Benefits of Yoga Fusions
Why yoga fusions?
Research studies, according to the International Journal of Yoga, have considered yoga as a form of alternative medicine for treatment of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders and not just simple kinetic stretching. However, there are people who happened to complain about misalignments, not feeling stretched out or warmed up, feeling bored in yoga class, feeling “annoyed from constantly doing the downward dog,” or feeling like their yoga trainers are “trying to kill them.” Yoga fusions, such as yoga-barre, yoga-cardio, yogalates (a fusion of yoga and pilates), and Yo Chi (a fusion of yoga and Tai Chi), are recommendable because modifications are provided within their routines, their routines minimizes boredom, their routines are in between medium and fast-paced, they don’t do the downward dog constantly, and you can have a different view on fitness in general, such as a form of mindfulness, movement meditation, and a therapeutic technique rather than all about weight loss and gaining physical flexibility.
What is yoga-barre?
Yoga-barre is a fused workout of yoga and ballet fitness. Some fitness trainers define yoga-barre as a ballet-inspired yoga workout with hints of pilates, and others define it as a yoga-inspired ballet workout that includes hints of Callanetics (a ballet-inspired kinetic stretching workout with hints of sculpting and toning), or a style of dance fitness.
Barre by itself, according to the creator of Barre, Lotte Berk, is a ballet workout that includes low-impact ballet cardio, ballet-inspired orthopedic back exercises, and yoga-inspired ballet stretching. According to the London Method, a fitness company in California, the barre fusions, including yoga-barre came about because a lot of ballet fitness instructors either misused or went against the Lotte Berk Technique by fusing ballet with pilates, strength training, yoga, Callanetics (a ballet-inspired kinetic stretching workout with hints of sculpting and toning, created by a celebrity fitness professional, Callan Pinckney), and cardio dancing after training with Lydia Bach, Lotte Berk’s former student, at the Lotte Berk Method studio in New York.
So, yoga-barre routines would start with floor yoga stretches as warm-up. Then after the warm-up, the ballet-inspired body sculpting workout is provided, such as arm toning (using ballet arm positions, ballet feet positions, and upper body yoga poses), leg toning (using ballet kicks, ballet feet positions, and lower body yoga poses), and ab work (using floor yoga poses and ballet feet positions). Or the ballet-inspired pilates or cardio workout is provided, depending on the choice of the yoga-barre instructors. These workout styles in yoga-barre routines can be done with or without equipment (like dumbbells, chairs, ballet barres, resistance bands, etc.). Afterwards, the workout ends with slow-paced yoga stretching (Hatha yoga) as a cool-down. Plus the yoga-barre routines provide modifications for those who are in need of increasing their stamina.
The yoga-barre workout programs that happened to be in a style of dance fitness are Yoga Booty Ballet (created by Gillian Clark and Teigh Gilson), Ballet Foga (created by Dr. Brianne Grogan, founder of FemFusion Fitness), and Yollet (created by LB Kass). Yoga Booty Ballet includes Kundalini yoga floor stretches, cardio dance, and ballet body sculpting. Ballet Foga is similar to Yoga Booty Ballet, except its routines start with vinyasa yoga floor stretches, and then cardio dance, and ballet body sculpting. Yollet includes a fusion of vinyasa yoga, ballet cardio, and cardio dance. These yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who uses dancing as a therapeutic strategy.
Some of the popular yoga-barre programs that are in a style of a yoga-inspired ballet workout with hints of Callanetics are Ballet Yoga (a virtual ballet fitness program created by Nicky McGinty) and WholyFit (a virtual biblical-based yoga alternative program that includes holistic stretching with ballet movements and hints of Callanetics). Zen Barre also includes hints of Callanetics in the equipment-free exercises. According to Oremie B., a personal trainer and a life coach, Callanetics by itself is therapeutic because it helps one unwind and gain happiness, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Ágnes Nagy, a certified Callanetics instructor, Callanetics also frees negative emotions from the body and reduces tension and stress. So these two yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who uses Callanetics as a therapeutic strategy.
Lastly, there are some popular yoga-barre programs also that are in a style of a ballet-inspired yoga workout with hints of pilates, like YoBa Studio (a popular yoga-barre program of Raleigh, NC), Shakti Barre (a popular yoga-barre program of Williamsburg, NY that also has a fitness app), Healing Barre LLC (a popular yoga-barre program of Washington D.C.), Holy Barre (a biblical-based yoga-barre program), and Zen Barre (a yoga fusion program that includes barre and pilates). Strengthening Foundations Child and Family Counseling also offers yoga-barre.
