benifits of yoga ?

maxinethestrange

I know any exercise is good for you. been mainly walking and using the cross trainier but miss yoga a lot so going to start it up again , just at home not nearly confident enough to do it around others.
what is it good for ? I mainly used it for relaxation than anything else before. Just like to know these things , also is palites(sp) or yoga better for you ?

olag00

I love my yoga! It has been able to help me reach the spots in my back that inches I used to have my fiance or a wall scratch!

I do it every Sunday for a relaxing stretch! Feel great the rest of the day.

Atlantique

Yoga is relaxing, but it also strengthens and stretches your muscles very effectively with slow, controlled movements. Yoga and Pilates both also strengthen and stretch your core muscles (abs and back) which improve your posture, protect your lower back and give you all your power in pushing or pulling motions.

They're both great complements to other forms of exercise!

TheNewLK

I honestly do them both at least 2 to 3 times a week. It keeps my muscles toned vs becoming bulky....Wonderful for relaxation and stress relief ♥♥

skinnyhappy

When I first started going to classes I was purely in it for fitness. My muscles are lean yet strong now. However, over the past 6 months of committing to a regular yoga practice I've realized it's great for more than flexibility! I'm a more mindful, disciplined person now. It's easier to make decisions, think clearly, relax, sleep, enjoy whatever it is I'm doing at any given moment (even washing dishes!). If you take yoga seriously, and eventually attend a class or two, it has the ability to change your life for the better. I highly recommend it

lloydrt

I sweat like a pig when I do it 2 times a week for one hour.........I gotta say, I am more sore doing one hour of yoga than I have been doing 3 hours of cardio and weight strength training..........our instructor works us out good

I think its a great aid in our plan, so yeah, keep at it..........I stretch, plank, cobra, chair, table..........all those terms and I do pretty good. and really love the way I feel the next day..........good luck , Lloyd

nerdyandilikeit

I. LOVE. YOGA.
Let me tell you why: I was rear-ended in 2009 and got some pretty bad whiplash. I didn't get it checked out because I figured it would be fine in a few days. It was, only now my neck gets stiff REALLY easily to the point of awful migraines, especially when I have to sit at the computer editing photos and things.

I thought I was probably just stuck with this, until I started doing yoga! It's not a miracle cure, but it really reduced the number of times I woke up with a migraine and/or got one because I moved my neck the wrong way, etc. I went home a few weeks ago and got out of the habit of doing yoga when I came back until last night (I finally forced myself to jump back into it). I was to the point where every time I moved my head a sharp pain shot through my neck and made me feel cross-eyed/nauseous.

This morning, I was a good 50% better after just 15 minutes of yoga the night before. Plus, I feel just...strong! It might not be a high-impact workout, but it totally makes a difference in my body. That's my experience with it

KyleGA

I'm in the middle of P90X and one of the workouts within this program is Yoga X. It's 90 minutes of absolute hell...seriously, I am not a fan of Yoga (because I'm not flexible...and it hurts!). But I know I need Yoga, as it improves my flexibility, coordination, balance, strength and helps with muscle recovery.

Per Tony, the man who gave us P90X, claims he can do things in his life today...not because he can do a bunch of pullups, but because he does Yoga.

I'm not overly familiar with Pilates, so can't really comment on it.

ttfn
Kyle

maxinethestrange

thanks guys , I really hope it helps with sleep been have a hard time with it and do not want to get back into hardly sleeping again i end up eatting loads of sugary stuff if i dont sleep enough.

any websites that have a good program to follow, will be getting dvds when i have some spare cash, know most of the basic stuff from doing dance a couple of years back but be good to make sure im getting the best out of it

maxinethestrange

I. LOVE. YOGA.
Let me tell you why: I was rear-ended in 2009 and got some pretty bad whiplash. I didn't get it checked out because I figured it would be fine in a few days. It was, only now my neck gets stiff REALLY easily to the point of awful migraines, especially when I have to sit at the computer editing photos and things.

I thought I was probably just stuck with this, until I started doing yoga! It's not a miracle cure, but it really reduced the number of times I woke up with a migraine and/or got one because I moved my neck the wrong way, etc. I went home a few weeks ago and got out of the habit of doing yoga when I came back until last night (I finally forced myself to jump back into it). I was to the point where every time I moved my head a sharp pain shot through my neck and made me feel cross-eyed/nauseous.

This morning, I was a good 50% better after just 15 minutes of yoga the night before. Plus, I feel just...strong! It might not be a high-impact workout, but it totally makes a difference in my body. That's my experience with it

thats defo got me wanting to do it again i had a car crash the other year and hit by a few and basically left me with near constant pain in my shoulder would love to not have to take painkiller all the time , working with kids and being in pain is no fun

Blackthorne99

I love yoga for a number of reasons. The relaxation is there, but balance & coordination is something I do not have naturally, and it is the one area that I find a drastic improvement in after doing yoga. But more than that - it is the one form of exercise I *really* look forward to. Not being able to go to my yoga classes has seriously bummed me out.

1life2live_cjg

It helps with balance, posture, and breathing.

KyleB65

I have no experience with Pilates but I can say with certainty that Yoga can be a complete work out. Strength, flexibility and cardio.

I suggest finding a beginners class. A home workout is good for the holiday season when the gym is closed. But for a regular workout it is good to have an experienced and qualified person directing, watching & helping you.

As for being embarrassed. It is up to you but I did a year of Yoga as a way to build my strength and flexibility for Capoeira. I am 5'10", 46 yrs old (44 when I was doing the Yoga) and I weighed close to 300lbs and I was not the most out of shape person in the class.

Good luck !

P.S. If you want a real challenge try Bikram Yoga - 26 poses over 90 min at 40deg C +
I tried that this past winter. It takes a couple of times to adjust to the heat but once you do it is a great class and a great way to loose weight!

NewLeafEats

Pilates and yoga are not the same thing and do not accomplish exactly the same goals. Pilates is more strength-training, and yoga is more for flexibility, though both have similar styles/poses, etc.

Fitness is composed of three parts: cardio-vascular (cardio/aerobic), strength, and flexibility. Each is important and ideally none should be left out. So even though pilates or yoga may not burn as many calories as a spinning class, if it's what you love, you should definitely include it in your healthy lifestyle!

jmruef

I have Bob Harper's Weight Loss Yoga DVD (or maybe it's Biggest Loser, not Bob Harper) and I LOVE it. I could tell a difference in my flexibility after 1 week of doing it every day. I don't know how relaxing it is and I don't really work up a big sweat, but it *is* challenging and I feel like I've accomplished something when I'm done.