Thanks to the power of social media, there have been plenty of new and inventive yoga trends over the years, from downward dogging with a beer in your hand to cat-assisted chaturangas – and one of the more energetic is Buti Yoga.
Well, that’s according to a new report from Pinterest anyway. The social media giant has revealed that that searches and pins for the unusual type of workout are up by 55%, as people look for fresh fitness ideas for the autumn season.
If you’re wondering just what the heck is Buti Yoga, you’re probably not alone. Here, we’ve outlined everything you need to know before trying your first class – and no, it doesn’t involve anything to do with sandwiches.
What is Buti Yoga?
Buti is a Marathi Indian term that can be translated as meaning “the cure to something that’s been hidden away or secret”.
It’s basically an energetic style of yoga that combines elements of traditional tribal dance and plyometrics (any repetitive exercise where you push a muscle to its full capacity in short intervals of time).
As well as doing traditional yoga stretches, Buti yoga also involves repetitive dance movements like squats, leg kicks, belly rolls and twerking.
The method was coined by celebrity trainer Bizzie Gold in 2012, but has taken off in recent years, as gyms look to offer quirky variations on yoga to their schedules.
View this post on InstagramUpavistha Konasana… like a BOSS. 🖤 • • PC: @chrischeney #ceolife #mompreneur #bizziegold
The workout uses a strengthening ‘spiral structure technique’ (SST), a methodology that uses spiralling movements instead of linear ones, to better activate all areas of your abdominal muscles and help to whittle a defined six-pack.
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What are the benefits of Buti Yoga?
Don’t expect to go to Buti Yoga and have a gentle stretch on a mat for an hour. It’s a blistering core workout designed to shred fat and build muscle fast. According to the LA Times, you can burn anything from 800 to 1,000 calories in a 75-minute session.
The heart-pounding, repetitive movements are all designed to tone your tummy, but your arms, legs and glutes will get an amazing workout too.
It’s a challenging practice for anyone who doesn’t usually dance, as there’s lots of quick, repetitive movements involved – although the Buti website says that anyone, of any fitness background, can give it a go.
As well as improving your hand-eye coordination, practitioners say a live Buti class, sound-tracked to tribal music, can be extremely liberating. Rather than drilling through vinyasas like in a regular yoga class, learning to embrace free-flowing primitive movements can give your body confidence a major boost.
Where can I try Buti Yoga?
Gold has a number of Buti Yoga fitness DVDs online (butiyoga.com) that can guide you through the basics of the practice before launching into more advanced routines.
Check out local yoga studios and gym chains as some, like Gymbox in London, Breathe Bristol Yoga and Urban Yoga in Dublin, have group classes on their schedules.
If all else fails though, YouTube is a great place to get a free workout, and there are lots of different Buti classes that you can stream from the comfort of your own home.
Before you fire up your laptop, we suggest you have a towel and a large glass of water to hand – it’s likely to get hot and sweaty – and be prepared to ache the morning after.
