ROCKET ®

The Rocket® is a modern style of Yoga created in San Francisco, California, in the '80s by Pattabhi Jois’s long-time student called Larry Schultz. The Rocket® is a modification of the traditional Ashtanga Yoga sequences.

Rocket Yoga differs from its root, Ashtanga Yoga, in that students can modify and make their interpretation of the traditional asana. If they get stuck with a pose, they can skip it or find easier ways to practice instead of rigidly sticking to a pattern. It is perhaps a less rigid and more creative way of looking at the Ashtanga method without losing sight of the traditional heritage.

Despite its sugary fame, it is actually a very accessible type of yoga at all levels and this is one of the reasons why Larry designed the practice.

He was known as "The Bad Boy of Ashtanga" since he found benefits in allowing all students to try all the poses of the ashtanga series, even the most advanced ones instead of following the traditional pattern where it is not allowed to practice the asanas of a series until they have completed each pose of the previous series.

Rocket ® has 3 set sequences, Rocket® 1 based on Ashtanga primary series, Rocket® 2 based on Ashtanga intermediate series and Rocket® 3 combining Rocket 1 and 2 sequences.

Although the Rocket® is structured in series, each class is not necessarily the same as the previous one. The practice can be traditional, following the set sequence or creative throughout variations.

The Rocket is not just handstands, but we are not going to deny Rocketeers love to be upside down.

The Rocket gives space to improvisation and creation, making it mouldable and accessible to all practitioners and their needs.

I didn’t get the chance to meet Larry Schultz in person, but all the Rocket® vision was passed to me by David Kyle, my teacher. David Kyle was a long-time Larry’s student and he is spreading the Rocket love in the world.

This sequence brought me the freedom to explore and be more authentic with the Ashtanga Vinyasa methodology.