So, I know it is very trendy and all, but I’ve recently taken up yoga and I love it! The style of yoga I’m doing is called Ashatanga yoga which is a very active yoga that gives you quite a workout. I’ve found that I have a difficult time motivating myself to work out at home and so I really enjoy going to yoga class.
One of the things I love about it is that while you are constantly moving, you are never moving quickly. You still build up a sweat though from the stretching, posture flow, and isometric exercise. I tell people that it is like moving slowly fast.
I love the workout, the relaxation, the stretching and everything about it.
I’m doing ashtanga yoga too. But, I can’t afford classes so I’m using the “Power Yoga” book at home (which Madonna recently dissed in a People mag. article - yeah, well, good for her. She can afford private instruction for 3 hours a day. Whoop-de-frickin’ do!) and I really like it.
I end up doing it about every other day. I run in the warmer months but have to do something in winter. This yoga style has been really great: I get a workout, helps me to focus, continuously provides strengthening exercise, plus I am seeing a big improvement in my flexibility. I was in gymnastics when I was young lass and I can’t believe how tight I’ve gotten since then. Use it or lose it, I guess.
I hope I can keep it up when my running season starts!
I just started doing some Yoga tapes. I’m trying to increase my strength and flexibility for my karate classes. Yoga doesn’t take alot of space and its not too aerobic so I can do it in my apartment. I really like it and have found it more challanging that I thought I would.
I went with a friend to a yoga class this past Monday, and all the things I was trying to make feel better - mostly my neck and hips - have felt worse all this week. Part of this is due to the fact that I had to have been doing some of the exercises wrong, and this was partly due to the fact that the class I went to was too big to for the instructor to coddle the newbie.
That being said, since the class is too expensive to attend (I had a one week guest pass thing), can you guys recommend a good do-it-at-home course? Book, video, whatever. Thanks.
I would recommend the Power Yoga (that’s the name of the book) that I’ve been doing.
The lady that wrote it is very careful to caution about certain postures that may cause problems if you’ve had neck/back issues but she also gives information on how the posture can be done safely so that you can get rid of the problems. It’s really quite good and makes a lot of sense. You can get it at any normal bookstore, I would imagine.
You might have been overdoing it too. I mean, we’re all a heck of a lot tighter than people who have been doing it for years and I know I don’t like to admit to myself that I can’t do what I used to be able to do. Maybe doing it at home wouldn’t put that unconsciouse (sp!)pressure on you to “perform”. Don’t give up on it!
