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| I do an intermediate Ashtanga yoga class twice a week for an hour. Does anyone have a guess at how many calories I burn in the class? Also, yoga is what I do for my strength part of my exercise routine. Is that sufficient? I feel much stronger since I started doing yoga 3 months ago. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State |
I posted some numbers on this a while ago....for a 90 minute, vigorous
class you might figure 500 calories burned (depending on a whole lot of stuff).
Say.....not quite a Cinnabon's worth.
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| As for the strength part....I'd say ashtanga is quite sufficient ...anything more, strength wise, may overtax the muscles.
you may want to ask yourself why you are so concerned about the calorie burn and muscle building issues. |
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| Upsidedown90:
I have noticed that there are some people in the Yoga community who take the position that those who are concerned about calories, fat, or body image are making some kind of mistake. Perhaps some people believe that being aware of your body is a sign of spiritual weakness, or an obsession with worldly materialism. I am not certain, however, that being concerned about what you eat, or even how much you eat, is incompatible with yoga--hatha or otherwise. To be more pointed in my response, some schools of yoga have very elaborate rules about food. I have read writings by some yogis who claim that garlic does brain damage and onions make one violent. Further, all schools of Hatha yoga recognize that control over the body is central to devotional practice. Many forms of practice are very alignment focused, and care deeply about the form of the body. Calories, muscle, and bodily awareness, then, are simply modern expressions of yogic concerns. The asker's question, then, seems to me to be very legitimate.
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| Hi Hawk,
Just a small point.
I think you have to remember that all approaches to yoga are trying to metaphysically change the relationship between the mind and body. Moving you away from personal identity with the body, ego, the idea of separation from existence.
This not to say that body awareness is at all a bad thing.
Just irrelevant.
And will just make you more over aware of things which don't really matter.
And if the person is doing an intermediate practice you really don't need to worry about calories or strength at all.
My god it's hard to eat enough to stop losing weight!
Hawk - 2008-09-29 10:16 PM
Upsidedown90:
I have noticed that there are some people in the Yoga community who take the position that those who are concerned about calories, fat, or body image are making some kind of mistake. Perhaps some people believe that being aware of your body is a sign of spiritual weakness, or an obsession with worldly materialism. I am not certain, however, that being concerned about what you eat, or even how much you eat, is incompatible with yoga--hatha or otherwise. To be more pointed in my response, some schools of yoga have very elaborate rules about food. I have read writings by some yogis who claim that garlic does brain damage and onions make one violent. Further, all schools of Hatha yoga recognize that control over the body is central to devotional practice. Many forms of practice are very alignment focused, and care deeply about the form of the body. Calories, muscle, and bodily awareness, then, are simply modern expressions of yogic concerns. The asker's question, then, seems to me to be very legitimate.
Edited by Phil 2008-09-29 7:36 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
 
| Hi Hawk - I believe you are correct about some yogis wishing to de-emphasize the *obsession* with the body we have here in the west. Though none of the posters in this particular thread discussed that. Doing a yoga practice of any form (as far as I know - any that I know of) says you should do the work/practice without expectation of benefits. All of them, as far as I know, do allow the practitioner to reap and enjoy the benefits that do come as a result of sincere practice.
Perhaps you would like to comment further on some more recent discussions? |
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| Hi Folks, particularly Phil and Tourist,
At some point I seem to remember reading a (Hindu?) proverb to the effect of "we have trouble seeing God's feet, so why should we speculate about His face?" To a certain degree I am concerned that we are splitting hairs. I think that there is a kernel of something interesting in this, however, so I think it is worthy to take a look at it.
Phil's message makes the point that yoga is about "[m]oving you away from personal identity with the body, ego, the idea of separation from existence." I certainly agree that this is a common approach adopted by many yogis, and one can pick up traces of Sankaran "qualified non-two-ness" in it. On the other hand, there are other approaches (tantric schools, like Anusara) that radically embrace the body and sensual pleasure (and no, I am NOT referring to "Hot Nude Yoga" or other such practices). Yoga, then, refers to a broad umbrella that encompasses many practices that speak to may different people. After all, is this not Krishna's point to Arjuna about roads to salvation?
