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| Hi All,
New to the forum and hoping to get some advice.
Is it a bad idea to regularly do two different styles of Yoga ? Maybe I should post this in the Ashtanga forum, not sure (maybe a mod could put it there too?).
I'm relatively new to Yoga, been doing Ashtanga for about 10 months. I recently moved countries and have been to five Bikram classes so far and really like it.
However, I like Ashtanga also and it seems a shame to give it up. Is there any solid logic why I cant / shouldn't do both ? There is a good Ashtanga class nearby which I went to when I visited for a holiday.
Would be interested to hear people opinions.
thanks
Steve |
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| Do both if you enjoy both. Why wouldn't you? it's not like you're married to one practice and cheating if you engage in another.
I recently tried a "Yin" class and a "Flow" class, liked them both and can see how they'd be complementary to a Bikram practice. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State |
There's absolutely no reason not to do both. And you can even find hybrids of the two, such as 'hot vinyasa yoga'.
The Ashtanga sequences do take some maintenance, 'though, so regular practice of them is important. For Bikram, regular practice will give you some better acclimation to the extreme heat.
... bg
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| I think Bay Guy hits it right on the head. The only reason "why not" is that the die-hards from both styles will suggest that you practice their class daily in order to get maximum benefits, and unless you have time to take two classes a day.... !!
But there's nothing wrong with crossing back and forth between styles, and it can actually be really beneficial to your practice. Do whatever yoga you like!!
My one caveat (since I am a total purist) is that, if I were you, I'd be careful not to "mix them up." When you're at the Bikram studio, do pure, by-the-book Bikram. When you're at Ashtanga, do pure Ashtanga (whatever that may mean.) I am not a big fan of the "hybrid" styles. Apples are apples and oranges are oranges, you know? But that really is just my personal opinion. Other people take more of an everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink approach to their yoga practice, and that can be cool too! |
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Member
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| Hi -- I can relate to this, I used to practice Ashtanga as well, now do Bikram. One example of what dancingj means above by not mix up the styles, I think, might be breathing. I used to wonder, would it be a good thing if I did ujayii style breathing in a Bikram class? (that being one of the elements of an Ashtanga practice) I went to a Bikram seminar by Craig Villani (senior teacher) and he addressed this. He said that in the ashtanga practice the purpose of the ujayii breathing was to heat up the body. In Bikram, they do have the externally supplied heat, so the addition of ujayii breath is too much. He used more colorful words, like the combination of ujayii with the bikram heat would cause one to internally combust, or something like that. Prior to hearing that, I probably did occasionally breath in that way in bikram class. Now I just try to breath "normal or slower". |
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| I really don't have much to add except thank you, eimSD. I practiced Ashtanga for almost 10 years before doing Bikram and could never understand the Bikram teachers telling us "breathe! Breathe!" but not telling us how to breathe. There's such an emphasis on the breath in Ashtanga.
The generating heat thing aside, I do think that breathing slowly, deeply, and through the nose as you do in Ashtanga can help keep you calm, work through some tightness, etc.
I do wish there was a *little* more of a hint about how to breathe in Bikram in the dialogue. |
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| Randomfemale - 2009-10-04 9:23 PM
The generating heat thing aside, I do think that breathing slowly, deeply, and through the nose as you do in Ashtanga can help keep you calm, work through some tightness, etc.
That's odd. What you describe is exactly how we teach breathing in Bikram Yoga but it sounds like you're suggesting otherwise... |
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| It's all yoga. There's an instructor at our studio who is certified both in Bikram and Ashtanga. Maybe I should ask her? |
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| Byd, I was responding to eimSD's claims about why ujayyi breathing is primarily to heat up the body in Ashtanga. I think that even in Ashtanga studios there's more to it than that. |
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Member
Posts: 18
| Oh, I know there's a lot more to ujayii than generating heat, and it's a good breathing technique to do in general. But I think that's one of the functions it does in an ashtanga practice... also great for focus, among other things.  |
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Bikram & Ashtanga ?
