Yoga Competition?? Lynn Whitlow?? You?? What? Read on…
Hi Yogis!
What is this about yoga competition and how does it affect normal yogis like us? I have been asking this question as director of Bikram Yoga Queenstown and as a 20 year plus practicing yogi. How can competitions help me, the studio, students?
Donna Wikio in Dunedin is training students to compete this year and encouraging me as well. We have students ready for that next step in depth. There is a method for training and a lot for me to learn on how to train someone! This will be big for me too! I think it will be great for all of us!
Bikram Choudry and his wife Rajashree are pushing to get yoga in to the next Olympics! Yoga competitions have been around for years in India and ultimately bring us face to face with….ourselves, our minds and our perceived limitations.
There are 5 postures that are practiced and judged in competition, Standing Head to Knee, Standing Bow Pulling, Camel, Rabbit and Forward Bend ( you can bet Lynn Whitlow coming this weekend starting Fri night 6pm, will be focusing on these postures this weekend at her workshops) A competitor performs those 5 postures then 2 of their own choice. The judges score more points for difficult postures chosen by the practitioner for their body types. For example, someone very flexible who chooses a strength pose get more points than if they choose a super flexible posture. In other words, it can’t be the easiest for the practitioner.
Nicci in Auckland hosted the first Yoga Competition in 2009. Donna is on board for 2010. So are we. I think people need to have goals. Goals drive success. That which we don’t try, we will never know.
I want to push this studio to a higher level. Why not? In teaching, in practice, in ability and continuing to develop a good yoga school. Bikram is from the Bishnu Gnosh Yoga College in Calcutta. A university that has been there for 60 years. Bikram’s wife Raj has her degree from there as well, in women’s health issues. The yoga we practice has years of study behind it, literally hundreds of thousands of hours, in proving the medical benefits of yoga postures, the mental changes, and the potential and power to heal, to make people confident and happy. Yoga is a very useful tool to help humans deal with all the challenges of being alive.
Back to Lynn Whitlow. She is coming this weekend July 30th-Aug 1st. Lynn was one of the founders of the Yoga Competitions with Bikram. She was on the panel of judges for years. She knows the scoring and rating and details of the postures. She is going to help us get in to the next level with our practices. She’s tough. She is a Bikram legend. She has been doing the whole yoga thing for all her adult life. She trains teachers now and travels for workshops.
Friday 6-8 pm Master Class, strong, focuses on 3 postures, a must for practicing students wanting to get that teacher training depth with some struggle in this class. Yes, it will be a difficult one. Come hydrated, get excited to struggle hard as Bikram says! $49
Saturday 2-6pm Posture Clinic This is in a warm room, casual, workshop style, can ask questions, going through every posture from standing to floor series. Bring cameras if you like to get you in postures! $99
Sunday Community Class – Regular class taught by Lynn, good price if you are a bit skint and can come to only one class. This will be the 26 postures series done in a heated room, just like normal $29
Lynn Whitlow can help us start training ourselves just for fun. I am really excited on all the new developments. I love having Donna in Dunedin charging the way. She did come from this studio after all! She thinks we can train Nicci in to being top and placing really well! Wouldn’t that be awesome! Why not get in to it! To continue our training, we will have a new class…..
Competition Training will start Aug 4th and be weekly on Wednesdays 8-9 pm, (donation class, $5 suggested) . You must take the 6pm class in order to come, but everyone is welcome. We will practice the 5 competition postures. Everyone welcome! Come give it a try.
Advanced practice, which I am starting 2 times a week, is different. You must be invited. It is mandatory that a student be able to sit in Lotus without strain before starting the advanced. Bikram says 10 years of practicing the beginning before the advanced if you are normal stiff person. It took me 10 years almost exactly and now I do feel I am ready. I am practicing it now and loving it. It is the 84 posture series, on the poster, in the hallway above the fountain. Check it out.
That is the studio scoop and also the big push to get you guys in to Lynn Whitlow. This is our last yoga workshop this year (until Lance in Jan 2011)! I think we can really take Lynn’s teachings a long way. She has so much experience.
Get in here for the whole weekend $169 or take an individual workshop.
See you soon,
Namaste, Peggy
