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| I was just wondering if any of you have heard of Tony Sanchez and his Yoga Challenge series? I know he studied under Bikram and that his Yoga Challenge I includes all of the 26 Bikram asanas plus some he has added. Do you think his book and/or video would be a good supplement for Bikram classes? I bought the poster already.  |
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| Does he have a poster with all the poses, holding time and breathing? |
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| Vero - I just received the poster last night and I didn't get a chance to look at all the details. It does have pictures of all the asanas but I'm pretty sure it does not have the timing or breathing info.
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| Yes. He's pretty darn cool. There was a post a while back, someone looking for a Bikram video, and I recommended Tony's website.
Tony Sanchez studied with Bikram but also (I think) studied with Bikram's guru, Bishnu Gosh at Gosh College of India. There was an interesting article in Yoga Journal some months back regarding his relationship with Bikram as it stands today. It may be in their archives online.
I'm not sure where you purchased the poster, but if you look at his website (I think it's USYOGA.COM) there is more. He has a book and videos and is very into working with children. I would recommend the videos only to people who have taken several Bikram classes because there is very little instruction.
The first video is very similar to Bikram with a few added postures. It is very good. The second, Yoga Challenge II, is more advanced and is also very good. I haven't seen or tried the remaining videos, but I can only imagine they are for very advanced students.
When you watch the videos, you'll notice immediately the difference between him & Bikram -- he's very quiet with much less detail in the poses. It's a nice relief if you sometimes tire of the endless patter of dialogue  I have a friend who has attended his classes in SanFrancisco -- she says he is awesome but says very little in class. Just tells people what pose to go into and then walks around to prompt people individually as needed.
I'm very interested in acquiring the book as I have not seen it yet.
Gwyn
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| Gwyn,
Yes, I have checked out his website. I wish I could locate that article you mentioned because I was curious as to what his current relationship with Bikram is like. I did a search on the yogajournal website but didn't see that particular article.
Anyway, I bought my poster from yogalifestyle.com which also has a lot of cool stuff. They had another Yoga Chakra poster that I got - very colorful and lots of info (haven't read it all yet).
I'm thinking of getting the Sanchez book just to check it out - it's pretty cheap anyway. I just wondered if anybody else was familiar with the book, if it just repeated what the Bikram book says or if it puts another slant on things?
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| I would guess there would be a different slant, based on his style.
I'll look around and see if I have the Yoga Journal hanging around here and let you know what issue it is. Maybe I can send you a copy of it or something. |
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| About the article, I remember reading that they were still speaking to one another until he came out with his videos. He credits Bikram on the videos.
G |
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| Gwyn - Thanks for offering to check on that article. I recently subcribed to the magazine but missed out on some earlier stuff. They have a pretty extensive website but I also tried to find the recent article about Bikram's franchising and could not find that either. So, I sent them an e-mail requesting a copy of it by e-mail or somehow and they never responded. I know I can purchase past issues but they are pretty pricey if all you are interested in is one article.  |
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| I can't believe I can't find that stinking article. My better half must have thrown it out! I did find, however, the one on franchising. Do you have a fax?
Gwyn |
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| Eureka!
Check out: http://www.yogajournal.com/views/327_1.cfm?ctsrc=rel638
That is one of the interviews. There is another where they talk about teachers and their gurus. I'll see if I can find it.
G |
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| Thanks Gwyn - sent you a private message with fax #.
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| Yeah - I read the one you pointed to above. |
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| Can't find the other article but found this comment from an interview:
"Being in L.A., having all his cars, having all those people around him, has changed him," said Tony Sanchez, a yogi in San Francisco who studied with Choudhury and has a copyrighted yoga system of his own. "Underneath all that, though, I think he is a very pure, a very simple, and a very beautiful person."
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| Hey Kathy Ann
This is very interesting, 'cause I had never heard of a brikram poster before but when I stated with the book I made a poster like that myself. I made a copy of the pictures in the book , cut them out, paste them on a poster size cardboard, along with the name of the pose the "hold" time and the breathing. And that helped me out a lot. I guess great minds do think alike 
Vero |
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| Hi Vero,
Wow! That is really cool that you created your own poster like that. That means you can't give up Bikram! (I read on the other thread that you were going to quit.) |
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| Thank you, Kathy Ann. I think maybe I was too hasty, I'll go back and just skip that pose.
Thanks again for your support.
Vero |
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| Go Ve-ro, Go Ve-ro! Yea! |
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| Interestingly enough, in my conversation via email with T. Sanchez regarding using his material for my site? He insists his asanas are not "Bikram." However, there are pretty much no differences between those they both use.
