The First Rule of Fight Club

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Fight club_july

Contrary to myth, we don’t meet in abandoned buildings.  We don’t punch each other around until our faces are bloody, and I don’t make soap for a living. 

However, I do run a weekly fight club.  A yoga fight club, to be specific. 

When the owner of my yoga studio asked if I was interested in teaching Yoga Fight Club, my knee jerk reactions, was, “No!  I can’t do that!”

Yet, I know myself well enough to realize that when I resist something so impulsively, it usually means that it’s something I need to embrace. 

To be honest, I was scared out of my wits to try to put together a comprehensive class that blended both yoga and kickboxing.  Second of all, I wasn’t certain how I could make my fight club “yogic.”  I didn’t become a yoga teacher to help people get in their “cardio” or “burn calories.” If you are a regular on this blog, you know that’s not my thing.  I became a yoga teacher to help people let go of all of the junk in their minds that are holding them back from living the life they love.    

I did some research on the origins of Yoga Fight Club, which I traced back to New York City’s OM Factory. Faramarz, the owner of OM, is known in the yoga world as  being a bit of a rebel. The class schedule at OM Factory includes Acro Yoga and Anti-Gravity Yoga. This is not BKS Iyengar’s yoga, for sure!

As in every field, yoga has its own debate between the traditionalists and the innovators. Traditionalists fear that the teachings and traditions of yoga will be compromised when we accessorize too much.  Innovation, at its best, takes a pure foundation and gives it a fresh feel that compliments the times as well as the demands of consumers.  But will the heart of the message get lost in the accessorizing?

I am a traditionalist about how I put my classes together.  My playlist is innovative, as some of you may remember, but the format of class is not.  We center.  We breathe. We align in postures.  We breathe some more.  We meditate.   I talk about intention and letting go of limitation, and the art of cultivating inner power.  If I were to teach yoga fight club, I would need to find a way to weave all of these aspects into my class, or messages that are comparable.  I want my students to grow, to become closer to who they are meant to be, whether they are in downward facing dog, or doing roundhouse kicks. 

I pour over yoga fight club videos on YouTube to help put some classes together.  I rely on my ancient knowledge as a brown belt in Shotokan Karate, which I studied decades ago, and my vague recollection of Billy Blanks Tae Bo from the 90’s.  I’m nervous, but willing to give it a try.  

I warm up my students with some traditional yoga.  Cats/cows, runners lunge, and downward facing dogs rolling forward into planks.   Then, we begin with a few rounds of sun salutations, and then segue into sun salutations with fight club themed variations, jabs, punches, and squat kicks. 

My yogic spin on the class is that Fight Club is the place where we let it all go.  Whatever is burdening us, or preventing us to move forward, Fight Club is the place to let it out and say good-bye.  Kick it out.  Sweat it out, and leave it on your mat.     

My students work hard.  They ride out the sweaty, challenging sequences with laughter and spunk.   They will try anything, even at the risk of not succeeding.  Last week, I introduced a movement that I call “The Bruce Lee,” a squat leading into a double hop kick, which had many of us, including myself, trip over our own feet.   

There is a much lighter tone in Fight Club than in the traditional yoga classes I teach.  There is friendly banter, frequent water breaks, and an occasional eye roll at me when I have my students hold plank for a little too long.  Perhaps this lighter tone is a reminder for me to not take myself too seriously. Perhaps my own intensity is what I need to let go of in Fight Club and leave on the mat.

We always wind up teaching what we need to learn ourselves.  

Namaste, Divas!

©2012 Ilene Evans 

 

Comments

The First Rule of Fight Club — 56 Comments

  1. I love the idea of this class! I wish they offered it near me because it sounds like something I would enjoy insanely :). I’m off to our local gym today as they have offered me 6 months free and it includes both yoga and spinning classes so I am thrilled!!!

  3. Awesome! When I was a dancer I took myself all too seriously. Martha Graham is not a technique full of laughter and cheer:). It is nice to let yourself go and try something a little out of of the norm. It’s really quite refreshing, and liberating!

  4. OMG Tae Bo! My sister and I would do those workouts in our apartment in NYC when we lived together. It was hilarious and truly awesome at the same time. I love this too! Sounds like you have put together a really great and fun class. Seriously, I want to come to one of your classes one of these days!

