Hot Yoga - Where It's Going Wrong. What Can Be Done

Locust, any of the warrior poses and chaturanga. What do they all have in common?

They are all strengthening poses.

Now you get the same amount of strength in these poses, whether you do them in a heated room or not. Think about chaturanga.

You aren't supporting any more weight with your bent arms because the room is hot. Therefore, you won't be getting any stronger by doing the pose in a heated environment.

Ok, let's switch to lengthening (stretching) poses. Heated vs non-heated room. More or less lengthening?

Now, everybody who has done hot yoga is saying; more lengthening in a heated room.

To summarize the discussion so far:

There is no additional benefit in performing strengthening poses in a heated room. 

But there is additional benefit in performing lengthening poses in a heated room.

Therefore, to get the most bang for your yogic buck, given that you have a limited time in the heated room, it would be best to stack this session with lengthening poses, at the expense of strengthening poses.

So, if you are fortunate enough to attend a studio that has both hot and warm classes, the best combination is to focus on strength during the warm classes and to focus on lengthening during the hot classes.

Yet more and more, we see vinyasa being performed in highly heated rooms.

Wrong way around studios. Wrong way around.

All that juicy heat, that could be used for huge hamstring stretches like upavistha konasana (side splits) and hanumanasana (front splits), or for breathtaking back-bends like wheel (urdhva dhanurasana) ...

...ARE GOING TO WASTE.

It is so disappointing to attend a hot yoga class, get all heated, only to never be given the opportunity to use that heat to explore deep asana. This is squandering energy.

Which actually goes against the yama called brahmacharya. I know! Bad hot yoga teachers.

Brahmacharya is one of those grey areas where people get confused.

But if you think about yoga and control, you know, ahimsa is violence control, satya is lying control, asteya is stealing control. Well, brahmacharya is energy control.  

This includes misdirected energy, like doing vinyasa in a hot room, when you could be busting out a thoroughly deep back bend.  Anyway, back to hot yoga.

What is most frustrating is that with a little bit of foresight, those studios could be really benefiting their students. 

They would do this, by focussing on strength during the warm classes, and then using the heat to the max, by hitting the deep stretches during the hot classes.

Such a waste.

See you in hot yoga class, J (err....on the other hand, maybe you won't)

Yoga Myths Busted: The Expectation Of Perfect Alignment

Let's have a look at the great alignment myth. This is where, unless you are perfectly aligned in a pose, you are somehow doing the pose incorrectly.

The alignment nazis descend on you with their straighten this, tuck that mantra. The sky falls on your head, and your incorrect pose is responsible for the next world war.

The one that always gets me, is the feet facing out in wheel pose.

Now, being able to instantly hit this pose perfectly, if you are a twenty something, female, yoga instructor is no biggie.

But for us <cough, cough> year old, inflexible guys. Well, this is a near impossibility, without about 30 mins of dedicated warm up. And even then.

Our feet may face outwards slightly.

Now, some people will say, that unless you can do the pose with perfect alignment, then you have no business doing the pose.

This is absolutely incorrect. And I'll prove why...

Who, when they started yoga, could hit even a single pose with perfect alignment? A big fat nobody.

So, according to the alignment nazis, nobody should ever start yoga. Because you shouldn't be doing poses incorrectly.

Now, obviously, this isn't true.

When people start yoga, their alignment is out in every pose. Over time, the poses gain alignment.

So too with hard poses like urdhva (wheel). Guys feet face outwards slightly, and over time the feet start to straighten.

Poses are a journey from imperfection to perfection. Which means, we must practice poses imperfectly.

We only perfect asana as we practice it imperfectly, J.

Can You Be A Yogi And Still Do Other Sports?

Arrrrgh!

You know the real answer is no. But hey, it's 2016, and we are in the Western world. So.
The PC answer is <said in a serious voice> "Yes, of course, you can be a yogi and do other sports". Trouble is.

Modern western yoga is flat out being one eighth of one quarter (mathematically one thirty-secondth) of of old school yoga.

Asana is only one of 8 'limbs' of Raja yoga. Raja yoga is one quarter of all yoga. 8 x 4 = 32.

So, if you had to spend 32 more times practicing yoga, could you do it?

Say you do 2 hours per week, of modern class yoga.

If you had to spend 64 hours per week doing yoga (2 classes per week multiplied by 32), would you have time for other sports?

This is like, six 10 hour days and one four hour day. When on earth would you get time for other sports and to sleep?

