1. More Than One Baptiste
There are two highly successful American yoga instructors by the name of Baptiste, Baron Baptiste and Sherri Baptiste Freeman. They are brother and sister, and each has developed a style of teaching yoga. Growing up in San Francisco their household was dedicated to yoga, physical fitness and healthy living. The Baptiste siblings studied yoga from childhood. When people refer to Baptiste Yoga, they are referring to Baron Baptiste's method, called Power Vinyasa Yoga.
2. Power and Empowerment
Baron Baptiste's method, called Power Yoga, is a vigorous physical practice in which some studios teach in a room with the heat turned up. Baptiste's method emphasizes personal power and empowerment. The yoga practice is seen as a way to personal transformation on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. Students become healthier in mind, body and spirit by taking control of their lives and making positive changes.
3. Follow the Flow
An important aspect of Baron Baptiste's approach is Vinyasa. In Vinyasa yoga the poses are not held constantly but flow from one to another in fluid sequences. Special emphasis is placed on controlled breathing and using it in specific ways as one moves from pose to pose. In other forms of yoga poses are held for seconds or minutes at a time until one moves on to work on another pose. A Vinyasa sequence fosters a particular physical or physiological goal such as relaxation or energizing the body and mind.
4. Train With a Teacher
Baron Baptiste's base is in the Boston area, but many yoga studios around the country offer Baptiste Power Vinyasa classes. You may find a Baptiste-certified teacher in your area. Other instructors may have attended Baptiste Power Vinyasa trainings and incorporate some of what they've learned into their own classes. Ask teachers about their own training and methodology when you search for a Vinyasa class or school.
5. Boot Camp Yoga Style
If you're looking for a yoga getaway, Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga offers training retreats they call "boot camps" in both national and international venues. The week-long boot camps allow students to get away from their normal routines and immerse themselves in a healthy physical and emotional lifestyle. The retreat workshops offer healthful food, yoga classes and other personal enrichment opportunities.
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