  5. I am so happy I said “yes” to this- even after my initial hesitation. It’s easy for me to take my yoga gig too seriously, which is ironic – since the point of yoga is for us to experience more joy. You nailed it with the word liberating!

  6. I have tell you that I can still – to this day – see Billy Blanks in front of my TV screen telling me I had to believe in myself! It was hilarious AND awesome like you said! I would love to have you in my class one day – or some kind of meet up. We are only two bridges away from each other!

  9. Tae Bo was so much fun even though it kicked my bum! I miss having fun like that while exercising. I think it is great to be able to laugh at yourself when falling out of pose or missing the kick. This must be one awesome class!! I wish I could attend.
    As for this picture…you rock!! You make me want to be fit, healthy and strong!!!

  10. Love this: “Perhaps this lighter tone is a reminder for me to not take myself too seriously. Perhaps my own intensity is what I need to let go of in Fight Club and leave on the mat.”
    I need this sentiment, this class and you! Please make a DVD set so I can do Yoga Fight Club with my kids! And a Skype class too!

  11. I loved Tae Bo! It was so silly yet so intense. I always broke a sweat. those videos were tough! And thankfully for them, I figured out how to put this class together! I am lucky too that the women who take the class rock. They are the nicest group of ladies who bring very positive energy to the room. You would fit in perfectly 🙂 And thanks for the compliment. They always make me blush a little.

  12. Honestly, if I could learn to put the kabosh on my own intensity, I would have a killer chance of being happy like every damned minute of the day. I get in my own way so darn much!
    Speaking of skype, the term vlog has been thrown around in front of my lately quite a bit – which completely terrifies me! If I ever come out from under my rock, perhaps a fight club demo vlog would be the way to go!

  18. Wow.. I have never heard of a Yoga Fight Club. I’m in an area where there aren’t many “fitness” type of things, our town doesn’t even have a proper gym, so It’s hard to find a good yoga studio. I’ll have to branch out a bit and see if one of the surrounding towns has a good one and maybe they offer a fight club so I can check it out.

  19. What a great description of the evolution of your class. It sounds like fun!
    I, too, know that if something scares me too much I probably need to do it. I don’t like my fears to control me.

  24. Fascinating, you sound like an amazing teacher. I had teachers similar to you when I took Bikram Yoga last year, and I loved that they are there to learn as well, I think that makes a huge difference.

  25. Sounds awesome! I’m a new yoga lover since I started hot yoga last year! Maybe you should come do a guest stint at my studio! 🙂

  26. This class sounds like fun! Wish there was something like this where I live!! It’s hard to find too many non-traditional yoga classes around here though
    Happy SITS Day!

  27. This class sounds like fun! Wish there was something like this where I live!! It’s hard to find too many non-traditional yoga classes around here though 🙁
    Happy SITS Day!

  29. I love yoga, but have never heard of Yoga Fight Club until now. It sounds amazing! I’ll have to check around my area to see if it is offered anywhere. Congrats on being featured on SITS!!

  34. Very cool Ilene…my brother owns a gym here on the East Coast, can’t wait to share your blog with him and his fitness director. They are always seeking out new ways to challenge their members. What you are doing is very unique, so impressed with you and your spirit!

  54. This sounds like a fun workout where there is the element of “getting junk out of my brain” and a good sweat. I need to find on locally.

  55. Okay- first of all- LOOK AT HOW GORGEOUS YOU ARE!!!! I mean that BODY!!!! You are a sculpted beauty, oh my. I’ll take any club to look like that! (I know there is nothing about your classes that speak to this- just want your bod.)

    How cool that you know yourself well enough to realize that your impulse is usually your guiding force behind your decisions. So like you to navigate your way through your fear and investigate what is best for your precious class and your craft and art in yoga. So like you to respect the culture and the foundation from which it comes. So like you to give it ALL and EVERYTHING you have to make it work- and make it bring out your mission and purpose in your life long work of teaching Yoga. So like you to render it meaningful and find intention beyond the function. So like you to have the insight and awareness to enlighten us with the message of empowerment and most of all- honoring who we are…by honoring who YOU are.

    Just so like you to push yourself into diving deeper into growing and nurturing another part of who you are.

    Just so like you.
    Chris Carter recently posted…Dive Deeper- finding deep faith beyond shallow religionMy Profile