch and try out in your own time.

Over to you: These are only a few of the questions I get asked about yoga all the time. If you are a beginner what else would you like to know. Have you been practising for a while? Are there any questions that you would like to see answered here to help you progress? Please leave a comment in the box below or get in touch from my “Get in Touch” page.

Review of Body Balance release 57

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In ten years of doing Body Balance and 6 years of teaching it, I’ve seen trends in the releases we get every quarter. Sometimes the moves become simpler perhaps to encourage new people. Then there will be a swing to harder routines perhaps to push people to progress. In my opinion Body Balance release 57 is one of the hardest ever. Funnily enough though I don’t think this extreme level of intensity will scare away new people. It is achievable and everyone can be proud of getting through it.

review of body balance release 57

Tai Chi (Just Say it): A beautiful song by electronic group Sleepthief. Back in release 42 this act supplied a stand out song called Eurydice. After hearing that track I went out and bought the Sleepthief album. I’ve loved Just Say It ever since and knew it would turn in Body Balance eventually. The moves flow perfectly and the palm push and back handed block make the arms feel like water. Powerful warrior blocks merge into daintier birds tail stretches before returning to the basic arm sweeps. Stunning.

Sun Salutations (Happy): If you go to a yoga class chances are that the sun salutation routine will always be exactly the same – especially in Ashtanga yoga. On occasion Jackie Mills will choreograph the standard yoga flow of poses but usually she adds variety. Here then is the first major challenge of class 57. Lots of full planks and side planks to get the sweat dripping. And evidence that although hard people are up for it. Despite offering the knees down option most people are doing full planks. The music is a bit weird but we probably need the driving beat to get us through it.

Standing Strength (Set Fire to the Rain): This is not the Adele version but the cover by a male artist is fine. It should be called set fire to the legs. Lots of changes of pose including one leg balances and pyramid pose don’t give you time to think about the intensity. Then the final section, the most extended of warrior poses with the option to bind the arms under the front leg and behind the back has never been seen in the class before but most people are getting it.

Balance (Shelter): The start reminds me of those musical boxes with a ballerina on the top. You can’t teach this one with anything other than a whisper. We are on one leg forever and the flow between poses never stops. It feels like it should be easy but the legs scream by the end. A hard track to learn and a tough one to teach but once it clicks into place this could be one of the best balance tracks ever.

Hips (F*kin’ Perfect): This opening foot and hip stretch takes people by surprise. We obviously don’t stretch our feet enough – I can tell by the looks on the participants faces. It hurts. I imagine years of wearing high heeled shoes doesn’t help either but fortunately I don’t wear them and haven’t been troubled by pose. I love the Gate Pose (though find I can’t avoid calling it the Gate Post) from yoga and it took me a little while to realise what was different here. In yoga we bend over the extended leg rather than away from it. Still nice to see a variation here though. Finally swan pose takes us deeper into the hips. Perfect indeed.

review of body balance release 57

Core abs (Whole Lotta Love): It was once the theme tune to Top of the Pops and this rock track tests the core muscles for four extremely intense minutes. Perhaps a little bitty, but the crunches, the walking planks and the hovers are relentless. I get loud groans when people realise they have to flip back to a hover for the second time.

Core back (Say Hey (I Love you)): Okay here’s the thing. In my opinion this is not only the hardest set of exercises we have ever done in Body Balance but it could be the hardest thing that we have ever done in any Les Mills programme. I sweated like a tap at the Quarterly Workshop and I continue to sweat like a tap after teaching it for a month. Planks, side planks, firefly knee onto elbow, leg raises – what is going on? This is hard core but its great that people are not immediately taking the easy option.

These two core tracks really betray the influence CXWorx is having.

Twists (Fly): With the heart pounding after that core pasting, and with sweat pouring we need a twist track that doesn’t tax the mind or the body. Just a simple progression of prayer twists is a gentle antidote to the maelstrom we have just experienced.

Forward bends and hamstrings (Song to the Siren): From a start in gorilla pose we are soon on the floor stretching the hamstrings with some single leg forward bends.I’m not sure what the seated twist version is doing here but after the power of earlier this feels like it ends the class on a whimper. Perhaps that was intentional.

Relaxation and Meditation (Guardian): A beautiful piece of music if a little over long. I find myself finishing up before the music ends.

So it’s a tough one, but a challenge most seem happy to rise to perhaps helped by the great music in this release. I’ve commented in the past that clubs often promote Body Balance as “the easy class”. No way. With that core section this is heavy duty stuff.

Over to you: I hope you enjoyed this review of body balance release 57. Are you a Body Balance instructor? Please let me know what you think of this class. Is that track 7 the hardest thing ever? Participants what do you think? Please leave a comment and let me know.