Yoga Body Sculpt Classes
supercpa999
Posts: 403 Member
Just wondering what everyone’s experience is with this. Do you think that taking these classes and doing other cardio is enough to be fit and toned or do you think something else is necessary?
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Replies
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Ooof - now there's a loaded question. Brace yourself for the possible answers from the community
Ultimately - what's your definition of 'fit' and 'toned'? It's not *really* a cardio work out in that it's unlikely to get your heartrate up substantially. However... if you're relatively unfit, it'll *improve* your cardio fitness. Likewise with 'toning' - it'll likely stretch your existing muscles which will, as fat is removed through diet, look sleeker. Any bodyweight exercises will improve your musculature to some degree. However, you won't be looking like Jessica Alba any time soon... ;-)
FWIW, I'm just doing yoga and some resistance bands, alongside walking. The yoga is for my knees. The resistance bands are helping me increase a little in strength, preparatory to me getting back into the pool. These simple exercises are helping to keep what muscles I have. But the aesthetics are happening due to weight loss - which is gained in the kitchen...[/i] (edited to try to remove the errant italics)0 -
Resistance training is what builds muscle. If you were assigned female at birth, it will be basically impossible for you to get beyond "toned" in terms of how muscular you look, unless you try very hard to bulk up on purpose.2
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goal06082021 wrote: »Resistance training is what builds muscle. If you were assigned female at birth, it will be basically impossible for you to get beyond "toned" in terms of how muscular you look, unless you try very hard to bulk up on purpose.
I have to disagree. Women won't get "bulky" without a lot of training (and probably some anabolic help), but different types of resistance training will yield different results.
OP, it really depends on the type of look you're going for. You can build strength and some light definition (I think) with these kinds of classes, but if you're looking for more pronounced muscular definition then heavier, progressive overload lifting is the way to go. In the end, it really comes down to what you actually enjoy doing and can see yourself sticking to long-term.
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supercpa999 wrote: »Just wondering what everyone’s experience is with this. Do you think that taking these classes and doing other cardio is enough to be fit and toned or do you think something else is necessary?
I know quite a lot about yoga, but zero about "Yoga Body Sculpt." During my three years at yoga centers, I met plenty of fit and toned yogis, especially those who practiced the more cardiovascular styles, like Ashtanga or Jivan Mukti. These are cardiovascular and incorporate quite a bit of bodyweight. Yoga was all the intentional exercise these people did, but they generally had active jobs and/or lifestyles as well.
ps - I just did some googling and looked at three videos and got three very different results. Is this the sort of thing you mean?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AaGpEyPpVU 0 -
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I saw that in the results too. Will check it out. I've since done the one I posted.
Here's my technical review:
So I've lifted weights off and on since the 80s, did aerobics in the 80s and 90s, and abandoned aerobics for yoga in the later 90s. That video was combining all three, and I didn't really care for it conceptually. Using hand weights while moving or in yoga poses just feels wrong, and I feel like the second two take away from any potential strength training. I'm also not a fan of high reps/low weights, which I had done for many years because I thought that's what women needed to do in order to not get bulky.
For building strength with yoga, I think styles of yoga that incorporate a lot of bodyweight is a better way to go.
Another option would be simply traditional strength training plus a cardiovascular style of traditional yoga.
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On a personal level, despite my brain having problems with it, my body enjoyed it and because I do like variety, may keep it in the rotation, and will check out the one you posted.0 -
@kshama2001
Wow that was a very thoughtful response
I like how you explained the difference between your “brain” and your body. I think sometimes we can be conditioned to certain outlooks but when we open and up our mind and it explore that our “body” can merely enjoy.
Thank you 👏1 -
If toned means a somewhat lean and perhaps athletic look then yes sounds possible/plausible.
I struggle a bit with "toned" as some interpret that look as slightly more muscular look so really depends on your goal physique.
If you are talking cardiovascular fitness then your "other cardio", whatever that is, will be the primary driver.
But then fit needs more context as in fit for what? Fit compared to who?
Cardio has such a wide range of intensity and duration you need to dose your cardio training according to whatever your fitness goals are.
e.g. when I played a lot of squash I had good squash fitness (high intensity bursts with recovery) but endurance would have been limited. Now I cycle long distances I have very different capabilities and have to train completely differently. A one mile fartlek run isn't the way to train to ride a bike for hours, four hours of cycling isn't the way to train for squash performance.
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goal06082021 wrote: »Resistance training is what builds muscle. If you were assigned female at birth, it will be basically impossible for you to get beyond "toned" in terms of how muscular you look, unless you try very hard to bulk up on purpose.
Something makes me think that's an overstatement. Especially if a woman's genetics favor muscularity, one might not even need to try all that hard, just challenge the muscles and be consistent - at least as I understand the definition of "toned" implied by photos most people point at when asked. (They don't usually look very muscular, to me.)
