Let's talk about Yoga!

[Amethyste]

Hello there!

I would like to talk about Yoga and its benefits.
Recently ( 2 weeks ago ) I've taking up Yoga and I am already feeling a difference in my
attitude, the way I see things, the way I feel about my body and how it does actually look ( tighter and more toned ).
But what surprises me the most is the way it is actually controlling my appetite. I don't constantly think about food and actually,
think about it when I feel hungry. And when I do, I want "good" food!

I can only exercise a little bit at a time - like 20-25 mins in the morning and 30 mins at night for a total of 50 mins or so. I like Yoga cause it relaxes me and in the same time, it brings much benefits. A lot of People do not think that you can be "in shape" just by doing Yoga - but I think you can! You might not sweat profusely as if you were running a marathon, but I know I am working!

Any of you practice Yoga? Have you seen weight loss from it? What have you observed?

 

[dragonfly411]

I practice. I do the routines on yogatoday.com. I have yet to find better instruction. I definitely find that when I do consistent practice I am more toned, feel stronger, feel more awake, and yes less hungry. I love the feeling of stretching and opening. I feel stronger when I practice, much much stronger. I had a friend tell me I should teach, and I told her she's crazy, but I LOVE doing it.

 

[soocool]

I stopped yoga after I had my surgery last year and I know I have missed it. I did start up Pilates again and that makes me feel really good afterwards. I think I have been spending too much time on my cardio and not enough on stretching so I guess this is my push to get back into yoga again. Thanks...

 

[Fly Girl]

I've been practicing yoga for about 12 years. Really helps with flexibility, strength and balance. I go to local community ed classes.

 

[Autumnovember]

Anyone try aerial yoga?? I desperately wanna try! A few of my friends do hot yoga and love it but I'm positive I would pass out!

 

[Prana]

I practice yoga. It has helped me begin an entire life transformation for the better! I want to be the best person that I can be, and yoga was the foundation of that change for me. Not to mention the countless benefits that regular practice provides.

 

[tigian]

I've been practicing for Bikram yoga for about 5 years now. I definitely notice a difference in my sleep and the way my back feels. Yoga is such a process for me, mentally and physically. I have certain areas of pain that come for a few weeks, then go away, never to be felt again.

 

[JewelFreak]

I do 45 min. of yoga almost every morning. If I skip for 2 days, really feel it. Yoga has cured my constant tension headaches, makes me feel calmer & more sensible. I've noticed I have more energy when I do it regularly, as I have for about 5 yrs, and all the breathing makes me feel tingly & fit. Somehow, even without getting deeply into eastern philosophies, it helps me forget my own tiny self & belong better to the universe. A stack of dvds provides variety for me; a lot of them come from Gaiam, which has good instructors & choices of type.

But I'm sure hot yoga would kill me!!

--- Laurie

 

[Amethyste]

Oh... I love the DVDs from Rodney Yee! He's such a peach!!!

 

[dragonfly411]

I have a couple of Rodney Yee dvd's as well. I also have a "cardio" yoga from Jillian Michaels that I like when I want a bit more movement.

 

[megumic]

Love yoga. I practice about 2 x week and love it. I'm more of a runner than a yoga girl, but I find that I am much less sore after my runs when I do yoga. I think it's a key part of every single workout plan and that everyone ought to practice yoga! It is most certainly a workout!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I did power yoga in college, and I do vinyasa flow yoga 3 times a week at my gym. I've been doing it since October I think, and let me tell you, I was totally admiring my butt yesterday. It has really toned my muscles all over. My upper body strength is better, my leg strength is fab, and I have abs now! We do a lot of core work. Vinyasa yoga is very dynamic - you WILL work up a sweat in the class, and it is TOUGH. LOVE it.

Combined with zumba and kickboxing, I am absolutely loving how fit I'm feeling and looking. And let me tell you, I started skiing this season - yoga seriously helps with balance, muscle strength (I skied 17 runs yesterdays without my quads giving out), and muscle control.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Btw ladies - favorite yoga position?

I'm a big fan of warrior 3 (I hate warrior 2) though, the wheel and camel. I like back bends a lot (crescent lunges). I also love windmill and plow. I hate the fish pose.

 

[soocool]

Btw ladies - favorite yoga position?

I'm a big fan of warrior 3 (I hate warrior 2) though, the wheel and camel. I like back bends a lot (crescent lunges). I also love windmill and plow. I hate the fish pose.

Savasana - corpse pose....total relaxation

Actually, I love the boat pose, aka teaser in Pilates. It gives me a tight midsection

My favorites, for whatever reason, are the restorative poses like Supta Padangusthasana (gives me a great stretch in my hips, calves, hamstrings, and Achilles) and child's pose (I swear this is how my DD has slept at times since she was a toddler and she says it relaxes her)

 

[Blackpaw]

I love yoga too! i go twice a week, would love to make it three...i do vinyasa flow, i really like that strong, sweaty practice, it makes me focus so well.

