Rocket Yoga Vancouver at Stretch

I began teaching Yoga in 2006. I initially resonated with teachers who taught powerful but creatively flowing classes. My classes would always be different and very playful.
The problem I found with this style of teaching, is you tend to do more of what you like and what feels & looks good in your body!
Over time this will misalign you, because the poses you don't like are generally the poses you truly need!

Following an intelligent set sequence that ticks off all the boxes, but still allows you to be creative within those boxes.... Is Rocket Yoga! It was created in the late 80's by Larry Schultz.
Since then it has been taught in many countries around the world.
I learned the Rocket sequences from Dustin Fruson initially and then did my Rocket Training in San Fransisco with Steve Pyka.
This "Ashtanga based" practice became my new JAM and saved me a lot of Physio money!

I have been teaching Rocket since 2014 and the owners of Stretch have opened their arms, to be the home of "Rocket Yoga Vancouver!"

Rocket #1( More forward folds similar to Ashtanga Primary ) Rocket #2 ( More Back Bends )
2/3 of Rocket 1 & 2 are the same!
Rocket #3 ( Rocket #1 with the back bends of #2, plus some optional inversions! )
Playful Rocket ( Rocket Inspired class that will offer some optional creative Playful poses/balances )

Stretch offers 5 Rocket classes a week:
Monday 7am Rocket 2 60min. & 6pm Rocket 1 75min.
Tuesday 6pm Rocket 2 75min.
Wednesday 7am Rocket 1 60min.
Friday 7am Rocket 2 60min.
Sunday 10am 75min. Playful Rocket

This practice will help you build internal strength with the focussed work on Bandhas ( lifting pelvic floor "Mula Bandha" and drawing low belly in and up "Udiyana Bandha" )
Keep your practice aligned and fundamentally focussed, and challenge you in creative ways within the sequences!

20HR. ROCKET IMMERSION:
Rocket Immersion's are amazing for Power/ Flow Yoga Teachers, to add these incredible sequences into their teaching regime! You will still need a 50hr. Rocket Training to become an official Rocket Teacher, but you can add these sequences into your Power/ Flow classes as
"Rocket Inspired"!

We will be breaking down the 3 sequences ( Sun Sals, Standing Series, Wide-Legged Series, Seated Sequence, Back Bend Series, Core Work, Closing Sequence ), teaching them, learning adjustments, improving cueing and cadence! The teachers will also fine tune their own Rocket practices to deliver quality alignment based creative classes!
Only 14 spots available... stretchvancouver.com

Once the Immersion is completed and Teachers have a regular Rocket or Rocket Inspired class
at a Studio, they will be added to the @rocketyogavan Teachers Page!

Here's the first group of Teachers that took the first Rocket Immersion at Stretch.
Next on will be in October... More information to follow.

The Rocket Community is strong... I often have students sent to me from the UK, Seattle, Colorado, Calgary and Puerto Rico... Where Rocket classes are thriving!
I'm very proud and humble, to be representing for Vancouver.

ROCKET #3 will be offered as a Workshop at Stretch
Check schedule for upcoming events and workshops!

Risto Duggan
- Sep 14, 2021
- 2 min read

RAD Yoga Surf Retreat at Santosha Surf Sanctuary

Updated: Jun 5, 2022

This will be my 5th retreat in Nicaragua on the Costa Dulce land. We will officially be the first retreat on the freshly developed grounds of Santosha Surf Sanctuary created by Heidi Parker.

Heidi recently began the new structures while Covid was running wild through the World... So needless to say it has truly been a labour of love, and miraculously it was on schedule and opened October 2021!

Santosha has had 2 Cabanas and her house on her land previously.

Now it has a Restaurant with a Yoga Shala above it, and 4 rooms ( 2 Singles & 2 Duplexes )

Yoga Shala above Restaurant

Two Duplex's above with the Private below

Yoga Shala view

Her Landscape Architect has done an incredible job of keeping all the structures as environmentally sustainable as possible! Bamboo, steel, and concrete ground with ocean plastics!

Keeping the numbers down, makes these events much more intimate, and the connections deeper.

The Yoga Shala holds 12 mats and the maximum occupancy of rooms is 13 people.

Week 1 ( November 5 - 12 ) SOLD OUT!

Week 2 ( November 12 - 19 )

Available:

Cabana 1 ( 2-3 People )

Duplex 1 & 2 ( 2-3 People )

Private ( 1 Person )

Booked:

Cabana 2

RAD Room

Cabana 1

$1800 Per Person for 1 week

Includes accommodations, meals, and classes.

Private

$1500 for 1 week ( Shared bathroom )

Includes accommodations, meals, and classes

2 Duplexes above with 2 Privates below

Duplex interior ( King bed + Single )

As this is the first time I'll be staying at Santosha, I have kept the rates as low as possible for this maiden voyage!

