Baron Baptiste - Power Vinyasa Yoga
I've been doing yoga on a regular basis for a number of years now. I practice at home with the aid of DVDs as I am one of those people who needs the structure of a class or DVD to concentrate. I prefer to practice at home rather than going to a class for many resons but mostly because it's more convenient. For my yoga practice I enjoy a movment oriented style such as Power Yoga or Ashtanga yoga, and even Vinyasa Yoga. Hatha yoga is a little too slow paced for my liking, however there are days when all I want is a slow, relaxing practice. In fact when I first started practicing yoga it was more along the Hatha style and eventually I moved up to a more fact paced routine.Obviously, there are all different types of yoga, different instructors that offer different ideas and opinions on the practice. I am not a big fan of the new age-y types like those often found with Yoga Zone. Usually I'll find an instructor that I like and do their programs quite often. When I first started out I would always choose routines taught by women. For some reason I had it in my head that doing yoga with a female instructor would be more relaxing than male. I guess this is because I'd tried a Yoga Zone practice or two with some men in it who seemed kind of creepy and I just kept thinking about dirty hippies and communes. That and I'd seen pictures of some of the male instructors and they looked all buff and muscle-y and I just had it in my head that there was no way they could be calming and relaxing.
Eventually I got bored with the same old practices by the same old instructors in my same old rotation so I decided to add a number of yoga videos to my Netflix queue for some variety. I tried workouts by Bryan Kest which I didn't like too much. He was one of those not very relaxing type instructors and it didn't help that he had this mess of Kenny G looking hair and wore ripped up jean shorts. It all seemed very early 90s and the cons outweighed the pros with his DVDs. Those DVDs didn't really help my preconceived notions of male instructors and kind of figured it would be a lost cause.
Then one day I decided to give Baron Baptiste a try. I didn't really know anything about him or his practice but I was kind of unsure of him due to the fact that he looked rather muscle-y and I was worried that his practice would be like trying to do yoga with Arnold Schwarzenegger or something like that. I think the first workout of his I tried was Baron Baptiste: Journey Into Power, Level 1 and as soon as it started I knew that I had been silly for thinking all that I did. His voice was relaxing and his way of teaching was wonderful. He promotes pushing yourself, but at the same time to just go to your level of intensity. He understands that no two students will practice the same and makes sure that everyone knows it as well. He tries to make everyone comfortable and relaxed. He is quite the amazing teacher. He's not intimidating like I thought he would be and his practices flow very well. After that first workout I made sure to queue up a number of his DVDs on my Netflix just to make sure that one DVD wasn't a fluke, and it wasn't. Eventually I broke down and bought a number of his DVDs and find that his practices are the ones I follow the most. I get a great workout and feel renewed and refreshed when finished. I make sure to do one of his practices at least once a week. I'm glad I gave him a try.
He also does bootcamps, retreats, teacher training and workshops. I would absolutely love to go to one of his bootcamps/retreats one day. To use one of his saying, it would be "pure bliss". However, my opportunity to attend might be few and far between, there is also a Baptiste Power Yoga affiliated studio in Seattle called Shakti Vinyaya Yoga which I could always look into attending a class or two.
All in all, if you like a faster paced power/vinyasa type practice I highly recommend giving Baron Baptiste a try, if you haven't already.
Baron Baptiste Live!: Soul of Strength
Baron Baptiste Live!: Core Power
The Trainer's Edge: Long and Lean Yoga
Baron Baptiste's Power Yoga (3 pack) The Initial Challenge Level 1/The Next Challenge Level 2/The Ultimate Challenge Level 3
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