Fave poses are dancer's pose, birds of paradise and kind-of wheel. Wheel is such a challenge to me, it kills me (especially my wrists) to do it but sometimes if we havent done it in a few classes i feel i have to take it anyway!

 

[Skippy123]

I have a yoga dvd for preggos which is good because I guess labor is all about breathing through the pain.

I love restorative yoga best, super relaxing!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I love yoga and depending on my schedule do a "yin/yang (1.5 hour class) and restorative (1 hours class) weekly. Given I do many other sports, it doesn't always unfold this way but i try. I love it for the mental and physical aspects--and I like one Instructor and try to get to his classes between two studios. The hot yoga is too hot for me.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Apparently my gym MAY be offering a hot yoga class (not bikram due to trademark/copyright issues), but if so, it's going to be taught by Creepy Yoga Guy, so I will NOT be participating. Plus while I work up a good sweat in my vinyasa class, I don't want to be dripping by the time I get out!

 

[dragonfly411]

I love Warrior 2 and I love flowing through sun salutations. They feel great. I like boat pose and I like plank because they make my core feel stronger. I also really love Garudasana (eagle pose). I feel like a pretzel when I do it. Triangle pose is another favorite. I love the way my chest stretches as I open my arm up.

 

[decodelighted]

Anyone try aerial yoga??

I want to SOOOOOO BADLY. Its on my bucket list ... ha! But I'm a ways away from being able to do that comfortably in public even in a 101 type beginners atmosphere. A place in the city offers a weekend SUPER BEGINNERS thing that is so tempting. Once I establish even a BASELINE fitness routine ... its my FIRST STOP for FUN.

 

[JewelFreak]

My happiest poses are all the back bends, forward and back; they make my wrecked-up spinal disc feel SOOOO good. Up dog & cobra. Seated forward bend & one-leg seated forward bend -- I can actually get my nose to my knee, also love wide-leg seated foreward bend, putting forearms on the floor, face on top of hands. Cobbler's pose while leaning forward all the way. All the standing forward bends are great. Also like anything that stretches the calves -- I find that relieves tension & RLS really well. Love the sun salutation flow too. I just hate all warrior poses --for me they're very uncomfortable, probably because they use muscles that NEED WORK, groan.

--- Laurie

 

[dragonfly411]

Jewelfreak - I envy your bending flexibility.


Another fun try (if you want) is horseback yoga. It is mostly seated on the horse upper body work, but you can also ride bareback and do a few standing poses. It's fun to stand on their croup and do chair... requires a lot of extra core balance!

 

[LadyBlue]

What are the best yoga dvd's for someone that has never done yoga before?

 

[JewelFreak]

If you go to the Gaiam website, they have a range of good yoga dvds. As mentioned, Rodney Yee's are great & he has a few for beginners. There are also others. You might google the various kinds of yoga first & see which sound to your liking -- some are really taxing, others more slow stretch & contemplative. Saves buying a dvd you hate (I've done that!).

Yow, Dragonfly, horseback yoga!!! How fantastic -- you must be a circus performer (your horse too). I'm envious!

--- Laurie

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Oh... I love the DVDs from Rodney Yee! He's such a peach!!!

Is Rodney the one with the really tight shorts/pants (whatever) on? I had a couple videos but just couldn't handle seeing the outline of his "stuff."

My fav is Kundalini Yoga.

Here is the beginning one for this (non-traditional) style: http://www.amazon.com/Kundalini-Beginners-Beyond-MATRIX-OPTION/dp/B000BRM992/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300899017&sr=8-2

One of the reviews mentioned not eating before and this is VERY important!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

What are the best yoga dvd's for someone that has never done yoga before?

Yoga for Beginners/Patricia Walden is great. Doesn't have perfect reviews on Amazon, but I really like it b/c it goes through all the positions so you can practice each one and get the moves/breathing down. It also has a great relaxation section at the end.

 

[soocool]

What are the best yoga dvd's for someone that has never done yoga before?

Yoga for Every Body. http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Every-Body-Over-Routines/dp/B00006RCNF

Read the reviews on this. I have used this dvd for about 5 years. Depending on how I feel or how much time I have any particular day, I can tailor my yoga workout accordingly.

 

[Mrs.W 514]

i love Vinyasa Flow yoga. I have been doing this for about a year and it is a blood pumping sweaty work out but is also grounding and relaxing. I listen to podcasts (no pictures) by Dave Farmar. My favorite poses are Bakasana (crow pose) and Salamba Kapotasana (half pigeon)

 

[LadyBlue]

I just ordered some dvd's from netflix. I hope I stick to the rutine