do you like this yoga http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uRiNDadp-U&feature=related
would you attend this class regularly ?
In 1999 I knew less than nothing about yoga. I spent a week in Mexico doing a “Teacher Training” in this style of practice. I promptly went home and began teaching/practicing for the next 18 months. I taught several classes each week and followed the prescribed sequence with great dedication.
Upon my return to Seattle I found myself at the 1st Annual Northwest Yoga conference in workshop with my current teacher. It has been eight amazing years. I’ve been blessed to have a deeper understanding of Yoga transmitted to me.
So I’ve been here already Monk but “no” I would not attend this class regularly. It is not a practice that I find rich enough to nourish my cells deeply.
She is rather loud for me , think I would end up with a headache
I teach a power flow class, and if this is truly what it is suppose to be, I’m soooooo not teaching it correctly! A power yoga class does not have to be taught this way! I felt as if I was in boot camp!
So in answer to your question, Nope I wouldn’t attend.
Personally no, only because I am more of a gentle type.
I noticed a lot of incorrect alignment and posture in the video clip, for myself I stay away from any Ashtanga (or Power yoga - I hate that name) type yoga simply because I am not advanced enough in my asana practice, but it also does not resonate with me on a personal level.
Yoga?s earliest recorded written text is the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. The Third Limb; Asana (body position) is what most westerners identify with yoga. There was no detailed description as to exact alignment. Yoga has evolved; the proof is in the pudding, trial and error. I thank those before me who experimented with alignment determining and noting physiological improvements and deteriorations. Maybe we should rethink terms like ?incorrect? or correct rather ?suggest? alignments with the understanding everyone is different, alignments vary. We are trying to improve ourselves not hurt ourselves however we should challenge ourselves, not all asana are comfortable as we approach our personal edge but should never be painful. I was inspired by the David Williams, David Swenson, Bryan Kest and the Richard Freemans, this style yoga suited me in many ways and levels. At first I found myself practicing and perfecting postures and routines that came easy to me and I shied away from styles of yoga that did not suite me naturally, then I began to rethink. Why am I practicing what I?m already good at, comfortable with? Is it not better to step outside my comfort zone and pursue postures and styles that don?t come naturally?
This is ashtanga, no? Except no holding for 5 breaths, in this clip anyway. I’ve practiced traditional ashtanga for 5 years.
[QUOTE=ray_killeen;52963]Yoga?s earliest recorded written text is the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. The Third Limb; Asana (body position) is what most westerners identify with yoga. There was no detailed description as to exact alignment. Yoga has evolved; the proof is in the pudding, trial and error. I thank those before me who experimented with alignment determining and noting physiological improvements and deteriorations. Maybe we should rethink terms like ?incorrect? or correct rather ?suggest? alignments with the understanding everyone is different, alignments vary. We are trying to improve ourselves not hurt ourselves however we should challenge ourselves, not all asana are comfortable as we approach our personal edge but should never be painful. I was inspired by the David Williams, David Swenson, Bryan Kest and the Richard Freemans, this style yoga suited me in many ways and levels. At first I found myself practicing and perfecting postures and routines that came easy to me and I shied away from styles of yoga that did not suite me naturally, then I began to rethink. Why am I practicing what I?m already good at, comfortable with? Is it not better to step outside my comfort zone and pursue postures and styles that don?t come naturally?[/QUOTE]
Well if I can get your six-pack I might give it a go…hehe 
This appears to be Surya Namaskar B from Ashtanga (I’ve never ‘ahhhhh’d’ in place of 5 breaths but then, as they say, variety is the spice o’ life!) However, in Ashtanga, the students typically face one another (two rows facing each other). If I had to decide whether to take this class from this teacher based on this short clip, I probably wouldn’t. I prefer teachers with a softer tone. But I also don’t mind proving myself wrong. I’m sure I could get something out of this class, even if only an ego check:)
[QUOTE=omamana;52967]Well if I can get your six-pack I might give it a go…hehe :)[/QUOTE]
Funny gal, geeze that?s an ego boost, lol. I?ve walked into many a My Sore class thinking I knew by physical type who would be challenged, I?m no longer surprised. Some people are so beautifully balanced and aware of every fiber in their body, substituting stacking alignment and stability for strength. Despite their lack of physical prowess they move effortlessly through challenging routines. While we?re being humorous; I hope all females get to relive this life as males; testosterone coursing your veins distracting and clouding perception, influencing judgment, talk about a challenge, managing the male ego, snicker!
What do you mean, I manage the male ego on a daily basis… I’m married to a man. lol!
I really appreciate your thoughtful post Ray. You raise a very valid point as it relates to comfort.
I would like to add to this by saying that Patanjali codified something that preceded him (or them, as the case may be). And that he (or they) comes from a particular school of thought which is a part of yoga but not yoga in its entirety. I would also point out that there isn’t anything at all in the sutras which is “detailed description” which is why they are sutras in the first place.
Wow, that video made me feel very claustrophobic.
I used to do quite a lot of this type of class a few years ago. Now as I am slowly discovering what the history, the philosophy and the “point” of yoga is about, I see this as a workout session, which would still make me feel good but probably would not interest me enough to do regularly.
The class in this video seems pretty awful. Maybe the lighting? The people just seem lifeless too…
I’ve taken “power vinyasa” classes and really had a great experience. I mean the sequence is kind of the same everywhere but this video is really horrendous! It’s hard for me to define what it is I like about this style of practice - it really doesn’t seem very appealing watching this video - but I like it. One thing I guess is that even practicing it regularly, it is physically challenging for me, and that makes it necessary for me to focus on my breath - in practices that are less physically demanding for me, it is much easier for my mind to wander and as a result I think I am less present.
There must be other people who like this type of practice though. What do you like about it?
That is the way yoga is taught at the YMCA in my town. I went once and the class was packed. I’m not to fond of the teachers style which was similar to the one in the video.
Sounds more like an aerobics class than a yoga class. There’s some bad technique going on which she’s not correcting.
But this is what is going on in most gyms. I wouldn’t go to a class like this.
It’s all good. The people in this video are trying and getting something out of it. Good on them for that. Maybe one or two will want to go to the next level.
It does look like surya namskar B from Ashtanga, but it’s different from the way I learned it and practice it in a couple of ways. In the beginning, she has the class do chair pose, but does not return to samasthiti (tadasana). She also has them do two rounds without going back to chair pose or samasthiti. The jumps are not necessary and the pace is faster than what I like. Part of the essence of ashtanga vinyasa is coordination of breath and movement, and there does not seem to be any emphasis on that at all. I’ve gotten a lot of benefits from doing this sequence (both A & B), but I don’t see how you can really get that working at that kind of pace.
I wouldn’t return to that class, mostly because I don’t like the teacher’s voice. The way she shouts out the poses is a little harsh for my taste. I prefer a teacher with a more soothing voice who slips in a few pointers on alignment now and then, or little reminders on things such as drishti.
She’s also moving a bit faster than the breath, which would make me feel rushed. I’d prefer it to be slowed down a notch.
are you asking if we’d do THAT particular class or power/flow yoga in general?? i’m not sure i would NOT do that class. it does feel a bit rushed but the style of class is exactly what most people are after in the west. i prefer iyengar’s style a bit more but i do appreciate any flow class. i class doesn’t have to be taught like that to be a “power yoga” class.