Yoga

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♥Violette♥4Ever♥
♥Violette♥4Ever♥ Posts: 457 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was just talking to a co-worker about yoga. She loves it and says it has improved her running time and has helped her sleep better? Anyone know anything about yoga and what the benefits are to your body and how many calories it burns?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Replies

  • jhackenmueller
    jhackenmueller Posts: 29
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    I'm starting my first yoga class tomorrow actually.. I heard it helps a lot!
  • catherine1979
    catherine1979 Posts: 704 Member
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    I'm going back to my first class tonight after several years' hiatus. When I practiced regularly, I felt stronger, my body was leaner, I had no back pain, and I slept better. Any kind of exercise is good for you but yoga, for me at least, is sort of an all-in-one package: you get strength and cardio exercise, you are stretching, and you relax.
  • marieisthecool
    marieisthecool Posts: 46 Member
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    I do bikram yoga, and it is an amazing, full body workout. it improves wellness in your body and mind. I never got in to regular yoga like the kind you can just buy a dvd for and do at home, but I'm obsessed with bikram
  • jeffjonesrock
    jeffjonesrock Posts: 5
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    Yoga is absolutely amazing for your body, mind, and spirit! I have been doing yoga for about 6 years on and off now, and I must say that when I keep up with it...I tend to feel better than ever. It is a great stress reliever (which also makes it easier to sleep at night), and keeps your muscles very comfortable...along with a ton of other great physiological benefits.

    Check out this page here, a good description:

    77 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga
    http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/24/77-surprising-health-benefits-of-yoga/

    Enjoy!
  • Meg28
    Meg28 Posts: 59
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    Yoga is great for you! There are many different types, but essentially they all help you build strong muscles, improve flexibility, work on posture, and focus on breathing/relaxation. I would not think of it as a calorie burning activity. I'm sure it does burn calories and that will vary depending on practice, but think of it more as something else to do that is good for your body in addition to your regular cardio/calorie burning activities. You'll feel good and want to be healthier! Enjoy!
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    I started doing yoga regularly about a month ago because I've had anxiety issues that caused me to have shortness of breath for most of the day. Needless to say, I have been breathing normally for a couple of weeks now! It feels so good to be able to breathe after months of thinking I had asthma problems. Granted, I'm also talking to a counselor twice a month, but yoga IS helping due to the relaxing stretches and breathing exercises.

    I perform yoga routines that are more suited for anxiety and back pain problems, but I still feel great and I definitely think it is helping me get leaner. I don't do it as much since I started a more intense workout routine each week, but I am at least doing it twice a week and it is still benefitting me greatly.

    Yoga for Beginners by Barbara Benagh is probably one of the best places to start! I have three of her DVDs and she's just fantastic! I also recently bought a book, but I'm afraid to mention it on here for fear of "advertising?" Anyway, if you have anymore questions, feel free to message or friend request me! I still consider myself a newbie at yoga. :-)
  • marieisthecool
    marieisthecool Posts: 46 Member
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    Yoga is absolutely amazing for your body, mind, and spirit! I have been doing yoga for about 6 years on and off now, and I must say that when I keep up with it...I tend to feel better than ever. It is a great stress reliever (which also makes it easier to sleep at night), and keeps your muscles very comfortable...along with a ton of other great physiological benefits.

    Check out this page here, a good description:

    77 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga
    http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/24/77-surprising-health-benefits-of-yoga/

    Enjoy!
    thanks for the link. it's a good list!
  • yoginimary
    yoginimary Posts: 6,786 Member
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    Yoga is great, but it doesn't burn that many calories.

    It does help some people lose weight because of an increased awareness.

    There are many different kinds of yoga, so try many different classes before deciding which is right for you.
    Enjoy.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    There are loads of different forms of yoga. Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga etc etc etc. They are all very difference hence what you get out of them will be quite different. Some are more meditative, some are more strength building, some use props, some are relaxing – some less so, some will develop flexibility more than others.

    One generalisation that can be made is that any form of yoga is best instructed by a proper yoga teacher and not by a gym PT doing generic yoga as part of some overall one-size-fits-all package they deliver to everyone. If you feel you can’t get to a proper instructed class and want to get a DVD, you're best advised to get one from from an acknowledged yoga master for example David Swenson etc. not some random celebrity.
  • ♥Violette♥4Ever♥
    ♥Violette♥4Ever♥ Posts: 457 Member
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    Wow! Thank you for all the responses :-) I will have to do some research it seems.
  • joenstefanie51609
    joenstefanie51609 Posts: 12
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    Thanks for asking I was also curious about Yoga.
  • ♥Violette♥4Ever♥
    ♥Violette♥4Ever♥ Posts: 457 Member
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    Thanks for asking I was also curious about Yoga.

    Your very welcome.
  • clb51
    clb51 Posts: 23 Member
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    I have practiced yoga off and on for about 15 years. I love all kinds of exercise but there is nothing like yoga. I am now taking a yoga fit class 3 times a week and have worn a heart rate monitor to get an idea of calories burned. I average about 350-360 calories a session (70 min) I am 59 and It is amazing how my balance, flexibility and strength has improved in just a few months. I'm glad to see there is other interested people on the forum.
  • marieisthecool
    marieisthecool Posts: 46 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/155909-bikram-success?page=1#posts-2100356

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