So, old school yogis did it full time. They didn't do anything else.

So the answer to the question is:

Sure, you can be a (modern) yogi and do other sports. However.

You can't be an old school yogi and do other things in life, because yoga was your life.

Peace out, J.

P.S. I know the math in this is dodgy. Point is that it was a way of life back in the day.

Look modern yoga can - and should be - practiced all the time. So the question in the heading is wrong. It should be "Are You Still Practicing Your Yoga When You Do Other Sports?"

Now we've got a topic.

Should Yoga Be A Workout?

Have you ever seen Dharma Mittra's 908 yoga poses poster? If you haven't...what am I doing? This is the internet...hang on, I'll get one...



So, there's Dharma Mittra doing a LOT of yoga.

Now if you started to categorize the poses in the poster, into easy effort to maintain, and hard effort to maintain, you'll get a lot more hards than easys.

What's this mean? Just that on the whole, yoga is physically hard.

So, the whole of yoga is best described as physically hard, because there are far more hard poses, than easy ones.

Now there are subsets, that have easy poses in them, like Restorative, Bikram, Vinyasa (when was the last time you did a Kapinjalasana in a viny class? Freakin' never! So, yeah, vinyasa is only a subset of yoga).

So, YES, on the whole, yoga is physically demanding.

Now, a workout is hard, and yoga is hard. Therefore, yoga IS a workout.

Whether, yoga is anything more than a workout is beyond the scope of this post. Why...because the whole point of the post, is to argue that yoga is a workout.

Job done, J.

Only Girly Guys Do Yoga

I freakin' LOVE this myth.

It's SO brill' that I wish I'd thought of it myself.

Because, obviously, only an evil genius could come up with this.

Here's how it goes...

Have a personal, self-development system (yoga) that makes dudes crazy strong...without all the abs and bulk. And I'm not talking about a bit strong.

I'm talkin' so strong, that guys can levitate their whole body vertically into the air. Then touch down feather light, into some crazy pretzel configuration.

Add to this, extreme flexibility that makes them real loose.

Mix in some ultra-calmness, and top it all off with sound moral principles and a social conscience, and you have one cool dude.

Hang on...we haven't got to the kicker yet...

...put them in a predominantly female environment.

Nearly, there...here's the truly BRILLIANT bit...

...then you protect all this by floating the myth that guys who do yoga must be girly.

All the hooligans and yobos are kept out of the yoga environment by this awesome bit of
social engineering.

This is good for the guys AND good for the girls practicing yoga. You see.

Yoga is a quiet, solitary endeavor. Even though it's done in a room full of people. Weird but true.

Rowdy people don't receive whatever social signals float their rowdy boat, in a yoga class. So they don't show up.

Suits the yoga guys and suits the yoga gals.

Only girly guys do yoga...LMAO.

Good luck, J.

Yogic North: Dude Where's My Compass?

Traditionally, yogis got up early and did sun salutations.

To face the sun that early in the morning, they had to face east (sun rises in the east).

So, over time, the front of the yoga mat came to represent east.

Now this is even if the mat wasn't facing east. It was still called east.

Just because us lazy westerners refuse to wake up early, and start banging out surys, doesn't change the traditional name, of the direction of the front of the mat.

Gonna repeat...so even though it's 10pm at night and you are facing true north, if you are standing on you mat about to go into a sun salutation, you are facing yogic east.

Go ahead, turn your mat around 90 degrees. Yep, still facing yogic east. The front of your mat is always yogic east.

Now, why is this important, and why am I banging on about compass points?

Well, it's just that some pose names are called 'east pose' and 'west pose'. In fact, sometimes during a yoga class, the teacher will say "east pose".

Ok. So we've established where yogic east is (the front of your mat). Now if we take it a step further, we could say that the front of your body is the east side of your body.

So, when you are stretching the front of your body, you are stretching the east side.

Here we have east pose (purvottanasana). Aka upward plank. Purva = east = front of the body.

Now if the front of the body is east, what is the back of the body?

Yep, west.

So, if you were in a seated forward bend, what do you reckon the pose would be called?

Yup, west pose. So paschimottanasana is west pose (paschima = west = the back of the body).

Look at the dude doing the forward fold and have a think about what he's stretching.

It's not just his back. He's actually stretching from his calves, through his hamstrings, up around his butt, then down his back, all the way through his shoulders and up into the top of his neck.

So the WHOLE back of his body is being stretched. The WHOLE west side. Not just a bit of it.
There's a term for what he's stretching. In anatomy, there's a body of work called Anatomy Trains.

