Rocket Yoga 101: To Infinity and Beyond
By Paige Morency NotarioWhy Rocket Yoga?Rocket does just what’s baked into the name. It makes you soar. It makes you powerful. It makes you strong as steel. It makes you feel like you can go to infinity and beyond. Why Do I Teach Rocket?Let me rephrase that: Rocket doesn’t make you powerful. It reveals and activates the power and prana (energy/life-force) that already exists within all of us. Yes, I mean ALL of us. That is one of the reasons I absolutely love teaching this practice. Seeing a student empowered and surprised by his/her own strength is one of the most rewarding revelations to experience. I’m honored to even play a small part in leading others to find their own power, as Rocket (and, later, Ashtanga) has done for me.
So What is Rocket?Rocket is based off of the Ashtanga yoga system. But Rocket is Ashtanga’s rule-breaking, rebellious little brother. Ashtanga yoga is the “work hard” and Rocket yoga is the “play hard” (although you certainly do work hard during a Rocket class as well). Many of the postures are the same (you’ll recognize most of them from vinyasa classes too), but Rocket removes some of the most contorted postures of Ashtanga and provides you with the instant gratification of getting to the fun stuff (i.e. arm balances, handstands, etc.) long before the Ashtanga yoga system would ordinarily allow you. In my opinion, Rocket remains true enough to Ashtanga’s sequencing to maintain the intelligence of the practice, while amping it up a bit for optimal power activation and enjoyment. Where Did Rocket Come From?Rocket was created by Larry Schultz in the 1980s, who taught the practice to the Grateful Dead. Once you learn where Rocket came from, it starts to make sense. Rocket made Ashtanga yoga accessible and fun for rockstars, who certainly had neither the time nor patience for the rigors and discipline of a daily Ashtanga practice. And today it continues to make the practice accessible and fun for anyone brave enough to make it onto their mats for the first time.If you have any questions, please leave a comment!
Take Rocket Yoga with Paige on Tuesdays at 7:45 p.m. at the Georgia Avenue studio.
