So, I HAD to do Yoga...

jezingmark05 · March 2020

Y'all, I am not flexible, so doing yoga is NOT fun for me. I have been working out hard for a few weeks straight now (5-6 days at a time with 1-2 rest days in between) and had high hopes for a total body strength/heavy weights day today.

However, I just couldn't do it. I was feeling way to tight and felt like I might hurt something if I pushed through. So, I did about 60 min of an intense Yoga session. I fumbled and bumbled along since I'm not flexible and my balance isn't great, but hopefully it was worth it. I still got my sweat on and am now feeling fairly loose.

I know Yoga is still exercise, but for me it almost seems like taking a day off. Its frustrating when I want to go hard, but can't. I have high fitness goals and want to be able to push through. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go and make up for my lost strength training day tomorrow.

angelcollinson · March 2020

Sometimes your body needs a break. I think it is really good that you listened to what your body was telling you. Its not worth an injury b/c that would only prevent you from reaching your goals.

alexmose · March 2020

I am the same way as you. I HATE Yoga, but I am super inflexible. I TRIED to incorporate it in my first week at home, but only made it through 70 total minutes this week ( 1 60 min session and half a 20 mins session). It is my goal to try and stretch, foam roll, and YOGA a bit more over the next couple weeks.

I also love strength training. 5-6 days a week with a rest day every 5th day. I do upper/lower/upper/lower/rest, rinse and repeat. Walking and hiking while it's nice out

home workouts are kicking my butt!!

BZAH10 · March 2020

I've learned there's a reason yoga is called a "practice". I'm flexible but I struggle with balance. I've been attending yoga classes for a few years now, but until I paid strict attention to form (instead of just trying to make my poses look like everyone else's) I couldn't see or feel a physical difference.

Yoga takes precision and consistency. Keep at it and you'll get more flexible. If you're just starting though, learning without a teacher present is difficult but can be done. I much prefer going to the actual studio but lots of people succeed with online classes.

Also, you can do a couple yoga poses and/or stretches after your heavy lifting sessions. Regularity will help your progress.

jezingmark05 · March 2020

@BZAH10 I think thats good advice. Thanks. I don't know if I would ever be brave enough to do yoga in a studio, that might be hilarious

(not that we need to worry about that right now with the quarantine).

@alexmose How are you dealing with not having a gym to to do your strength training (assuming your gym is closed). Do you have a good bit of at home equipment?

jezingmark05 · March 2020

miss_zita_2020 wrote: »

It made me laugh when you said “by doing yoga it seems like you’re taking the day off” 😂😂😂
Don’t give up and keep practicing......and when you feel like giving up.....think about the benefits!

@miss_zita_2020 Sorry, No offense to all the Yoga lovers out there. I'm actually jealous

mi_nina_lola · March 2020

you may consider doing beginner poses to start off with. going from never doing it previously to going straight full throttle into advanced mode will only make you frustrated and tentative to go further. there are plenty of beginner poses to start off with. yoga is an essential part of my day, mentally and physically, even though i do not in any way consider myself a pro. search youtube videos to check out, with regards to your current abilities. this is where you need to begin,as everything is a learning curve.

lorrpb · March 2020

I wouldn’t suggest starting with an intense 60 min yoga session anymore than I recommend starting any other activity with an intense 60 min session. My body always has a negative reaction to sudden changes. It’s ok to phase in more gradually, and often better. Just sayin.

jezingmark05 · March 2020

lorrpb wrote: »

I wouldn’t suggest starting with an intense 60 min yoga session anymore than I recommend starting any other activity with an intense 60 min session. My body always has a negative reaction to sudden changes. It’s ok to phase in more gradually, and often better. Just sayin.

Trust me, I was modifying quite a bit. I also have yoga blocks and many times I was doubling up those suckers, so I wouldn't have to bend over so far

alexmose · March 2020

jezingmark05 wrote: »

@BZAH10 I think thats good advice. Thanks. I don't know if I would ever be brave enough to do yoga in a studio, that might be hilarious (not that we need to worry about that right now with the quarantine).

@alexmose How are you dealing with not having a gym to to do your strength training (assuming your gym is closed). Do you have a good bit of at home equipment?