And this links parts of the body together. All the parts of the body that we just went through, that the guy is stretching, is called the superficial back line (SBL).

The last thing to cover off in this pose (oh yeah, before I forget, in east pose, the superficial front line is being stretched)...so last thing...oh yeah, if the front of the body is east and the back of the body is west, then the left side is north and the right side is south.

Now, I haven't heard of a north or south pose, but if a teacher refers to north or south, at least now you won't be caught out....Can't have readers of How To Be Your Own Yoga Messiah getting caught out by know it all teachers.

Ok, we're done, J.

The Perpetual Beginner Yoga Trap

There was this lady that used to go to class. In conversation, she admitted to coming to two, sometimes three, classes per day. Same studio. Weird, I know.

Full points for consistency.

The thing is, that before class, she'd be trying to handstand (she'd be using the wall). Now, a year later, there she was, up against the wall, trying the same thing.

Obviously, she wanted to get into a handstand. The thing is, that she wasn't getting very far with her approach to practice. Even after a whole year.

Now, not every class offers handstand practice. In fact, very few classes practice handstand. 

So, if she wanted to handstand so badly, why didn't she just not go to one of the classes, and use the time to practice handstand? 

I don't know the answer to that question. But I do know that if you consistently practice a pose for a year, you'll make progress.

So, what lessons can we take away from this yogini?

Well, if you want to get into advanced poses. You'll need to practice them outside of class. 

This is just because classes do not consistently offer advanced poses.  And you'll need to consistently practice the advanced pose to make progress with it.

Speaking of which...where'd the hell did backbends go? Whatevs.

Anyway, where were we...oh yeah...Not making progress...

So, one of the yogic Yamas (these are things you don't do) is dishonesty. So we are encouraged to practice honestly.

Now an honest practice is riding the edge between being comfortable and reaching for things that are beyond your current capabilities. 

So you are dishonest if you are cruising within your capabilities, and you are also dishonest if you are reaching too far beyond your capabilities. The sutras call this "steadfast with ease". 

So, back to our yogini. See, she wasn't being honest in her practice. She was being a perpetual beginner. 

If she was being honest, then she'd be riding that edge right into an unsupported handstand, one year later.

Yoga's funny eh? Damned if you do, damned if you don't. 

Keep practicing, but make sure you keep advancing, or you just aren't practicing honestly. 

Kirk out, J.

Where Does The Bottom Hand Go In Trikonasana?

WOW! This polarizes people.

Who woulda thought the placement of the bottom hand (inside foot/shin, on foot/shin or outside foot/shin) would be such a BIG deal in trikonasana.

Apparently it is.

What's the right answer? (And you know that there's gonna be a right answer.)

Got it?

Ok...Here we go...

The correct position for the bottom hand in triko...

Drum roll....symbols....

...is where you get the most spinal extension. 

Yep, screw where the bottom hand is. Are you getting spinal extension? Otherwise why are you doing the pose? To get less benefits (you crazy yogi you)?

Same if you are using triko to build core strength through the side of your body, except the fingers of the bottom hand won't be touching the floor.

Now, this may be news to a lot of yogis, but we do yoga to get stronger, longer and calmer.

Now, why wouldn't you extract every little drop of long, strong and calm out of every pose?

Every pose, in every way. You need to be maximizing ALL the benefits. Not just a few.

This is economical and effective practicing. Which means you are experiencing the yoga journey at a slightly faster clip than your average yogi. (Not your average bear.)

So yeah, experiment and place the hand where it's gonna get you the most benefits.

On or off the shin. On or off the floor. It's all good if it feels good.

Catch ya in class, J.

Your New Years Yoga Resolution

New Years resolutions are dead easy for yoga.

What's your weakest area? Bingo. Resolution.

Follow through with some solids, naming specific poses you're gonna focus on and where you'd like to be.

What's your fave part of yoga? Bingo. Resolution.

Same again. Have some solids.

Yoga bucket list ideas:

Handstand on the edge of a building (do this last for obvious reasons).

See Seane Corn with straight hair.

Get your foot behind your head (just once, to know what it feels like).

Attend a yoga class when there are only blokes (This isn't blokes yoga, it's a normally billed yoga class, but on that day only blokes show up. One in a billion chance. Weird.).

Attend a yoga class with your fave teach where you are the only student (This isn't a one on one. It's just a class, and only you attend).

Ok enough fantasy. Back to reality. Happy 2016, J.