Back at the original question: Bodyweight-exercise focused workouts (called yoga or whatever) plus cardio could result in a "toned" appearance, for most common definitions of "toned", IMO, given time and consistency. Having the right level of body fat to show some underlying muscularity, without looking vascular or defined, would be part of looking "toned", IMO. Some so-called "cardio" alone might even be enough, given how squishy these definitions are. (Long-term serious cyclists usually have "toned" thighs, IME, for example.)1 -
I’ve done vinyasa “flow” style yoga seriously for seven or eight years now. While I was overweight, it didn’t tone me, although it was a good workout.
I feel like my “toning” is due to a combination of activity- Pilates for core, weights for strength, walking and running for cardio.
It’s been a fairly potent stew of workouts I very luckily fell into by accident, with each lending it’s own bit of spice to the mix. Im very happy with the results.
Although yoga is my favorite, I can’t honestly say I’d have had the results I have without a dash of each.
My suggestion would be, mix it up.0 -
And PS, don’t know if those itty bitty weights would be worth faffing around with. I’d rather focus on the actual body weight, opposition and position.
Fir example, increasing difficulty of a side plank with a leg left, a toe hold, or (forgive me @kshama2001, I forget the pose’s name), pulling my ankle over my head, behind my shoulder and past my ear.2 -
@springlering62
Thank you1 -
springlering62 wrote: »And PS, don’t know if those itty bitty weights would be worth faffing around with. I’d rather focus on the actual body weight, opposition and position.
Fir example, increasing difficulty of a side plank with a leg left, a toe hold, or (forgive me @kshama2001, I forget the pose’s name), pulling my ankle over my head, behind my shoulder and past my ear.
The bolded much more succinctly captures my position
Leg-behind-head / Ekapada Shirshasana?
https://chintamaniyoga.com/safely-executing-leg-behind-head-postures-for-the-long-term/
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I’m working on that one. I can get my foot behind my head, but can’t sit up straight.
But the one I’m talking about is:
Side plank
To star position
Grab under foot to outside edge of lifted foot
Pull foot towards head and behind head while still in side plank
Attempt to straighten leg without busting *kitten*
Laugh when busting *kitten* because it’s only a six inch fall, and try, try again.
I’ve got it ok one one side but not the other. Isn’t that how it always goes. 🤷🏻♀️
If people knew how much fun yoga can be, we’d be fighting them away with a stick. It’s like being five years old again and climbing the furniture. I am so grateful for the weight loss and the strength building via weight training that has made this possible.
When I get frustrated I can’t do something, I have to remind myself (with thanks to @jwluvscats) “Bounce off! You’re almost old as dirt! Be happy you can do any of it!”1 -
supercpa999 wrote: »
Are you doing this? What did you think? What was your previous experience with yoga?
As a yoga teacher, I cannot recommend this to those new to yoga, and likely not to intermediates either.- From minutes 5 - 8:30, she's basically in a plank, which is dumb in the first place, and not wise unless one has been building up to it. I did it with knee down. She does not offer any modifications.
- Then she goes into a standard advanced flow sequence. Completely unsuitable for those new to advanced yoga. There is no guidance whatsoever for the postures, and she is whipping right through them. Even though I'm familiar with all the postures, she was going too fast for me to pick them up just by listening, and my neck started hurting from looking to see what she was doing, so I stopped.
I'm going to dust off my Rodney Yee "Strength Building Yoga" DVD to see how his instruction compares.3 -
Reading this thread and the picture of leg behind head and @springlerling62 's description of yoga progressions...I think I need more yoga! Lol.
I tend to think the type(s) of exercise we do, along with diet, play a major factor in the fit/tone "ness" of our bodies. I read an article where a trainer would look at a picture of an athlete and guess their sport, just based on musculature/leanness and sometimes even redness on different parts of the body(think ballerinas feet for example). In that same frame of mind, it seems you could look at athletes of different sports, or even a person you know, who's fit/leanness are attractive to you and perhaps copy their activities to a certain degree. We will all differ as far as genetics, frame size, etc, but it might be a place to start. I've seen many yogis with quite lean toned bodies. And you get additional benefits of flexibility and balance.2 -
Well, maybe not so much balance for some of us. 😬
I sped through that video above. It’s basically “yogalates”. Lots of Pilates moves, and, I thought, very little use of the weights as touted.0 -
@kshama2001
Are you doing this? What did you think? What was your previous experience with yoga?
I tried it once. It seems fun but honestly I had a hard time keeping up with it. So far my experience has been with Yin Yoga. Lately I have been mostly doing the elliptical machine pretty intensely. I want to branch out though.0 -
@supercpa999 if you’re interested in a flow or vinyasa type yoga, please consider giving it another try.
Don’t be embarrassed if it takes a few sessions to get up to speed.
At my studio, all instructors make it very clear that each class has both inexperienced and experienced students. The very first thing they say is, “if you need a break, drop to child’s pose. If you need to, spend the whole class in it.” They teach the basic level to all, and then give the “take it up a notch” and “if you want to add on to that” options, but no one is expected to take them. It’s each student’s choice.
