Feedback on Yoga please!

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Replies

  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    Personally I think Yoga helps me the most in the areas of balance and flexibility.

    Keep doing cardio (for burning calories and building cardiovascular endurance) and weight lifting (to build strength) in addition to your new Yoga program.

    Good luck!
  • underwater77
    underwater77 Posts: 331 Member
    ]You're not going to get "toned" from yoga, nor are you going to necessarily lose weight because of it.

    It IS fantastic for flexibility and part of a program that I follow. That being said, I lift heavy 3 days a week, maintain a deficit, and then do yoga to keep myself bendy and clear.

    ...but don't expect just doing yoga to make you lose weight or get "toned."

    I totally disagree with this statement. But yoga definitely varies by type and instructor and I seek out the challenge. Class leaves me drenched in sweat, winded, strong, and flexible.

    I have always been an athlete - I swam competitively my entire life and have since been active with swimming, spin, and other cardio exercises. I added a challenging Vinyasa Flow 6 days a week for 75 minutes and the change in my body is astounding. We do SO much core work and strength training (push-ups, planks, side planks, sit-ups of many varieties) within the practice. I had a very hard time getting weight off until I started practicing regularly, then the pounds started coming off significantly - where I needed them to. My heart rate sky rockets in class. It is by far the most challenging workout that I do, hands down.

    I also definitely think the balancing poses add to strength of the core as it is your core that allows you to balance in some of the challenging balancing poses, and nothing else.

    But far beyond those benefits, it has truly changed my outlook on life. I have allowed the practice to seep into other aspects of my life. My sleep is improved tenfold, my attitude is positive, and it truly did have such a positive impact on my life that I cannot imagine my life without it. I break the bank to be able to continue at my studio and it's worth every single cent.

    Anyway, I cannot speak highly enough about the benefits of yoga and I do hope that you give it a whirl, OP! The benefits are difficult to articulate fully.
  • vanessamcinnis
    vanessamcinnis Posts: 204 Member
    Thank you so much for your feedback everyone :) I'm doing a 30 day trial so I'll see how it goes. I went to my first class yesterday. It's not really my thing and I'm pretty out of my comfort zone haha. But I'm going to keep going and try different yoga classes. I don't have a ton of weight to lose or anything....like I said before I'm only 4 pounds away from this years goal. I've already lost about 21 pounds. I'm a lot happier with my body now and do have some muscle definition. I find my back and legs have the most muscle now I was just stating that my stomach is the hardest to lose haha. I am pretty active. I exercise 6 days a week my rest day is on Saturdays. I do weights 3 times a week and run for a half hour on opposite days. I was just reading all the benefits of Yoga and they seem amazing and so positive I think it would help with my stress. I'm hoping I will enjoy yoga when I try it out more...My plan is to continue with my weight training and hopefully do yoga on my opposite days. Again thanks for the feedback :)
  • InnLim
    InnLim Posts: 2
    I was doing yoga 3 times a week and felt fit and toned. I really enjoyed the yoga sessions and got a lot of benefit out of them. Recently, my life got hectic and I stopped going for classes. 2-3 months down the road, my body feels flabby, I don't feel so fit and I really miss my yoga classes. So, yes, yoga certainly tones the body up


    www.fatlossyoga.net
  • caramelgyrlk
    caramelgyrlk Posts: 1,112 Member
    Yoga is great for strength.....however, I really do it for the flow, the movement and the enjoyment. More than flexibility, more than cardio, and even more than strength, I think that yoga is beneficial for mobility, keeping all of your joints functioning through their optimal range of motion. Doing weights improves my yoga experience, but I also can't do weights as often because I take a strenuous yoga class, so there's a bit of tradeoff, a tradeoff in which yoga wins out because I enjoy it.

    THIS....I take it 2 times a week and I love it.
  • Greywalk
    Greywalk Posts: 193 Member
    Multiple ways of yoga. I use yoga primarily for flexibility and relaxation. However there is a yoga whose primary focus is weight loss. I don't do that one. I am 57 so flexibility is important to me. However that said there is benefit in the weight loss area of all types. Encourage you to research first, visit studios and do not commit until you find one that exactly fits you and whose teacher is encouraging and supportive.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    There are different styles of yoga; you should research them and decide on which one meets your goals.

    Exactly that.

    Ashtanga is different to Yin is different to Shivananda is different to Iyengar is different to Bikram.... etc etc.

    Look into the different forms, pick one that meets your needs and find a good instructor.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    ]You're not going to get "toned" from yoga, nor are you going to necessarily lose weight because of it.

    It IS fantastic for flexibility and part of a program that I follow. That being said, I lift heavy 3 days a week, maintain a deficit, and then do yoga to keep myself bendy and clear.

    ...but don't expect just doing yoga to make you lose weight or get "toned."

    I totally disagree with this statement. But yoga definitely varies by type and instructor and I seek out the challenge. Class leaves me drenched in sweat, winded, strong, and flexible.

    I have always been an athlete - I swam competitively my entire life and have since been active with swimming, spin, and other cardio exercises. I added a challenging Vinyasa Flow 6 days a week for 75 minutes and the change in my body is astounding. We do SO much core work and strength training (push-ups, planks, side planks, sit-ups of many varieties) within the practice. I had a very hard time getting weight off until I started practicing regularly, then the pounds started coming off significantly - where I needed them to. My heart rate sky rockets in class. It is by far the most challenging workout that I do, hands down.

    I also definitely think the balancing poses add to strength of the core as it is your core that allows you to balance in some of the challenging balancing poses, and nothing else.

    But far beyond those benefits, it has truly changed my outlook on life. I have allowed the practice to seep into other aspects of my life. My sleep is improved tenfold, my attitude is positive, and it truly did have such a positive impact on my life that I cannot imagine my life without it. I break the bank to be able to continue at my studio and it's worth every single cent.

    Anyway, I cannot speak highly enough about the benefits of yoga and I do hope that you give it a whirl, OP! The benefits are difficult to articulate fully.

    That's all well and good but most yoga forms are nowhere near as challenging as Ashtanga or Bikram.

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