I WANT to like yoga, but.....

I love yoga, but not every workout is right for everyone. If you hate it, don't do it.

Interestingly, one of my coworkers who recently got certified likes to do yoga to Metallica. And she used to play Lady Gaga when she would lead a class at work.

I think it's boring too! And kind of girly....

Another of my coworkers was an officer in the Navy and a helicopter pilot and he does yoga every day. There were always men in my classes and NFL and college football players are strongly encouraged to take yoga classes.

I love it, but it's right for ME and I stick to it because I look forward to it daily and get cranky when I miss it! If it's not right for you, move on and do the thing that YOU love!

Btw, I look forward to yoga classes where the teacher has an outstanding playlist.

I have also tried yoga and just couldn't do it, they tell you to focus on your breathing and everytime I tried to do that I would hyper ventilate, don't know why but I just did. And I too think it's boring, zumba on the other hand is such a great work out and lots of fun too.

I fell in love with it when I really focused on it. I do it in a dimly lit room, close dmy eyes and just listen to what the instructor(in my case dvd) tells me to do. I get so focused on the relaxation that sometimes I don't even realize how incredibly far I've put myself into a pose.

Bonus: I am incredibly flexible now and my balance is better than ever.

It not for everyone but some people halfa$$ it and don't get the full experience.

Personally, I'm a yoga fiend, but if you don't like it, don't do it!

That being said, what kind of yoga were you doing? I get bored during hatha yoga classes, and actually sometimes use a short hatha practice to help me fall asleep. However, I do vigorous, challenging ashtanga and vinyasa yoga, and it rocks my socks off! I sweat like crazy, and I'm definitely sore the next day. Plus, I can hold a headstand for two minutes now, and I think that's pretty darn cool!

SO much of a class has to do with the style of yoga - it sounds like you were doing a basic hatha yoga or Iyengar class where the poses are held for a while and there's not a lot of movement or flow.

If you want to move and sweat and challenge yourself, try a flow or vinyasa class. The pace is usually faster, and they're all about about movement and breath. Let me tell you, it sounds a *lot* easier than it is!

I've heard that Bikram yoga will really kick your *kitten* too, although I've never tried it myself (pretty sure I'd get hooked and spend a lot of money and time commuting to a yoga studio).

Then again, I'm a power yoga junkie, so I'm pretty biased.

Hope you find a niche, but it's certainly not for everyone, so don't sweat it if it's not your thing.

I also have to ask if those two classes, years apart, were the same KIND of yoga.

There are so many different kinds, some more challenging than others. Some are about relaxation, stretching and meditation while others really work your muscles and balance.

If it's not for you, it's not. But there is a lot of reason to do it (if it's something you enjoy). Improving your focus, breathing, flexibility, strength and balance improves your form when you do other exercises (especially running!) and therefore helps those exercises be more effective and also reduces the risk of injury.

And if you don't think yoga really works your muscles, take a week off from working out and then do an hour-long power yoga class and see if you can walk the next day. ;-)

^^^^ THIS!

You should try Brian Krest's Power Yoga.

omg. talk about a killer. I couldn't walk right for a near week and I was in child's pose for 1/2 the class! There were a lot of men there too because it's intense.

I'm reading this with interest - our gym has a Dru yoga class, but I've never tried though I am considering it. Is that one of the "power" ones? Thanks!

I'm not sure where you live but in my neighborhood we have dozens of yoga to choose from! Try hot yoga. Bikram is nice but gets boring to me (same 27 poses held statically). I'm in love with hot vinyasa yoga. Try holding downward dog for a minute, moving to plank, sun sal, crescent, warrior and repeat. It'll kick your *kitten* for sure!

I too hated yoga when I first started, it was long and boring. But I kept at it, and while I don't love it, I have learned to appreciate it for its benefits. Once I started to see changes in my ability it wasn't so bad, so my advice is to keep at it for a bit longer, maybe seeing the benefits will help.

NO! i dont do yoga either, i tried one but the intructor said i wasnt in tune with my inner zen! lol! dont do chanting etc! maybe i just went to a bad class? lol

Sounds like you went to a class more focused on the spiritual side than the exercise side.

I love yoga!! I work in a high energy, noisy environment all day M-F, and love the opportunity to just unwind after work and be calm and peaceful (I do primarily restorative/yin yoga). Plus, best of all, it's a great way for me to stretch after a long run -- I feel much more flexible (with less sore muscles), which I think is a benefit to my running. To each their own.

Laura