Yoga, anyone?

[paintnolish]

I've been an on again/off again exerciser for the past five years. I've never been interested in yoga since when I exercise, I want to burn max calories in minimum time. As I get older, though, I am becoming more interested in overall health, both mental and physical, instead of just maintaining a certain weight. So, I was hoping some of you could tell me about yoga... What are some of the benefits? How often do you do it? Do you think a park ditrcit or gym class is just as good for a beginner as a yoga studio? What equipment and clothing does a beginner truly need? Thanks!

 

[damone]

Not to hijack this thread, but I'm interested as well. I'm a guy so I feel a bit odd about taking a class, but was thinking it might help with my anxiety.

 

[AustinTink]

As a runner, I had the same feeling about yoga that you do. It couldn't possibly burn enough calories to constitute a full workout. That was 6 years ago. Now I'm a complete devotee to yoga. The amount of strength it takes to reach the advanced levels of many yoga poses is staggering. I haven't found any other exercise that truly sculpts my body the way yoga does.

It will take you time to perfect the poses. You can start off at the beginner classes at your gym. You'll need a mat. Don't get the extra thick ones that say they are for yoga/pilates. They're too thick and make balancing poses difficult. I also use yoga gloves. I have very skinny hands, fingers and wrists. The gloves provide a little padding and prevent slipping out of poses.

I do power yoga which incorporates cardio with a constant flow of yoga positions. I sweat buckets and get my heart rate way up. You can move into power yoga classes after mastering the techniques and learning the different poses.

I have back and neck issues stemming from a car accident years ago. Yoga definitely helps with my pain. There are certain poses I have to stay away from because of my neck. So, if you have any issues, let your instructor know before you start. Good luck, hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

My only experience with Yoga is the 90 minute routine built into the P90X workout. It is a great workout! It really helps in ways that my other exercise routines did not (flexibility, injury prevention, controlled breathing, posture).

I wouldn't just do yoga, but it will remain a part of my workout plan.

 

[XTinabell]

As a runner, I had the same feeling about yoga that you do. It couldn't possibly burn enough calories to constitute a full workout. That was 6 years ago. Now I'm a complete devotee to yoga. The amount of strength it takes to reach the advanced levels of many yoga poses is staggering. I haven't found any other exercise that truly sculpts my body the way yoga does.

It will take you time to perfect the poses. You can start off at the beginner classes at your gym. You'll need a mat. Don't get the extra thick ones that say they are for yoga/pilates. They're too thick and make balancing poses difficult. I also use yoga gloves. I have very skinny hands, fingers and wrists. The gloves provide a little padding and prevent slipping out of poses.

I do power yoga which incorporates cardio with a constant flow of yoga positions. I sweat buckets and get my heart rate way up. You can move into power yoga classes after mastering the techniques and learning the different poses.

I have back and neck issues stemming from a car accident years ago. Yoga definitely helps with my pain. There are certain poses I have to stay away from because of my neck. So, if you have any issues, let your instructor know before you start. Good luck, hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I agree that yoga classes at they gym can be just as awesome as at a yoga studio, it really depends on the instructor. Shop around until you find an instructor that you love and one that suits you and your style.
I don't agree on the comment about the thick mat though. I bought an extra thick yoga mat for the additional padding for the postures that are hard on the knees. Some people that have issues with balance prefer to stand off their mat altogether.

Clothes to wear, you just need something comfortable. The clothes that you would normally wear to work out in are just fine, you can get fancy and buy yoga clothes but as long as you're comfortable that's all that matters.

There are so many health benefits to yoga, if you find a great instructor they will tell you what each posture is great for. My fiance had a hump in his back from the computer and lower back problems, his hump is nearly gone and he doesn't suffer back problems any longer. But don't expect miracles, and do understand that the benefits will take time. You'll feel great after each session, but the overall long term benefits will depend on your personal body.

Hatha Yoga is great for beginners, it will introduce you to all the basic elements to get you started.

To damone: Yoga will certainly help with anxiety. It's very peaceful and relaxing, even when you're sweating and pulled in positions you didn't know you could do.

I just want to stress again how important it is to find the right instructor, if you don't like the first class you go to, try another one.

 

[AustinTink]

I don't agree on the comment about the thick mat though. I bought an extra thick yoga mat for the additional padding for the postures that are hard on the knees. Some people that have issues with balance prefer to stand off their mat altogether.

