Rocket Yoga

ROCKET® yoga method [1], lovingly referred to as 'The Rocket', is a yoga sequence developed by Larry Schultz in San Francisco during the 1980s. ROCKET® is rooted in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga practice of yoga.[2] It is combined with and restructured from the Primary and Intermediate Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga as well as key postures from the 3rd and 4th advanced series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Schultz's yoga method was first called "The ROCKET" by Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, because Weir said, "It gets you there faster."[3] Larry's system was informed by over nine years of dedicated Ashtanga practice with his teacher Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.[4]

Description

ROCKET® is a dynamic and fast-paced method of yoga. Larry Schultz, the founder of It’s Yoga®, created The ROCKET® routines, a series of postures based on a modification of the traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga primary and intermediate series.

Dani Burlison of the New Bohemian Magazine says: "Rocket yoga promises to get students to fitness nirvana faster."[5] Classes are guided with Sanskrit names of the asanas, following through 142 poses in 75 minutes in a typical class(there are alternate 60 minute and 90 minute class versions as well.) The structure maintains that of Ashtanga Vinyasa, consisting of a warm up with rounds of surya namaskar, after which 66 poses continue with standing poses, seated poses and ending with the traditional closing series including mudras and śavāsana. Some of the more challenging poses incorporated in these series would include Astavakrasana, Parsva Bakasana, dwi Pada Sirasana and Pincha Mayurasana. Another key quality of ROCKET® yoga system is what they call the "Art of Modification". Students are encouraged to make their own interpretation of the traditional asana and can remove or modify binding postures that tend to cause students to get stuck in the traditional series.[6] This allows the Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga method to be accessible by the general populace and even those who may have structural disabilities who would otherwise not be able to practice traditional ashtanga vinyasa yoga methods.

Divisions

ROCKET® yoga method is also divided into a series of three: Rocket I, Rocket II and Rocket III. Each series focuses on targeted body strength and flexibility. Typically, the Ashtanga Vinyasa Primary Series would be practiced on Sunday and optionally on Thursday, Rocket I on Monday and Thursday(instead of the Primary Series), Rocket II on Tuesday and Wednesday and Rocket III on Friday. As in the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga, Saturday is the day to rest from physical forms of yoga[7] The Rocket I series is based on the Modified Primary Series. The Rocket II is based on the Intermediate series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Rocket III (aka "Happy Hour") is a combination of the seated Rocket I and Rocket II.

Popularity

Mr. Larry Schultz started his yoga studio, It's Yoga, in San Francisco in 1989, and used the term ROCKET® to refer to his method of yoga instruction. Mr Schultz and his wife Marie travelled throughout the world, teaching The ROCKET® and certifying yoga instructors in the ROCKET® method.

Mr. Schultz named it ROCKET® because the method "gets you there faster". ROCKET® yoga method, popularized by the yoga community in San Francisco, has taken a large following nationally and internationally. Many students started their yoga journey or crossed paths with Larry Schultz in San Francisco and abroad. Mr. Schultz initiated many who later became well known teachers themselves, including Duncan Wong, Russell Yamaguchi, John Berlinsky, Amber Espelage, Tarik Thami, Marie Russel, Clayton Horton, David Lurey, David Kyle, Rusty Wells, MC Yogi and Amanda Giacomini. The ROCKET® has attracted a wide following including: Willem Dafoe, Madonna, Sting, The Grateful Dead, and Christy Turlington.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ROCKET®, THE ROCKET GETS YOU THERE FASTER®, IT'S YOGA®, IT'S YOGA (Design)® are federally registered trademarks, owned by It's Yoga International, LLC. - U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 4,788,149, 4,521,406, 3,529,935, and 3,529,936
  2. ↑ Interview with Larry Schultz, 2005.
  3. ↑ "Overview It's Yoga". http://itsyoga.com. External link in |journal= (help)
  4. ↑ "Larry Schultz, who created the world-famous Rocket Series, was looking for a way to make the practice of Ashtanga accessible to a western practitioner". http://www.itsyoganica.com. External link in |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ New Bohemian Magazine, Jan 20, 2010, Coverstory.
  6. ↑ "Rocket Yoga". http://www.littleriveryoga.com. External link in |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ About Ashtanga Yoga, www.ashtanga.com, 2007.
  8. ↑ To the Moon, Metroactive, North Bay Bohemian January 2010
  9. ↑ "Living Yoga: Creating A Life Practice" By Christy Turlington, Hyperion; 1 edition (October 9, 2002)
  • Neems, Patrick (September 2007). Larry Schultz:Bad Man of Ashtanga Yoga, The Yoga Album.
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