It may be overwhelming at first, but you soon get the hang of basic poses. You may hyper sensitive that you’re not “keeping up”, but, for me, the whole thing with yoga is I’m so focused on following instructions and achieving MY best version of a pose that I totally lose touch with everything else happening except myself and that voice I’m following. I don’t think any of us look or care what the person next to us is doing after the first few classes, although I may give a silent hurrah if I “come to the surface” and realize someone’s getting into a pose they couldn’t previously.
When I’m walking or running, I can drown myself chewing on problems in the extended family. In yoga, there’s no opportunity, or you lose your flow, so to speak.
I may be tired after a hard class, but I’m also mentally refreshed.
That’s the true gift of yoga, imho.
Some studios offer beginning classes, or you can pick up some beginning skills via online classes. Because in person classes are so limited with Covid, skill levels in classes have been particularly mixed. If you’re new’ish, be honest and tell the instructor.
We had a bunch of new people in class last night. The three college age kids were completely honest and told the instructor. A 40’s something lady said she was experienced, but left five minutes into the class. Don’t be that person. Be honest, not embarrassed. It’s not a skills test and not the Olympics.3 -
@springlering62
Thanks for the encouraging words👍0 -
springlering62 wrote: »@supercpa999 if you’re interested in a flow or vinyasa type yoga, please consider giving it another try.
Don’t be embarrassed if it takes a few sessions to get up to speed.
At my studio, all instructors make it very clear that each class has both inexperienced and experienced students. The very first thing they say is, “if you need a break, drop to child’s pose. If you need to, spend the whole class in it.” They teach the basic level to all, and then give the “take it up a notch” and “if you want to add on to that” options, but no one is expected to take them. It’s each student’s choice.
It may be overwhelming at first, but you soon get the hang of basic poses. You may hyper sensitive that you’re not “keeping up”, but, for me, the whole thing with yoga is I’m so focused on following instructions and achieving MY best version of a pose that I totally lose touch with everything else happening except myself and that voice I’m following. I don’t think any of us look or care what the person next to us is doing after the first few classes, although I may give a silent hurrah if I “come to the surface” and realize someone’s getting into a pose they couldn’t previously.
When I’m walking or running, I can drown myself chewing on problems in the extended family. In yoga, there’s no opportunity, or you lose your flow, so to speak.
I may be tired after a hard class, but I’m also mentally refreshed.
That’s the true gift of yoga, imho.
Some studios offer beginning classes, or you can pick up some beginning skills via online classes. Because in person classes are so limited with Covid, skill levels in classes have been particularly mixed. If you’re new’ish, be honest and tell the instructor.
We had a bunch of new people in class last night. The three college age kids were completely honest and told the instructor. A 40’s something lady said she was experienced, but left five minutes into the class. Don’t be that person. Be honest, not embarrassed. It’s not a skills test and not the Olympics.
Yes, the bolded is what good teachers do. Modifications and teaching was completely lacking in the 10 minutes I did of the 60 minute video.0 -
supercpa999 wrote: »@kshama2001
"Are you doing this? What did you think? What was your previous experience with yoga?"
I tried it once. It seems fun but honestly I had a hard time keeping up with it. So far my experience has been with Yin Yoga. Lately I have been mostly doing the elliptical machine pretty intensely. I want to branch out though.
I promise to dust off my Rodney Yee DVDs and see if they'd be a better fit. Well, I'm sure they are - he's a great teacher 0 -
Following this thread- very interesting. I’ve done Hot Yoga (Bikram style) and heated Hatha now due to Covid off and on for a few months. I’m loving it and it’s gets my heart rate up significantly. I’ve got about 20lbs to lose to get to my healthy BMI. I’ve thought about the yoga sculpt classes as well1
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Ok, I've done the first section of Rodney Yee's Strength Building Yoga DVD and while I can confirm he is indeed a better yoga teacher than the previous video, I think for building strength you'd be better off with Josh from Strength Side, who has a bunch of free videos on YouTube as well as a paid program.
I've been doing the following for a while. I was laughably pathetic at first, but am much better now. I do alternate each exercise, and sometimes half way through the exercise, with some boring physical therapy exercises I have for golfer's elbow, which also makes it easier to get through the whole set.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIdAPUA3GY4&list=PLUXvX9BaxgqG9yO5XWB3gA_QshvrrcjVr&index=4&t=3s
It's clear to me that Josh has a very strong foundation in yoga, but interestingly he never mentions it in the several videos I've watched, presumably to not scare off men who might think yoga is for "girls."2 -
Oooo, gonna check out that channel! Thanks for the recommendation @kshama20011
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@kshama2001
Thanks great suggestion0 -
Actually having really low body fat makes one look more muscular than they may really be. Madonna did a lot of yoga at one time and got down really low in bodyfat. She's petite and just that definition she had made her look like she lifted weights for a long time.goal06082021 wrote: »Resistance training is what builds muscle. If you were assigned female at birth, it will be basically impossible for you to get beyond "toned" in terms of how muscular you look, unless you try very hard to bulk up on purpose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWtlhB4g2Y
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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@ninerbuff
Good point thanks0
https://youtu.be/yzokK_Ikhcc
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