Hi! So I have a couple of resistance bands, the flimsy kind as 2 out of 5 snapped already

, one set of adjustable dumbbells with the weight selection of two 7.5klb and two 2.5lb weights, a chair, a 20lb suitcase full of shoes, a backpack to fill with books which can get Up to 20lbs, and 2 books I use for elevated heel squats. I also have a shower towel and a foam roller and a jump rope I have not touched. So, not much but it’s all about volume here. My hour workouts are now 1.5, yes I take some long breaks between sets. And my sets are now circuits, training antagonist muscles. I miss the gym and the weights like everyone else, but I’d love to come out of this with abs 😂 how about you?

Chieflrg · March 2020

Not knocking yoga in the least, but if you feel that nervous about perceived tightness or injury I would strongly suggest using a template with auto regulation and appropriate volume for recovery.

Might also consider how effective your warm up is for strength training.

Djproulx · March 2020

jezingmark05 wrote: »

Y'all, I am not flexible, so doing yoga is NOT fun for me. I have been working out hard for a few weeks straight now (5-6 days at a time with 1-2 rest days in between) and had high hopes for a total body strength/heavy weights day today.

However, I just couldn't do it. I was feeling way to tight and felt like I might hurt something if I pushed through. So, I did about 60 min of an intense Yoga session. I fumbled and bumbled along since I'm not flexible and my balance isn't great, but hopefully it was worth it. I still got my sweat on and am now feeling fairly loose.

I know Yoga is still exercise, but for me it almost seems like taking a day off. Its frustrating when I want to go hard, but can't. I have high fitness goals and want to be able to push through. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go and make up for my lost strength training day tomorrow.

@jezingmark05 - I can identify with your lack of enthusiasm for practicing yoga, since that was my opinion when I first started. I also share your enthusiasm for fitness, since my typical training week includes 8-12 hours of endurance work over 6 days.

About five years ago, my tri coach told me that I "have the flexiblity of a stale pretzel" and suggested yoga as a supplement to my strength work. I approached yoga with my typically competitive mindset and struggled to achieve many of the poses requiring balance and/or flexibility. This bothered me and my reaction was to "push harder", which of course led nowhere.

It was only after being sidelined for a year due to chronic lower back and achilles pain that I finally started to "get it" regarding yoga. My MD said that I should consider a regular yoga practice as a lifelong prescription from him that would allow me to continue training and racing into old age (I'm 62 yrs old now, so I"m there, lol)

I started to attend studio sessions regularly and noticed that my flexibility and balance began to improve (slowly) and my muscles responded better to the next day's workout (swimming, cycling, running). Eventually, I also started to see another benefit that really surprised me. As much as the physical benefits, I found that I was really seeing an improved sense of well being that came from yoga. Once I got over the "push harder" mindset and realized that the idea is just to take whatever my body is ready to do on a particular day, I began to see the benefits of able to simply breathe through discomfort.

I now look forward to yoga as a great recovery tool for the higher intensity sessions in my weekly schedule.

Good luck in your training.

J72FIT · March 2020

I do yoga every day. it has enhanced all my other fitness aspirations...

RunnerGirl238 · March 2020

jezingmark05 wrote: »

Y'all, I am not flexible, so doing yoga is NOT fun for me. I have been working out hard for a few weeks straight now (5-6 days at a time with 1-2 rest days in between) and had high hopes for a total body strength/heavy weights day today.

However, I just couldn't do it. I was feeling way to tight and felt like I might hurt something if I pushed through. So, I did about 60 min of an intense Yoga session. I fumbled and bumbled along since I'm not flexible and my balance isn't great, but hopefully it was worth it. I still got my sweat on and am now feeling fairly loose.

I know Yoga is still exercise, but for me it almost seems like taking a day off. Its frustrating when I want to go hard, but can't. I have high fitness goals and want to be able to push through. Hopefully, I'll be ready to go and make up for my lost strength training day tomorrow.

I do yoga for other reasons beyond flexibility. I find that it helps with my lung capacity for running. I also do it cause I have terribly tight hamstrings and hip flexors from running. I also think it helps me be mindful of my posture. I do count it as a rest day activity though. Is ski do really love some poses- all the warrior variations, pigeon pose, cobra, downward facing dog, and various twists feel downright heavenly. That said, 60 minutes of yoga sound pretty boring (sorry yoga friends!) I’d rather run any day...which clearly isn’t good to do daily either.

Keep doing what you’re doing

So, I HAD to do Yoga...

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