Introduction – What is So Different about Rocket Yoga?
I thought that first when I heard about Rocket Yoga it sounded like a movie in science fiction. However, as I continued to study the subject, I discovered that it is among the most thrilling and vibrant styles of yoga. Rocket Yoga is rapid, entertaining and bendable – literally. It leaves me free to be able to experiment with the strength and balance without having to lose the essence of yoga.
Contrary to traditional yoga where you have to stick to the same routine, Rocket Yoga allows you to adjust some poses according to the way your body feels on a particular day. I also prefer that it does not require perfection. It is more of movement, breath and energy. The practice is full of strong flows and joking transitions that leave me light and strong simultaneously.
In case you felt exhausted when you did slow routines Rocket Yoga will make you feel a boost of inspiration again. It is meant to make you think, but in a clear manner that made you want to know more and not to get frustrated. With time, I have observed its ability to not only enhance my elasticity but also my concentration.
And now we have to know what the origin of this gammonish and inspiriting style is.
History and Origins Rocket Yoga.
Larry Schultz invented Rocket Yoga in 1980, in San Francisco. He studied under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the guru of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Schultz adored the practice of Ashtanga yet, he desired to share it with everyone and not only with the elite practitioners.
He understood that the population of the West required some form of yoga where they could be free and adaptable without compromising the essence of the practice and its sequence of Ashtanga. It is at this time that he came up with Rocket Yoga.
The band The Grateful Dead included a musician by the name Rocket, who was one of the students of Larry. At one time he said, It gets you there faster, meaning that practice would make you grow more rapidly in strength and flexibility. And that name stuck.
Rocket Yoga has the format of Ashtanga with some changes; thus, I am able to vary the poses according to my activity. It has opened the gate to individuals such as me who desired a difficult but pleasurable yoga experience. With time, it has propagated across the world, as a favorite of the modern yogis who enjoy a combination of discipline and creativity.
The Ideology of Rocket Yoga.
Rocket Yoga is freedom of discipline. That sentence may be too professional, but it is so logical when you can exercise it. I have been taught that despite the speed and gagging, it is based on the conscious breath and posture.
Larry Schultz felt that yoga must be serviceable to all. Rocket Yoga not only makes people fit into yoga, but also yoga to fit into the lives of people. It means that I am able to manipulate a pose, omit a transition, or include something that I want without feeling guilty.
It reminds me that the power does not lie in working harder and that I should learn my strength. The further I was practicing, the more I understood how Rocket Yoga assisted to keep my mind awake. Due to the fact that the sequences are fast-moving, I need to be in full concentration. When my thoughts are not focused, I fall off the edge.
The other thing I like about Rocket Yoga is that it is traditional but lets evolution take its course. It does not kill the spiritual nature of yoga but, it does not make it strict. It promotes inquisitiveness and games, and this is what I require when life is boring or tedious.
Significant Features and Characteristics.
Once I get into the mat in Rocket Yoga, I am aware that I am going to have an energetic time. The classes are imaginative and each of the sessions is a blend of power building, stretching, and moving meditation.
These are some of the main attributes that distinguish Rocket Yoga:
Fast and Fun Flow
Rocket Yoga makes me move as compared to slower forms of yoga. The tempo is fast but metrical. It is constructed based on Sun Salutations, and then standing postures, seated postures, arm balances, inversions.
The best part? I can flow to music. It provides me with energy and makes me remain in touch with my breath.
Arm Balances and Inversions
This is where Rocket Yoga comes in big. Such poses as Crow, Handstand and Forearm Balance are frequent. I was unable to hold any of them initially, but the enabling flow helps me to amass the strength in the long run.
Any effort is a little triumph. Rocket Yoga makes me feel that it is all a fall before you fly – and that is what makes it thrilling.
Accessible for All Levels
Although Rocket Yoga appears to be the intense one, it is appealing to not only experienced yogis. Each pose can be modified. There are days when my body is strong and I am able to drive into new transitions. Other days I treat it mildly, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Larry Schultz made Rocket Yoga in such a way that anyone can attend. Regardless of whether you have been practicing yoga for years or you are only getting into it, you can make it happen.
The Three Rocket Sequences
Rocket Yoga consists of three major series:
Rocket I: Strength and stability (good beginner).
Rocket II: The rocket develops flexibility and more advanced back bends.
Rocket III: This is a strength and flexibility sequence that combines both strength and flexibility sequences.
The progression of each sequence is natural and, thus, I will never be forced to redo the same thing each time.
Emphasis on Breath and Flow
Similarly, breath becomes the leader as in traditional yoga. I have also learned that it is easier to make the practice less exhausting and easier when I breathe in time with the movement.
Rocket yoga is not about speeding things up but about surging with your breath. That is what makes it balanced even during the fast pace.
The most common questions have been listed below:
Q1: Can Rocket Yoga be considered beginner-friendly?
Yes! The ability to do rocket yoga may seem difficult, but it is flexible. I began gradually with the assistance of props such as blocks. I gained strength and confidence in due time. Novices can effortlessly adjust poses to their degree.
Q2: Which frequency of Rocket Yoga should I have?
I like to do it 3 to 4 times a week. It allows my body to have a rest and remain consistent at the same time. Flexibility, posture and focus will also improve with practice.