Anyone ever tried yoga?

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brookeliz92
brookeliz92 Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The only workout I can stand it running and walking my dog, but yoga seems pretty interesting and I heard it's very toning. Has anyone ever tried it and gotten good results?

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  • Wildstorms
    Wildstorms Posts: 72 Member
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    I haven't, but I liked the look of the Plyo advertised after the insanity workout.
  • madammags
    madammags Posts: 97 Member
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    Yoga is a very old tradition and as such, there is a HUGE variety of styles available. Much will also depend on the teacher. Some retain a strong connection to the spiritual side of yoga, others focus more on the physical.
    Likewise, some styles focus mostly on holding postures and really working into each posture while others change more frequently (e.g. on each breath). It can be very relaxing or a really taxing workout (e.g. holding a half-moon pose for a full minute takes some leg muscle).
    So whether yoga will do what you want depends hugely on the teacher and style.

    For me, I first tried yoga as a teen and have kept coming back to it over the years (same as weight training). I've never done it as my main workout/exercise, but some styles would be suitable for that. I find it complements things like running and weight training really well, stretching out muscles and slowing down to really feel what's going on in my body (you can practise being mindful in other exercise forms as well, but I just find yoga lends itself to mindfulness).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    as has been mentioned, there are numerous yoga styles so you're going to have to do some research there to find what you are looking for.

    I've been practicing Kundalini Yoga off and on for a couple of years; I use yoga more to address the mental and spiritual aspects of health and well being than the physical. this particular style focuses more on the spiritual and philosophical aspect and includes meditation and chanting.

    I also do some general Hatha Yoga for flexibility and whatnot
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
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    I am about to start my first ever yoga class on Sunday.
    I am looking at it as more of a flexibility and balance class than strength training. But I do think it will probably help me retain the muscle that I have.

    Cheers, h.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    Yes, yoga is an awesome workout. There are different types, so it is worth doing some research to try different kinds.

    I have a connection to a group that does online courses and they have a 14 day free trial. I don’t want to promote here, but I can give you the link if you’ll message me.

    Allan Misner
    NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
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    As mentioned by others, "yoga" in general is too diverse a term to recommend as a means for toning or fitness without any other details. I've done lots of classes and some of them, such as the Hatha class I tried last year, focus more on breathing, relaxation and meditation rather than on stretching/toning. I typically do Vinyasa, which might be a bit more "power". I recently did a Yin Yoga class (I think that's the name) and we held deep stretches for 3 minutes to the point that I could hardly move my body.

    FYI, my 48 yr old sister in law has done 90 min Ashtanga yoga most days for many years now (at decade, maybe?). She has developed gorgeous muscle definition with outstanding flexibility and balance. Interestingly, she has started to incorporate a bit of intensive cardio (biking hills) because she finds her fitness to be weak.

    So - if you are doing the right types of yoga (and they vary from instructor to instructor, too), it could be great. Look around to find something suitable to your taste and needs. See the free yoga site "DoYogaWithMe", which is lots of fun to try.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Agree with the pp - there's such a variety of styles. I practice 3-5 times a week as a complement to my other training. I do yin and vinyasa. I've found that they have improved my flexibility and balance, as well as my general body awareness/alignment which is then helpful for my other activities. I'm already strong from my other training but vinyasa contributes I'm sure. It's also helped my chronic shoulder and neck tightness and tension headaches. Yoga could be used as strength training, particularly if you were doing more a more active style. Classes vary considerably, so find an instructor you like.
  • TruRB18
    TruRB18 Posts: 1 Member
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    I can tell my my wife is crazy into yoga. 5 times a day in fact. 1 or 2 days out of the week ill go with her on my rest day to just stretch out my muscles an relax. An while its no walk in the park i love it
  • mtbiker1069
    mtbiker1069 Posts: 62 Member
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    Yoga kicks my butt... In a good way. Very good for core strength, which is why I suck at it...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    TruRB18 wrote: »
    I can tell my my wife is crazy into yoga. 5 times a day in fact. 1 or 2 days out of the week ill go with her on my rest day to just stretch out my muscles an relax. An while its no walk in the park i love it

    5x per day?

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