I double up my mat for the poses that are hard on the knees. I was referring more to standing balancing poses like tree pose or warrior 3. I don't like standing off my mat for these. It hurts my feet. Long skinny feet and hard floor holding a posture = ouch!

BTW, i like your avatar!

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

I LOVE yoga. I just really started getting into it several months ago. My DH and myself always worked out, he was a body builder type, liked weights, etc., also bike riding, etc. which we still do but with yoga you can totally tone your body using gravity instead of weights, and the stretching is so relaxing and squeezes toxins out of your body also. My legs are more tone using yoga than with the weight training I was doing, and it is gentle and calming on the body. You must use a mat, light weight clothing, and I like using a yoga block also for some of the exercises until you can stretch more. Also gloves are a good idea. It is by far my favorite exercise I have ever done. There are many shows on TV also that you can do. One really great beginner is a show called Yoga for Life with Kurt Johnson which is on Veria channel. You can start there. He is an excellent teacher, so good at explaining that you don't even have to watch it while your doing it. He does a power flow yoga. I also really like Namaste Yoga which is on Fit TV channel which is very hypnotic, relaxing, beautiful and zen like. I highly recommend yoga.

 

[mtemm]

I love yoga! I didn't think much of it until I tried it. DH and I went together a couple of years ago to try a class at our gym, and wow, even though we worked out regularly, it hit muscles we never knew we were missing. who knew holding and flowing thru poses could be such a workout?

I have a thicker yoga mat that I love. dh bought it for me as a surprise from lulu lemon. no problems with it at all in balance poses! not sure the different thickness levels of yoga matts since I didn't shop for one, but its thicker than the ones at the gym.

I do yoga (and yogalates, which is a class at my gym where half the class is yoga, the other half pilates) a couple of days a week. each instructor is different. One is far more power based and her flows are quicker. the other I nicknamed yoga girl and hers is challenging in a different way...slower, more meditative, just a different feel in general. I like both classes for different reasons. timing wise I can't fit more in, but have recently started dvr'ing some namaste ones off of fittv. I just think they are beautifully filmed and include some great poses. not well cued though, at least not always, and the camera movement I think could make it hard to follow at first until you are familiar with the poses. I think going to a studio or a gym would be best because the instructors would be able to correct your form.

I think there are so many benefits to yoga, and are a great complement to other workouts like strength training and cardio. it helps improve limberness, strength, balance. also the breathing has been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure. now that I am in my 40s (cough) I find that sometimes I feel beat up after some workouts, but after yoga I just feel phenomenal. even ones that are tough and challenge me, I still just come out feeling fantastic.

good luck!

 

[paintnolish]

Thanks for the replies! I think part of the reason I have been on again/off again with exercise is that I am getting burnt out. I stopped jogging 2 years ago after a knee inury- I was scared of hurting it again. I am trying to pick it up again. It also stinks to go to the gym and do the same old thing. I feel great afterwards, but I dread going. I am glad others were a little apprehensive about it and are now converted! Thanks for the replies!
BTW, it appears as if "Tink" lovers also love Yoga...how many Tinks replied to this thread?!?

 

[minniecarousel]

How timely!

I'm signing up for a Yoga class through the Senior program at the rec dept. I'm juuuust old enough to take Senior classses and I figure starting with the older set won't be too intimidating!

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I've been doing yoga for about 6 years now, and I love it. One thing I love about yoga is how versatile it is. I can do yoga with a group in a class setting, or at home by myself! I have done several different classes, and now I'm in a "BodyFlow" class, which mixes yoga with pilates and tai chi, and I LOVE it.

Equipment - a good mat. I don't use a thick mat for the same reason a PP had...balance. However, I could totally see where it would be more cushiony for your knees. You can buy all kinds of yoga equipment, such as blocks and straps, but to start out, a mat is all you need. Most studios and gyms that you take from probably have mats that you can use until you decide yoga is for you (so you don't buy a mat that you never use again).

Clothing - something comfy. You will be a lot of bending and squatting, so a top that won't ride up or pants that won't ride down are a must! I get the majority of my workout clothing from Target. I also would rather do yoga in pants or capris than shorts. No chance of "clothing malfunctions" that way!

Have fun!