What I need now is to work on my muscle tone and flexibility. I’d also like some sort of stress reducing activity. My life is full to the brink and I need something that won’t require me to go to a gym. I walk on the track near my husband’s work, pushing the toddler in the stroller, but taking time out to do weight training in a health club is right out. A full time job, three children, 6 hours of grad classes, and extensive, run-a-way hobbies keep me too busy to leave home for very long, and we’re lucky to get in the cardio. Is yoga for me? Don’t they have books or videos or some such? I’d really like some ideas.
I’m a huge fan of the YogaZone series. They are easy to follow and explain why you are doing certain things and how it works. They have beginner and intermediate levels. I prefere the YZ Premiere series, especially the one titled “Flexibility and Tone”.
If you do go to buy them, look on Amazon or some place like that first. They may have lower prices.
I am a big fan of zee yoga. The stress reduction angle is a biggie. It helps both while you do your workout, but also throughout the day. They call it “body awareness.” You learn to notice when you’re hunched over in an awful posture or carrying a lot of tension in your shoulders, and you can take a few deep breaths and relax. I know that this stuff sounds really obvious, and you shouldn’t have to study yoga, but learning to systematically relax your body and practicing on a regular basis really does help.
My favorite (only) tape right now is Yoga Journal’s AM/PM Yoga, but I don’t think I’d recommend it to a beginner. It’s labeled for beginners, but they basically assume that you know the poses, and PM yoga is full of phrases like, “Now relax as you rest your head on your shin.” Uhhhhh, yeah.
Anyway, whatever tape you get, I highly recommend that you periodically watch it without going through the workout. When I do this, I sometimes realize that I’m goofing up something or other.
Crud—I forgot to mention that the AM/PM workouts are only 20 minutes each, so you can squeeze them in when you have time. And 20 minutes is enough to make a big difference, when you do it a few times a week! It doesn’t seem like it at the beginning, but if you keep at it you will notice improvement.
Signed,
Pod
Who can now grab her feet in Seated Head to Knees.
Rent a couple of yoga DVD’s from the library or borrow from a friend first.
I have one that I like with Rodney Yee. He is not only an excellent instructor, he has a fine, fine body to gaze at. I believe it is through Gaiam. They have some nice quality stuff there.
The hardest thing to get use to , for me, with Yoga and instruction tapes is the slow pace.
We run, run, run everywhere (as is the American Way) and then you turn this instruction on and it is so.darn.slow and my mind wanders. Then I realize my body loves this and I am listening to my breathing and then the thing is over, dammit.
Your hamstrings will hate you for a day or so. then they will be telling you it is time to stretch.
Invest or check out at the library yoga poses books.
I have one: Yoga Mind and Body Which covers all the major and most minor poses that normal people can do, plus the benefits of why we should do them.
I had another book, the title escapes me and it is apparently on permanent loan to someone, but it had the most normal, most cheerful looking indian woman with a slightly pudgy body in a leotard featured through the book. She gave me hope. I loved that book. Dammit, I want it back. Sorry…
I have a book called The Sivananda Companion to Yoga which is pretty good. I haven’t tried any videos. It is a great stress reliever and good for relaxation, and it really does build strength and flexibility.
Got to agree with Shirley; I love the whole Living Arts yoga series, but the ones with Rodney Yee have that little extra something to keep you watching. Mmm, mmm, mmm!
They can be found not only on the Gaim web site, but at Borders and Barnes & Nobles book stores and at The Discovery Channel stores.
Yoga is awesome! I like the Gaiam videos also. I realize your schedule is hectic, but if you haven’t done yoga before you might want to take a few classes with an instructor first. Many places will let you pay for individual classes, which is pretty flexible, schedule-wise. Although the video will explain the poses to you, yoga is not just about what you are doing, but how you are doing it, and a good instructor will really help you that way. I would also recommend doing your yoga in front of a mirror at first, to help monitor your alignment. Enjoy!