According to Gloria Han, a certified Barre instructor of Barre3 who’s a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology, barre by itself is therapeutic because it helps with improving one’s emotional well-being. Including mindful movement within the ballet-inspired cardio workout (low impact) is one of the ways to help one clear their minds from negative thoughts. Esther Fairfax, a daughter of Lotte Berk who is continually teaching the Lotte Berk Technique, also mentioned that barre helps one overcome stress and gain happiness. So, these yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who views both yoga and barre as a therapeutic strategy.
What is yoga-cardio?
Yoga-cardio is a combination of yoga and cardio, where its pace is faster than vinyasa. Some people refer to yoga-cardio as “yoga sculpting workout.” Yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) routines would start with floor vinyasa yoga stretches as a warm-up. Then after the warm-up, the yoga-inspired cardio workout is provided, such as arm toning (using dumbbells and fast movement), speeding up yoga sequences, and leg toning. Afterwards, the workout ends with hatha yoga as a cool-down.
JessicaSmithTV is one of the online fitness programs that include lots of yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) workouts. Koya Webb, a celebrity holistic health coach, also has a series of yoga-cardio workouts (called HIIT yoga). Zen Barre has hints of yoga sculpting in their workout routines.
According to the Mindfulness Clinic, research studies say that HIIT (high intensity interval training) in general is therapeutic because it “treats anxiety, stress, and depression.” So, yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) is recommendable for anyone in need of coping with anxiety, stress, or depression.
What is Yogalates?
Yogalates, also known as PiYo, is a yoga-inspired pilates workout. This workout can also be included in yoga sculpting. It happens to be similar to yoga-barre, but the only difference is that yoga-barre uses both the yoga poses and ballet arm and feet movements for the pilates workouts, and Yogalates include using the yoga terminology and poses for the pilates workouts.
The Yogalates workout routines start with a little bit of slow-paced yogic back stretches. Then the arm, leg, and ab toning workouts in each yoga pose are added. The speed then goes from slow-paced to medium-paced. These workout routines can be done with or without equipment. Also some yoga trainers or pilates instructors would add hints of HIIT within their Yogalates routines. Then the Yogalates workout routines would end with hatha yoga as a cool down.
Dansique Fitness is one of the virtual ballet fitness programs that include a series of Yogalates workouts. Body Illumination is a yoga fusion program that also includes a series of Yogalates workouts. Holy Yoga (a Christian-based yoga program) has a Yogalates program. Zen Barre, Shakti Barre, YoBa Studio, Healing Barre LLC, and Holy Barre also has hints of Yogalates in their workout routines.
The speed in Pilates by itself is medium-paced, just like vinyasa yoga. According to Studio Pilates, research studies say that Pilates in general has mental health benefits, such as breathing techniques within each movement to focus on the present, stress management, improving memory and brain training, and treating anxiety and depression. Yogalates is also recommendable for anyone in need of coping with anxiety and depression, as well as in need of improving memory and brain training.
What is Yo Chi?
Yo-Chi is a fusion of yoga and Tai Chi, created by Lawrence Biscontini, a celebrity fitness guru. Although Tai Chi is considered a yoga alternative by itself, this yoga fusion is recommendable for any yoga enthusiasts who are curious to try Tai Chi.
Each fitness trainer has their own way of teaching Yo-Chi. Some would add Tai Chi arm and leg movements to each yoga pose, and others would make up their own yoga poses and arm and leg movements and call it Yo-Chi. This yoga fusion also provides modifications, and it excludes the downward dog pose.
Health, Fitness, and Recreation Center has an online fitness program, where they offer Yo-Chi classes every Friday on YouTube Live.
According to Harvard Health, Tai Chi by itself has the same mental health benefits as yoga. According to Lawrence Biscontini, Yo-Chi helps with stability and mobility, especially when it comes to mental health. This yoga fusion is recommendable for anyone who views Tai Chi as a therapeutic strategy.
Overall
Yoga fusions in general are an enjoyable holistic exercise. They are recommendable for anyone who wants to spice up their fitness routines or anyone who experienced misalignments from yoga and are in need of modifications. Yoga fusions have the same mental health benefits as yoga by itself.
