Jim Bennitt
Jim, a former wrestler, massage therapist and clerk at the Chicago Board of Trade, began his studies in Yoga, Tantra and Ayurveda in 1997. Originally he took up Yoga as a way to help heal back pain, but soon after, discovered how the practice affects not only the body, but also mind and spirit.
Jim has completed teacher trainings with Daren Friesen of Moksha Yoga Center which draws heavily from the Krishnamacharya lineage, apprenticed with Gabriel Halpern of the Yoga Circle (a studio in the Iyengar tradition), spent two months in Kiev with Ukrainian Yoga master Andre Lappa for an intensive in Universal Yoga, and in 2002 began a close apprenticeship with Rod Stryker, founder of Para Yoga, in the Himalayan tradition which continues to this day.
Featured in such publications as The New York Times, Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Breathe and Yoga Chicago, Jim is also a popular presenter at the Yoga Journal Grand Geneva Conference and the Midwest Yoga Conference and teaches workshops nationwide. Jim’s practice and teaching can be physically demanding, however it always has an emphasis on breathwork and meditation helping to unite body, mind and spirit. When you take a class from Jim, expect to sweat a little, breathe a lot, and feel a sense of inner peace.
-
Vigorous with Jim: Upward Bow and Core Strengthening 75-minute
Warmup: sun salutations, lunginging, side planks, dynamic twisting
Most challenging poses: headstand, upward bow variations/transitions
Breathwork: mental alternate nostril breathing (prana shuddhi)
Meditation: objectless awareness -
Multi-level with Jim: Backbending and Side Stretching Emphasis 75-minute
Warmup: simple joint mobilization, kneeling salutations, sun salutations, dynamic twisting and lunging, plank
Most challenging poses: utthita hasta padangusthasana (balancing on one foot), ustasana (camel) variations, parighasana (gate pose) variation
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: su... -
Gentle with Jim: Preparing for Yoga Nidra 60-minute
Warmup: simple joint mobility exercises, half salutes, dynamic twisting and side stretching
Most challenging: down dog, twisting lunge, 90/90
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: yoga nidra -
Gentle with Jim: Empty Blue Sky Meditation 60-minute
Warmups: simple joint mobilization, dynamic side stretching, squats, half salutes, dynamic lunging twists
Most complicated poses: Down dog, bird dog, locust variation, swimmers (shoulder mobility exercise), 90/90
Breathwork: ujjaii anulom (ujjaii inhale, nadi shodhana exhale)
Meditation: akasha d... -
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Squats, Lunges, and Step Throughs 30-minute
Warmups: dynamic side stretching and twisting, squatting, sun salutations
Most challenging: split squats, cossack squats (transverse lunging), pushups, "the step-through"
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: observation -
Gentle with Jim: Bhramari Pranayama 30-minute
Warmup: supine movements linked to the breath
Most challenging: up dog, down dog, 90/90
Breathwork: bhramari pranayama
Meditation: observation -
Tutorial with Jim: The Pistol Squat 5-minute
The pistol squat is a great way to build strength in the legs but can be very challenging and even a little scary. These tips can make them safer and more accessible.
-
Tutorial with Jim: Moon Salutations 15-minute
Moon salutations (aka chandra namaskar) are a great alternative to sun salutations, especially if you have wrist or shoulder problems. In this video, Jim breaks them down and goes over some of the important details to focus on.
-
Tutorial with Jim: Core Strengthening Twist with Block 3-minute
Using a block in this variation of revolved triangle can help to increase core strength and shoulder stability.
-
Tutorial with Jim: Sun Salutation "JB" 20-minute
A slighlty more complex variation of the sun salutation that incorporates warrior 1, pyramaid pose, and a strengthening transition between up dog and down dog.
-
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Dynamic Sequence with Forearm Balance 60-minute
Warmups: dynamic side stretching, twisting, and sun salutes
Most challenging: pushups, forearm stand, standing up without using your hands
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: breath observation -
Multi-level with Jim: Basic Postures with Ujjai Breathing 30-minute
Warmup: kneeling salutations, lunging, and dynamic twisting
Body of class: basic standig poses, side plank, and locust
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: observation -
Tutorial with Jim: Handstand and Forearm Balance 5-minute
Keeping your legs split is a good way to begin to catch a little "hang time" while you balance on your forearms or hands.
-
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Planks, Pushups, & Windshield Wipers 30-minute
Warmup: kneeling salutations
Body of class: planks, pushups, locust, boat, lunges, 90/90, and bridges
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: breath-centered -
Vigorous with Jim: Single Leg Squats and Arm Balances 75-minute
Warmups: simple joint mobility exercises, kneeling salutations, planks, lunges, and sun salutations
Peak/challenging poses: different variaitons of squatting, astavakrasana, eka pada koundinyasana, and paryankasana (couch pose)
Breathwork: mental alternate nostril breathing
Meditation: observati... -
Gentle with Jim: Basic Postures and Alternate Nostril Breathing 30-minute
Warmup: dynamic crescent moon, squats, half salutations, and lunging
Most challenging pose: down dog, 90/90, bridge
Breathwork: ujjaii inhale, nadi shodhana exhale
Meditation: observation -
Vigorous with Jim: Sun Salutes, Standing and Balancing Poses 45-minute
Warmup: different variations of sun salutations
Most challenging poses: uttitha hasta pandangustasana, vasisthasana
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: none -
Meditation with Jim: Yoga Nidra 17-minute
61 points (rotation of consciousness), mental alternate nostril breathing, opposite sensations, still lake of the mind visualization
-
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Neck, Upper Back, Shoulders 30-minute
warmups: joint mobilization, half salutes, lunging twists
most challenging poses: lapasana (shoulder roll), strengthening variation of cobra, swimmers (shoulder mobilization)
breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
meditation: simple observation -
Meditation with Jim: Clear Blue Sky 10 minute
Jim takes you through a unique technique to help balance the flow of the breath to create the perfect mediative state then leads you through a guided visualization/meditation.
-
Multi-level with Jim: Moon Salutes and Camel 75-minute
Warmup: kneeling salutations, moon salutations
Body of Class: horse stance, (transverse) lunging twists, side stretching lunges, hip mobility sequence (bharadvajrasana-baddha konasana vinyasa), shoulder stand
Most Challenging: camel variations
Breathwork: kapalabhati
Meditation: breath awarenes... -
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Hips 20-minute
Warmup: child's pose-table-down dog
Body of Class: lunging, windshield wipers, 90/90
Most Challenging: lunge step throughs
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama
Meditation: internal observation -
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Core and Hip Focus 60-minute
Warmup: kneeling salutations, plank variations, sun salutations
Body of class: split squats, horse stance, transverse lunge/twist, squat, crow, windshield wipers, 90/90
Most challenging: step thoroughs, crocodile roll, forearm stand
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama (throughout class)
Meditation: co... -
Strength and Mobility with Jim: Lunging, Squatting, and Planks 60-minute
Warmup: kneeling salutes, dynamic side planks, twisting lunge, sun salutes
Body of class: split squats, cossack squats, locust, forearm stand, windshield wipers, 90/90
Most challenging: step thoughs, crocodile rolls
Breathwork: ujjaii pranayama (throughout the class)
Meditation: prana shuddhi (me...