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| Can someone please outline the basic fundamental differences between ashtanga and vinyasa flow?
Thank you |
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| Hi Bucktooth,
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (to use it's proper name) is the style of Yoga taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, in the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya. It involves mastering set sequences of asana.
Vinyasa flow (also refered to as power Yoga) utilizes some of the concepts of Ashtanga Vinyasa, such as ujjayi breathing, bandhas and vinyasa, though does not follow the same set sequences and tends to be more 'free flow'.
Jonathon |
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| Jonothan,
Thank you very much.Are teachers of power yoga free to change,interpret or rearange certain sequences for every class.In other words since they do not follow a structured format do they just rearange certain sequnces from day to day?
I am basicaly new to yoga and trying to digest or understand if power yoga is really just someone individual interpretation of their favorite ashtanga sequences and if so,are they all pretty much different from each other?
Thank you
Edited by bucktooth 2007-02-15 10:20 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| BT - since this is just a description of a style rather than a school of yoga, my impression is that they can just sequence and teach pretty much as they like. |
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| Hi BT,
I agree with Tourist.
There are famous vinyasa flow/power Yoga teachers such as Shiva Rea, Berryl Bender Birch and Baron Baptiste, who run teacher trainings and whose student teachers will probally use their routines as a template, though many more will create their own routines as well.
There are no fixed rules.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 1738
Location: right where I'm supposed to be | Vinyasa does not have to follow a set sequence. It is the creativity of each individual teacher (along with their education, experience,etc...) that brings it to life.
I hope that doesn't sound stupid   |
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| mishoga - 2007-02-15 8:44 AM
Vinyasa does not have to follow a set sequence. It is the creativity of each individual teacher (along with their education, experience,etc... ) that brings it to life.
I hope that doesn't sound stupid
Sounds perfect to me!  I think there are some common elements like warm up/focusing asanas, Sun A, Sun B into specific flows, inversions/arm balances, standing balancing series, and so forth, the specific asanas in any one class tend to vary by both individual teacher and also by what the teacher wishes to emphasize in a particular class. |
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| that's my understanding of it also 
tourist - 2007-02-15 10:23 AMBT - since this is just a description of a style rather than a school of yoga, my impression is that they can just sequence and teach pretty much as they like. |
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| I trained with Baron. Teacher trainees were "advised" to stick to the sequences "as learned" for five years. Being adult, human, and American, my guess is no one did. But that's Baron's guidline.
The rhyme and reason of the sequnce construction was not covered though this was an eight day boot camp training.
The lineage of Ashtanga is a bit clearer as outlined above in this thread. Some advanced Ashtanga teachers do depart from the series construct.
In a Power or flow class, based solely on my experience of class with 40 different teachers here in Seattle over the past three years, teachers seem to sequence however they want. Some hold it together enough to do this muscle segment than that one..others may be relying on divine intervention, spur of the moment feelings, or intution, or guessing. They do inded do whatever they want.
bucktooth - 2007-02-15 7:05 AM
Jonothan,
Thank you very much.Are teachers of power yoga free to change,interpret or rearange certain sequences for every class.In other words since they do not follow a structured format do they just rearange certain sequnces from day to day?
I am basicaly new to yoga and trying to digest or understand if power yoga is really just someone individual interpretation of their favorite ashtanga sequences and if so,are they all pretty much different from each other?
Thank you
Edited by purnayoga 2007-02-19 4:21 PM
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Ashtanga Vinyasa follows a set order...Sunsalutations...then standing asanas...then seated,then backbends then inversions.The asanas do not flow from one to the next....you do an asana and then change sides...the only flow are the sunsalutations and the vinyasa between the seated asanas.
Vinyasa Flow varies greatly from teacher to teacher....but the type that I know,love and teach is very fluid and flowing.
It follows the same basic idea from Ashtanga...sunsalutations folowed by standng asana etc...
But the Asanas flow from one to he next (holding for 5 or more breaths each)...buliding up a flowing sequence of asanas....there may be 5 or more asanas in a flow(depending on level of class)and will include balancing asana ...before changing to the other side...via a vinyasa similar to that in Ashtanga.
My class would usually have a gentle flowing warm up,sunsalutations the a standing asana flow...which would usually be repeated and built up...then a seated asana flow finishing with backbends and inversions.
Each class is different...although we will often be doing the same asanas just in a different flow....keeps the brain awake...challenges the body...
I have a number of flows that I teach so regular clients get to know them and see their improvement over time.
Keeping variation in yoga asana practice helps to avoid injury(from repitition)keeps the mind stimulated and challenges the body.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State |
I look at the ashtanga sequences as set forms that one practices as discipline of sorts. Done fully, and past the primary series, these are challenging sequences even for experienced practitioners. You aren't really supposed to vary these sequences at all. I see ashtanga as a good foundational practice, but it would drive me looney if I didn't also do other kinds of yoga.
Vinayasa teachers (including Baron Baptiste's teachers) vary things (usually within a framework) according to their mood or their reading of the specific group that turned up in class that day. I find that vinyasa sequences seem to be a bit syncretic, adding whatever sequences are getting current attention - e.g., Siva Rea's material was being drawn in quite a bit a couple of years ago, Yin yoga movements seem to be dropping in here and there, sometimes a bit of Tai Chi, and even abdominal exercises that might also show up in a football training camp. I think the diversity keeps things interesting, but I'm not really hung up on the "purity of yoga". [In fact, I don't think that yoga asana as taught even by Iyengar or Jois is especially ancient or 'pure'].
... bg
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Vinyasa Flow ?