Guys Guide To Starting Yoga

So you're a dude and you wanna give this new yoga thang a go. Here's what to do and what to expect:

You'll Be Lonely

Expect to be the only dude in class. Bonus if another bloke shows up. But don't count on it.

Expect girls to give you a wide berth, if you are a guy at a yoga class.

Look, the girls don't know you. They came not expecting to see a guy in class. Don't sweat it. Just focus on the yoga.

Now that last sentence is the biggest DO. Focus on the yoga.

I highly advise going to class alone. Probably the worst thing you could do, is show up with a mate.

The chances of a monumental f*ck-up by mates attending their first yoga class together, rises exponentially with each additional mate.

It's Not A Social Event

If you came because you think that yogis are open minded etc, and you have interpreted this as meaning yoga is some sort of social gathering, you are entirely mistaken.

Yoga is a solitary endeavor. Even in a room full of people.

With yoga, you withdraw the senses and focus on a point on the floor, or wall, or ceiling. Not other people. In fact, you'll just end up falling over if you watch other people. Don't do it.

If you are new, and have to look around to see what people are doing, because you don't know the moves, don't look at the same person all the time.

Expect to speak to nobody but the teacher. And then it'll be to get your name and any injuries. Any more social interaction than this is a bonus.

Don't be head bobbing around the place looking for someone to speak to. Be approachable, but let people come to you. But don't count on it.

Yoga's a solitary practice over many years. Yoga friendships can take the equivalent time to develop.

What To Wear

Do not wear short shorts. 

Do wear long shorts or long pants. 

If you wear shorts, then DO wear some skins underneath. Just don't wear shorts and briefs (this is just a recipe for a wardrobe malfunction, in a couple of poses I can think of).

I wouldn't advise wearing tights either. Just not a great look.

So, long shorts with long tight legging style underwear or long pants. 

Now your top. Only take your top off in a hot yoga class where the temperature is over 100 Fahrenheit or 40 Celsius.

Any class that is conducted in lesser temperatures, leave your top on.

Now, if you wear a top that's too baggie, it'll constantly fall over your head. What? Just trust me. No big baggie tops.

You'll want a fitted top. Doesn't have to be skin tight. But does have to have minimum give.

Sweat And Body Odor

Yoga is a physical activity. Expect to sweat.

Minimize your odor by showering and using underarm before class, but don't sweat the sweat during class.

Don't wear cologne to class. Underarm yes. Pongy cologne no.

Pre-Class Preps

Hydrate before class. Don't be gulping down water during class.

Go to the toilet before class. Don't be leaving to go to the loo during class.

Mats

If you use a studio mat, you'll be expected to clean it at the end.

If you are a heavy sweater, invest in your own mat.

Om

Omming (try saying a_u_m) is the chant at the start and or end of class (sometimes during). Contrary to what you may have heard, yoga isn't religious. Spiritual yes (in that it lifts your spirit).

If you do om, know this...you can't om out of tune. In fact.

If you are all omming in tune, you are doing it wrong. Just do it and don't give a toss about how it sounds.

Partnering Up

If the teacher asks you to partner up and there is another guy in class, walk straight over to him and ask if it's ok to partner with him.

If the teacher asks you to partner up and there is another guy in class and he immediately partners up with someone, then you are fresh out of luck. 

Unless, someone approaches you, wait for the teacher to either suggest someone or you partner with the teacher. Same goes for if you are the only dude.

Now, this doesn't mean that you won't get a partner. 

Really serious yogis probably won't care who they partner with. So don't be shocked, if the super flexi yogi chick, who can do all the poses, standing next to you, gives you a nod.

Savasana

At the end of class, everybody lies around on the floor on their backs for a couple of minutes in silence. This is called savasana (shav-as-ana)

Don't fidget in savasana.

Don't skip savasana. Yoga is about being still. Savasana is where you practice being still, which is what yoga is ALL about. 

People who skip savasana are not yoga practitioners. They should go back to pilates or barre or wherever you came from.

Get A DVD And Practice First

If you are a guy and you want to get into yoga, try a DVD first. 

Try the Bryan Kest Power Yoga Complete Collection which is available from Amazon. It's an old one, but is a solid intro to yoga, and will put you firmly on the right path.

Final Words

You've been given a lot of absolutes in the above. They are designed to get you up and rolling with a minimum of fuss. 

A lot of what I've said can be bent when you know what you are doing. Until then, stick to the script.

Good luck, J.