YOGA

casandra_zamarripa

So I have lost tons of weight im still wanting to lose about 10 more pounds so I will be about 115 I eat well and go to the gym 6 nites a week 2hours a nite doing cardio and strength I use oxyElite for help with appetite and energy. And now I'M wanting to try something new I've wanted to try yoga for a while now and just don't no how or where to start! I'M wanting to do yoga during the day before or after work and continue my gym and eating routine so How can yoga help me will it help with weight loss? Inner peace? Tone my body? How does yoga work and what will I need to get started? Sorry so many questions but any info will help; )
Thanks

JesterMFP

It might help with inner peace, if it's your kind of thing. Some people just find it boring. For weight loss, well it helps to create a calorie deficit, although isn't the most effective exercise for that. It also helps strength, flexibility and balance. I love it, but I would never do it just to lose fat or build muscle, as there are far more effective ways to do both of those things. Since you're planning to continue your other workouts though, it could easily fit into your overall routine.

As for how to get started, there are lots of good videos on youtube if you do a search, although if you've never done it before, I'd personally recommend trying to find a class to start with, so you can learn the poses properly with an instructor.

casandra_zamarripa

Sounds good thank you; )

busywaterbending

hi,

I'm a certified personal trainer and a certified yoga instructor.

for your goals of getting into yoga for the first time, adding it to your current aerobic fat burn and resistance training is easy;

make yoga your recovery day(s).

The best yoga for beginners is a one month membership at a bikram yoga studio. You do the same exact 90 minute full body routine every class. It is focused on realigning your body, teaching you how to relax, and to gentely find the "comfortable" posture you will hold for 30 seconds and a second set at 60 seconds. Those holds, isometric contractions of a muscle, are fabulous ways to increase strength, retrain your nervous system, and the sweating will help detox the body.

Another yoga option is Ultimate Yoga dvd for $17. Two great workouts that I think you can work with. Practice your yoga after at least a 15 minute fat burn, low heart rate aerobic exercise. You get a huge benefit from yoga when you are warmed up prior to practice.


Don't focus on stretching, focus on breathing and relaxing. The first few classes are a bit of a shocker to new yoga participants. Dont compare yourself to anyone, especially the teacher.

Focus on your body, how you feel, and if you can hold that isometric contraction of the target muscle group while releasing tension in all other muscle groups. Do not overly relax
do not overly contract your muscles. find a good posture and settle into it, don't be self conscious about how shallow your posture is. Everyone starts in the same place.

Teaching the nervous system how to relax
and
becoming aware of your body (increasing your kinestetic awareness)

are the main benefits and goals in yoga training. Once you can acheive these, range of motion and strength naturally follow and you will astonish yourself in 6 months time at how much better you will feel having added yoga to your fitness program.

There is a yoga group here on mfp. Join us.

happy training.