Interestingly, Traveler alludes to exactly this in point in his/her's comment about rewards (the doctrine of action). I think in this point we are both in agreement. Where we may differ, however, is how to construe the question about calories. To me a question about calories may be more than a question about getting a reward--it may be a question about how to be the best yogi possible. Perhaps I am being naive, but absent some clearly bizarre question, it seems to me that we can do our best to honor the question and the questioner.
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| Hi Hawk,
I understand the tantric approach as not focusing on the body in a sensual way, but excepting everything the body, mind and world with out seeing any division. |
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| Hey Phil,
If I held myself out as an expert in tantra I would be a fool. We really need Dr. Douglas Brooks here to give us an opinion! I am certain that there are strains of tantra that differ, but the ones I have been reading about of late embrace the validity (or indeed the absolute goodness) of the physical self, including the sensual self. The point is not to glorify self-stimulation (as pornographers would have us believe) but to provide us with radical and non-vedic tools to overcome the limitations imposed upon us by our fallen age (the Kali-yurga). That would include, then, appreciating the body, as that appreciation might be enlightening.
In my own thinking, then, even the most dedicated calorie-counting, Splenda-eating, botox-injecting gym bunny in lycra ought to be received with an open mind and have questions answered in a way that honors them.
Yours,
Hawk |
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| Well Hawk I don't have a clue who Dr Douglas is.
The only real expert on tantra is Lahiri Mahasay (the polestar of kriya)
Any idea that tantra has anything to do with sensuality is miss placed.
And by the way were not in Kali yuga at the moment were in Dwapara as from around the start of the1800's. See "Swami Sir Yukteswar" as reference.
And to refer to any one as a calorie-counting, splendor-eating, botox-injecting gym bunny, does not honor them at all.
All I'm pointing out is, don't get hung up on the hang ups we've place on are selves in this age were in. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Hawk - I am sitting here scratching my head wondering why you have dug up an ancient post by someone who is no longer a member, who did get a reasonable answer to her question? Yes, the second, now unknown person did suggest she look into her motivations for the question, but not in a nasty or confrontational way, as far as I can see. But then, I tend to not read nasty into things unless it gets pretty blatant...
I am not going to try to read your intention into your post, either. But it seems like you enjoy a good discussion, so perhaps you'd like to start a new thread with a topic a little more interesting than "how many calories do you burn at a yoga class"? We have plenty of folks here who would love to get their teeth into some philosophical question so please dive in! |
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| i want to give my input on how many calories are burned. This is I wish to say:
- there is a particular set of exercise routine that may be called Ashtanga Yoga Exercise, Intermediate. However, everyone in that particular routine or a particular class does NOT spend the same calories. So, the question and answer are only approximate, not exact.
- the calories depend on how well that exercise is done and with what strength it is done. So, if you wish to spend more, do it better and better. But, that is possible, only if you are qualified for doing so. Otherwise, it can hurt you. 90 percent of Ashtanga Exercise students including the teachers in the world are not ready for that routine.
- To get average figure, please use BayGuy's formula.
bethie44 - 2005-03-16 10:41 PM
I do an intermediate Ashtanga yoga class twice a week for an hour. Does anyone have a guess at how many calories I burn in the class? Also, yoga is what I do for my strength part of my exercise routine. Is that sufficient? I feel much stronger since I started doing yoga 3 months ago. |
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| Hi Kulkarnn,
Yes, this is correct. Intermediate and Primary too, can be done very slowly without jumping and lifting or it can be done slow with jumping and lifting or fast without jumping and lifting or fast with jumping and lifting. The way that you do it makes a big difference.
For example Krounchasana (heron posture) exit is supposed to float into a bend knee handstand then down to charturanga dandasana. Very few people can do the practice this way.
http://ashtangayoga.info/asana-vinyasa/intermediate-series/02-Krounchasana.html
Also, you weight and sex make a big difference. Someon who is 140 pounds is not going to burn as many calories as someone who is 190 pounds.
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| Thank you dear hnia:
Also, someone who is 190 lb is possibly not going to be a good student for Ashtanga Style exercise.
Also, the picture you have displayed is NOT a great example of correct pose. I shall give it B or B+ if I have to rate it. I am not saying I should rate it.
