Ace-Yoga

NH’s Talking About Buti Yoga

What is this energising and empowering workout and who is it good for? NH investigates…

When you think of a yoga class, you might expect deep breathing exercises and gentle body poses in a quiet room. In a buti yoga class, it’s a lot more energetic! Founded in 2011 by US celebrity trainer and wellness expert Bizzie Gold, buti yoga (pronounced booty) combines yoga asana with primal movements, cardio-intensive tribal dance and deep core conditioning, all to a fierce soundtrack.

The word buti is an Indian Marathi term for a cure that has been hidden or kept secret, and buti yoga is all about unlocking the true power and potential within yourself. But this is no ordinary yoga class, with teachers promising that you will rekindle your abs and release your inner goddess, with quite a bit of shouting, pulsating and sweating along the way. Some say it feels like dancing in your underwear but in a room with several other like-minded people! So, what is the attraction of this soulful form of yoga and what are the benefits?

Buti’s shakti-awakening exercises focus on removing blockages in the first and second chakras to help activate and align your innate qualities of sexuality, power, and confidence. It’s a female-centric, high intensity yoga/ dance workout to an upbeat soundtrack of tribal beats, hip hop music and remixed radio hits. The heat spills over into the clothing too, with most ladies donning midriff-exposing shorts and sports bras – the idea being you can see the abs that you’re working, for maximum mind-body connection and to practise body positivity and self-acceptance. There’s an inclusive group energy too, with leaders cultivating a community based on self-love and a celebration of feminine energy. You’ll find your tribe of women (and men – we all have feminine energy) friendly and motivating. Classes last 60-90 minutes and burn upwards of 600 calories.

Like other forms of yoga, buti works to strengthen muscles. Within the flows, the energising workout combines cardio-intense plyometric exercises (jumping movements to boost muscle power), primal shaking (designed to liberate by releasing stored emotions and breaking down your own barriers) and hip and pelvic spiralling (to open and align your first and second chakras, awaken your kundalini energy and activate all parts of the abdominal muscle groups).

This spiralling is buti’s signature strengthening approach, called Spiral Structure Technique (SST). As well as sculpting and toning, SST engages deeper parts of your core for stability and strength – a strong core keeps your spine in alignment and helps to prevent pain and injury. These core-stabilising exercises make buti a popular choice for mums looking to gain strength back in their postural muscles.

Sara Fakih, a UK-based buti yoga master trainer, says that taking your first buti yoga class will be a bonding and empowering experience. “Much of the movement is to get you out of your head and into your body; there are sequences created to awaken your energy centres. You’ll get a release of endorphins and oxytocin, and you can have the most powerful emotional releases too. You connect to others in the class and, most importantly, to yourself in a way most have never connected before. You laugh, you breathe deep, you realise not to take yourself so seriously, you may shout or cry, but essentially it’s an experience that will yield a strong and flexible body and mind!”