I think Tony Sanchez has a more yogic viewpoint on what he does, but again owning and copyrighting yoga? Pleeeeze.
When we're all dead and gone, trademarks and capitalism an ugly myth, the yoga will still go on.
At least Sanchez doesn't make wildly horribly dangerous health claims for his yoga to unsuspecting beginners. |
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| The primary difference between Tony and Bikram is common sense. Tony still does yoga the way Bikram did it in the 1970's, when Tony studied with him. Since then, Bikram has turned up the heat and come to emphasize force, endurance, etc, far more than he did in his youth. Standing-head-to-knee is a good example. Where Bikram has everyone locking out the the knee (solid, one piece, concrete, like a lamp-post), Tony will tell you that you can keep a slight bend to prevent hyperextension. Further, Tony doesn't have you stand there for a full minute in set one, prior to bringing the head to the knee. He goes for the leg extension quickly, followed by forehead to knee quickly. The result is that you aren't going to blow out your knee trying to show how tough you are. It's the same story with the heat. Tony keeps his studio cooler, maybe 85 or so. Bikram has his studios racheted up to sauna levels (since Bikram no longer practices yoga, that's not a big deal for him).
Anyone have any information on knee injuries among Bikram practitioners? |
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| I doubt that's something Tony would say to a stranger, but I have to concurr with what I've read and found said by others who have studied with him.
Interestingly enough, I experienced Bikram probaly 15 years ago now. Wow, time flies. Anyway, it was definitely a different attitude when he was looking for clients and yoga hadn't boomed yet.
Knees: did you read the NY Times article?
Also, I teach Special Conditions. I can spek from personal experience in that knees are the primary injury that people bring to me, unless they simply go home and don't see anyone else. Shoulders are a close second with lower backs. The Bikram so-called "Beginning yoga" is not kind to either.
C. |
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| Wow, I never thought hyper-extending the knee was a good idea. I'm not sure I'll ever make the full posture because of the whole knee locking debate. Is it possible to master this posture with a slightly bent knee? |
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| Yes.
However, not in the way you're thinking. The important element of all standing postures is naturally your foundation. This includes the soles of your feet up to your hip sockets. You need a straight leg. People try to balance by bending the leg, which defeats both purposes.
So if you think of hyperextension as a bent leg, it's another reason it's a no-go in yoga. It's just bending the wrong way.
To get that softness in the knee that protects the tendons, etc., simply lift your toes. They might not come up, but the action/energy is usually enough to keep you from hyperextending. It also energizes the muscles all the way up the front and back of the leg, which gives you that firm foundation you should have.
Give 'er a try. I do my postures with my little and big to down with the three in the middle lifted sometimes. It gets me squarely on all "four corners" of my foot and a nice, solid foundation with very active legs. My caluses have even moved from the middle of my foot (high-heel days) to the outer edges of my feet because of this. Of course, because of yoga and toe exercises, my feet are more in their natural state, which also means broader. I had to give up my high heels because I can't FIT IN 'EM ANYMORE! (That yell was at my teacher and mentor, whom I blame. Or should I say credit?)
There are a lot of yoga party tricks that can help make Bikram much more safe and usually more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the teachers are normally untrained in these tiny details, and beginners have no way of intuitively knowing them. We're not intuitive with our bodies all too frequently.
So if we can help, ask away!
Christine
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| RE: KNEE INJURY IN BIKRAM.
I practice Bikram in AUstralia and it has been such a beautiful yoga community there. very supportive and loads of fun. Previous to Bikram I practiced ashtanga, but found the padmasana variations too strong for my knees. Bikram has been one of the best ways to get the blood pumping and come into a great head space with my breath. I used to be a runner as well . and the knees have been very greatful for the time off of the pavement pounding.
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| Hi Folks,
As to the Tony Sanchez posters, there are two. One is the 84 classic asanas as taught by Bishnu Ghosh. I think Tony is one of the few people in the world who can do them all.  The second is the Yoga Challenge One poster which is similar to Bikram with a few of Tony's variations. I carry the posters, plus Tony's videos and some books that Tony and his wife use to train teacher's in California to teach yoga. For more info try this link www.yogalifestyle.com . I've noticed a pickup in sales on Tony's items lately and maybe that previous post that mentioned my site is why. Thank you.
By the way, we just recieved the Yoga Challenge One DVDs today and I hope to have them on the site some time this weekend. Also we will be laminating the 84 Classic Asanas poster for durability and to enhance the colors ( it really makes them pop)
Thanks for your interest.
Peace,
Yogeshvara |
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| Sorry the link does not work so you'll have to copy and paste
www.yogalifestyle.com
Peace Out,
Yogeshvara |
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Have You Heard of Tony Sanchez????