And, lastly, the faster the poses are done, more calories shall be burnt, and less meditative effect will be felt.
hnia - 2008-10-01 12:23 PM
Hi Kulkarnn,
Yes, this is correct. Intermediate and Primary too, can be done very slowly without jumping and lifting or it can be done slow with jumping and lifting or fast without jumping and lifting or fast with jumping and lifting. The way that you do it makes a big difference.
For example Krounchasana (heron posture) exit is supposed to float into a bend knee handstand then down to charturanga dandasana. Very few people can do the practice this way.
http://ashtangayoga.info/asana-vinyasa/intermediate-series/02-Krounchasana.html
Also, you weight and sex make a big difference. Someon who is 140 pounds is not going to burn as many calories as someone who is 190 pounds.
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| I thought I was unfair without giving an example of good Kraunchasana, before hnia asks me to do one. Here is the one that gets A+
http://www.yogatree.co.uk/about_iyengar.html
kulkarnn - 2008-10-01 5:10 PM
Thank you dear hnia:
Also, someone who is 190 lb is possibly not going to be a good student for Ashtanga Style exercise.
Also, the picture you have displayed is NOT a great example of correct pose. I shall give it B or B+ if I have to rate it. I am not saying I should rate it.
And, lastly, the faster the poses are done, more calories shall be burnt, and less meditative effect will be felt.
hnia - 2008-10-01 12:23 PM
Hi Kulkarnn,
Yes, this is correct. Intermediate and Primary too, can be done very slowly without jumping and lifting or it can be done slow with jumping and lifting or fast without jumping and lifting or fast with jumping and lifting. The way that you do it makes a big difference.
For example Krounchasana (heron posture) exit is supposed to float into a bend knee handstand then down to charturanga dandasana. Very few people can do the practice this way.
http://ashtangayoga.info/asana-vinyasa/intermediate-series/02-Krounchasana.html
Also, you weight and sex make a big difference. Someon who is 140 pounds is not going to burn as many calories as someone who is 190 pounds.
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| I thought I was unfair without giving an example of good Kraunchasana, before hnia asks me to do one. Here is the one that gets A+
http://www.yogatree.co.uk/about_iyengar.html
kulkarnn - 2008-10-01 5:10 PM
Thank you dear hnia:
Also, someone who is 190 lb is possibly not going to be a good student for Ashtanga Style exercise.
Also, the picture you have displayed is NOT a great example of correct pose. I shall give it B or B+ if I have to rate it. I am not saying I should rate it.
And, lastly, the faster the poses are done, more calories shall be burnt, and less meditative effect will be felt.
hnia - 2008-10-01 12:23 PM
Hi Kulkarnn,
Yes, this is correct. Intermediate and Primary too, can be done very slowly without jumping and lifting or it can be done slow with jumping and lifting or fast without jumping and lifting or fast with jumping and lifting. The way that you do it makes a big difference.
For example Krounchasana (heron posture) exit is supposed to float into a bend knee handstand then down to charturanga dandasana. Very few people can do the practice this way.
http://ashtangayoga.info/asana-vinyasa/intermediate-series/02-Krounchasana.html
Also, you weight and sex make a big difference. Someon who is 140 pounds is not going to burn as many calories as someone who is 190 pounds.
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| I knew someone would comment on the form of his posture. Mine looks like his sometimes too.
Other days it looks more like your link.
What I try to do is hold my shoulders back in Heron and climb up the leg. Such a wonderful posture. One of my favorites. But the exit is very very tough and I must modify the vinyasas because they are so difficult sometimes. |
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| Phil,
Brooks is a modern scholar who teaches at U Rochester, and he has a certain following for his depth of knowledge about the various streams of tantra. I certainly wouldn't call him the "only real expert" on anything, (indeed, I have never met anyone who has an exclusive lock on the truth) but his writings have a certain sensitivity to them that warm the cockles of my heart.
As far as gym bunnies go, I thought (erroneously) that I was being hyperbolic as well as self-evidently hypocritical, and hence funny. I guess I was either unclear, or simply unfunny. Sorry. Sometimes one takes a swing and one misses. Hopefully, as my teacher suggests, that our errors are our opportunities to savor our successes. |
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How many calories burned?
