Yoga, a Martial Art?

[Julian Figiel]

I made a post about the types of yoga in a previous post, but I will re-iterate, there are two types of yoga in India, the most popular is Prayama Yog and the other is Waryam Yog. The first is what is used by Sadhus (holy men) and more recently Ayurvedic promoters, who believe that using yoga and breathing techniques they can heal various ailments and diseases (i.e high blood pressure, diabetics, cholesterol). The Sadhus use Prayama Yog to settle the mind and focus it towards meditation.

The other form is Waryam Yog, which is what is practised by warriors, wrestlers and swordsmen. This is a more dynamic type of yoga, where holding postures is less emphasised, but instead more repitition of cycles are done. The most common excercise being the Dand and Behtak (commonly known in the west as the Hindu Squat and Hindu Pressup) but there are many more traditional regimes and cycles which are learnt. These build up dynamic strength without the use of weights, increasing power, stamina, agility whilst also maintaining flexibility, the key aspects of a good warrior physique.

Is Yoga a martial art? No, but I see it as the key to building the body of a martial artist which will complement the fighting arts. Since I have been practising it, it has made my body much more fluid, increased my stamina, strength and agility.

Your absolutely right! I am 16 years old and I practice yoga; I am studying Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, because they interest me! It truly does make you fluid, and increase stamina, strength, and agility, as well as flexibility.

 

[Julian Figiel]

As an avid and VERY advanced yogini I find this thread quite intriguing. I do yoga like almost everyday since I was 4. I am a yellow belt at judo and kind of used yoga when I ran out of ides, however with little success so far XD .

Advanced?!? Cool! Can you do a headstand?

 

[blackdiamondcobra]

The documentary was called Deadly Arts with the woman from Canada going to various countries that the earlier person was referencing. I was supposed to be in the thai episode because they covered two of my teachers but I actually had to go to India to see my teacher. I thought the older BBC the Way of the Warrior India segment was by far better.

I have done yoga since I was a teenager and trained and lived extensively in India. I found one teacher who I have been with now for over 11 years who teaches older forms of yoga and they are integrated in the martial training, its a trinity of ayurveda, yoga and martial skills(marma adi). The yoga systems are very different from the commercial material we see, we also learn dhanda yoga or yoga with a staff. Its not so much for fighting but the movements are aligned with the martial in opening the body and learning to open marma points. Massage is also an integral part.Some of the older kushti and vajra mushti systems use yoga forms as well. I have begun my research into the original, ancient systems of yoga and there is alot to be seen. Very little to no research has been done on this topic.

Many of the masters remain closed door in the south. They present one thing to the public and practice another within their chosen clans. Once i started to penetrate the systems and teachers a whole another world opened.

 

[zDom]

Once i started to penetrate the ... teachers a whole another world opened.

Um...


Nevermind.

 

[blackdiamondcobra]

the last sentence was a badly written and cryptic. What i meant was in certain deeper traditions in India especially in the south, they might be teaching or be known for one thing and behind closed doors they will propagate a system or systems only with family members and people they bring in. They had several reasons for that and even in the modern era they continue on with that tradition. Its seemed prevalent to me that a great many of the old traditions are carried on and continue but we know little of them. One of these traditions is the older forms of yoga, the older forms of wrestling, bare knuckle and other martial arts. So in time hopefully they will surface and give more depth and understanding to these really old arts.

 

[Tiberius]

I do yoga since I am 4, but I have no idea who to turn this into a martial art

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