$1600US for 1 week per person

This includes accommodations, meals, and classes

Extras ( not included )

Surf rentals, surf instruction, excursions, alcohol, and cab rides.

Itinerary:

Monday 7:00 Rocket 1 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Back & Shoulders )

Tuesday 7:00 Rocket 2 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Hips )

Wednesday 7:00 Movement Flow 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Hamstrings )

Thursday 7:00 Rocket 1 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Back & Shoulders )

Friday 7:00 Rocket 2 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Hips )

Saturday 7:00 Movement Flow Pool Party

Sunday Morning OFF 5:00 Flexibility Yin ( Hamstrings )

All classes are optional.

Afternoons will be filled with surfing, swimming, reading, hiking, excursions, and hammock time!

Excursions:

Waterfall Hike, Snorkelling, Boat Rides for Surfing or Fishing, and Surf Instruction

Meals:

The meals will be a combination of local Nicaraguan dishes infused with Thai inspired meals.

Vegan, vegetarian, and keto options... All gluten free!

Santosha is located between Playa Escameca and Playa El Yanke ( Yankee )

If you would like to grab one of the remaining spots, please let me know a.s.a.p.!

My goal is for patrons to be as busy as they want.

Learn techniques from all the classes to help heal their bodies and minds, while enjoying very healthy meals in a Jungle Paradise.

Also taking these lessons back to their lives to pass on and share with family and friends!

We would love to have you!!

Risto Duggan
- Jul 26, 2021
- 3 min read

5 Sequences with Risto

I've been teaching yoga full-time since 2007. When I began teaching I loved Power Yoga and Flow. My classes were a combination of the two for many years. This allowed me to be very creative, but there were classes where I wasn't paying enough attention to specific areas ( back, twists, outer butt, etc. ).. Generally it was because we were having a blast being upside down or working on arm balance techniques... Over time this can misalign you though.

"The poses you hate are usually the ones you need the most!"

Still rings in my head daily when I'm practicing.

The first time I did a Rocket Yoga practice I felt I did a complete, well thought out, but playful power yoga practice!

I have been the main Rocket Yoga Teacher in Vancouver for the past 7 years and will continue teaching these amazing sequences for many more!

Rocket #1 & #2 are challenging but all levels. Usually if a student lights up after class like I did... I end up seeing them a lot. Initially some of the more advanced options of the poses seem unreachable. But with consistent work, I regularly see "grins of gratitude" from the students!

"You're stronger that you think you are!"... Larry Schultz ( Rocket Creator )

This rings so true in class when you see a consistent student do something, that they thought they would never do! Practice makes progress.

These sequences slowly build internal strength and before you know it you start feeling lighter!

Photo Neo BaJaafar

I recently added Flexibility Yin Yoga to my teaching resume this past year.

The 3 sequences are Back & Shoulder, Hips, and Hamstrings. These sequences are healing GOLD!

Each sequence consists of 8-12 poses being held for 2-5 minutes with some functional movement.

In the training Lucas Rockwood ( Creator ) was mentioning how as teachers only have a short period of time each practice... So teach what you're most passionate about.

"I'm most passionate about teaching really well aligned yoga and giving students the tools to heal themselves."

These 5 sequences are some quality tools!

My personal practice is 50% Rocket Yoga / 50% Flexibility Yin Yoga now.

This combo has been the most healing for me.

Photo Abby Lawson

The magic ingredient of the Flexibility Yin Yoga classes is the 4 to 8 breathing.

4 count inhale and a really slow 8 count exhale out the mouth.

This breathing taps into your para sympathetic nervous system and helps to turn down your stress response.

Combine this with repetitive 5 minute poses on a focussed area... And you get some amazing results.

Like the Rocket practice, the sequences are challenging but effective!

Theses sequences are 60 minutes, where as the Rocket practice is generally 75 minutes.

I'm heading to Tofino in September 9-11 to teach the 5 sequences at Coastal Bliss Yoga.

Photo Tessa May Marr

Also adding Movement Flow in September with Slava Goloubov! This will be the new addition I'll be adding to my RAD Retreats in Nicaragua at Santosha Surf Sanctuary and Wellness.

Photo Millissa Martin

5 Sequences, Movement Flow, Surfing, and Amazing Food... My retreats are all about serving up an incredible healing adventure in a Jungle Paradise!

RAD Nicaragua ( June & November ) at Santosha Surf Sanctuary & Wellness

ristoduggan.com

Photo Heidi Parker

I teach all 5 sequences weekly at Stretch. Stretchvancouver.com

The 5 Sequences work really well over a weekend, so any studio who would like to offer them up as a weekend package, please contact me.

PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS

Risto Duggan
- Mar 27, 2021
- 4 min read

The Benefits of adding Flexibiliity Yin Yoga & Slantboard Squats to my weekly routine!

Updated: Jun 28, 2021

I started teaching yoga in 2007. Back then I was so A - type, that the thought of doing yin yoga was kinda crazy to me.

I took my first yin class at One Yoga in 2013, and although it felt like torture, I could instantly feel the benefits. Back then I was very physically damaged and sitting still in hip opening poses was incredibly painful.

Slava Goloubov and I use to take each others classes at Exhale. He taught Hatha ( Slava style ) and I taught Power. He added long holds in his Hatha classes... Like 5min. Frog!

Over time I got to love the long holds, because the benefits were so dramatic, but challenging mentally.... Which I loved!

He did his Yin training with Jolene Bayda, and that was why his Hatha classes where that way. So I took Jolene's Yin training.... Some days in her training we would hold poses for up to 30 minutes. I left that training with a whole new appreciation for Yin Yoga and it's benefits!

The old saying; "I used to play... Now I stay!" - Iyengar ... Rang so true.

My Yin Yoga teaching has evolved a bit over the years. I actually like to move a bit before sitting in poses, and in between some of the long held poses. Even adding some functional movements exercises into the mix... I called it "Active Yin".

The combination of Rocket Yoga and Active Yin made my body feeling way more balanced than just power yoga alone. "Play & Stay" or "Yang & Yin" = Balance

While Covid was here I decided to do another Yin Training... Online this time.

Lucas Rockwood has been crossing my feeds for a while now, so I did a bit of research on his background. He works for Yoga Body and one of his programs is called, "Flexibility Yin Yoga".

He created it in 2007 in Thailand and by 2012 he was doing Teacher Trainings in Barcelona where he resides mainly.

Flexibility Yin Yoga is a targeted mobility training. Lucas created 3 sequences ( Hips, Hamstrings, Back&Shoulders ). Each sequence will address the whole body, but have a main focus.

Each sequence has 8-12 poses, held for 2-5 minutes with some functional mobility transitional poses. Once you set the pose up, you totally relax the focussed area and get into this special breathing... The breathing is everything!

4:8 Breathing ( 4 count inhale : 8 count exhale ). This breathing taps into the para sympathetic nervous system and helps you turn off your stress response.

I was pretty amazed when we signed up for the first class and there were 300 students from so many different countries! Every day I was working with students from 3-5 different countries... Kind of blown away! By the end of the two week training my body had a significant upgrade. The long holds with the 4:8 breathing slowly and easily opened me.

I knew my Active Yin class would now become a Flexibility Yin class!!

I mentioned the Flexibility Yoga sequences to Emmanuelle at Stretch, and she was into it.

I have been teaching these sequences now for a couple months and the response has been amazing!

Stretchvancouver.com Flexibility Yin Classes:

Friday 12:00 Back & Shoulders

Saturday 12:00 Hips

Sunday 12:00 Hamstrings

Asanaathome.com Flexibility Yin Class:

Monday 6:00pm ( They rotate Hips, Hamstrings, Back&Shoulders )

Oneyoga.ca Active Yin Class: ( With 4:8 Breathing included )

Sunday 6:00pm

While I was recovering from my recent shoulder reconstruction, I was seeing a few physiotherapists. I went through some muscle testing and the physiotherapist recommended that I add squats into my routine.

I have been following Ben Patrick @kneesovertoesguy for a while. He really promotes Slantboard squats as a staple for hip & low back strengthening!

So I'm thinking, "let's commit to a ton of slant board squats and see how it goes".

I ordered a Slantboard off of @slantboardguy and my partner and I started doing 100 a day.

We started with sets of 10, then 20, I now usually do 2 sets of 50.

Both of us had a dramatic change in our bodies in a couple weeks!

Reed leaned right out, gained really quick leg muscle, and my low back arthritic pain mellowed out a bunch!

Yogi's generally have weak gluteus medium, gluteus minimum, piriformis muscles. ( Outer Butt )

We are constantly firing gluteus maximum in classes ( Mula Bandha ) and rarely squat for repetitions. So the fine tune muscles in the butt get neglected.

Slantboard squats strengthen the vastas medalis oblique muscle ( Teardrop muscle in the quadricep over the knee ). Ben calls them VMO squats. This elevated heal squat hits the 3 neglected muscles in the butt and protects the knees, while toning and strengthening your low back... Total game changer!

My schedule is very balanced these days... I physically do 4 Rocket classes and 4 Flexibility Yin classes weekly.

It has been the best combo to date for growth and comfort.

I used to be 70/30 Power/Yin... 50/50 Feels so much better in my body!

This combo of Flexibility Yin and Slantboard Squats has also saved me a bunch of money on physio!

I look forward to seeing you in class or online.

ristoduggan.com