Yoga fail
Steven has been encouraging me to try yoga for quite some time. He follows the P90X yoga workout, and really enjoys how relaxed and flexible it makes him feel. He thinks I could use a little calm in my life. I think I could use some flexibility. So I gave it a try yesterday.
Kim = yoga FAIL
I made it 20 minutes into the 90 minute workout and decided I had had one too many downward dogs. I gave it a rest for another 25 minutes until the “pose” section started, and tried some of those stretches. I couldn’t do all of them – it still kicked my butt.
Now, I realize a 90 minute yoga workout is not the best place to start. Maybe someday I can move up to that! For now, does anyone have advice on beginner’s yoga? Any good books, DVD’s, websites? Please keep in mind, my cash is muchos limited.
I really want to get into yoga so I CAN use it as another means to relax and focus, and also gain some flexibility.
Themocracy
I suggest Windsor Pilates. You get a better stretch than yoga and you don’t have to do weird poses. I can do Pilates. I cannot do Yoga!
Hey, I’m getting rid of most of my DVDs because they won’t work where I’m moving. Email me your addy and I’ll mail you the beginner yoga/pilates dvd I have. The woman on it is a little annoying, so I usually mute her, but she’s easy on the downward dog.
I got my start doing yoga at my local community college, good classes and they were usually much cheaper that the yoga “studios”. You could check out some around you.
The P90X yoga irritates the heck out of me. Look at these: http://product.half.ebay.com/Total-Yoga-4-Pack_W0QQprZ45549464QQtgZinfo
you can start easy, then work your way up – or the one total one is excellent too. It’s easy and challenging at the same time. AND relaxing – I never found the P90X yoga relaxing.
Overall I’m not a big yoga fan anyway, but that series is good – the total one (not water earth or fire) is my favorite.
I’ve been doing yoga since October and I still hate downward facing dog. That’s supposed to be the relaxation pose in some styles of yoga. Yeah, my ass it is. I’d just as soon do tree pose for relaxation as do a DFD. Damn.
I don’t do yoga, but I’ve heard good things about the free downloads on iTunes and “Yoga for Runners”.
When I start a new workout video, I usually just do as much as I can the first day, then each successive day I add a bit more, until I’ve got the whole thing down. The first time through should probably be filmed for AFV, as I usually haven’t got a clue what I’m doing, but by the time I get to the end, I’ve usually got that first part down cold!
I’m with Kyra–the Total Yoga Flow series is one of my faves. The “Earth” video is perfect for beginners!
I meant to do yoga last night but was totally worn out after dinner, so…you had a better yoga routine than me! :p
Downward dog gets me too. My arms get SUPER tired!
I take a 50 minute yoga class at the gym I belong to, its always a little different, which I like, and the instructor isn’t hardcore about yoga by any means.
Have you checked out yogadownloads.com? They have free 20 minute sessions that you can download and you can download a pose guide as well.
Hope that helps!
I find yoga on video to be hard, because you have no clue if you’re doing it right or not, plus you have to keep looking up to watch the screen.
Google some yoga classes in your area. Guaranteed there are some free or donation classses somewhere. We have several here, where you pay $5 or whatever you can afford.
awww!!!! you didn’t fail!!! i have an excellent yoga dvd at home that i love!!! it has 4 different people you can watch all at once, or just one at a time, all at different “levels”… but i can’t think of the name right now cause i’m cool like that!!! i’ll be back with it though!!!!
think of it like this, when you first started running did you think i failed cause i can’t run a half marathon? (or hell for me it would be, i failed cause i couldn’t even run to the end of the driveway!!!) i know you can do this!!! and maybe you posted this cause i needed to read it… i could use some calm in my life too… and yoga really helped me with that!!!
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ah ha!!!! i love google!!!! the dvd is Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss with Suzanne Deason… amazon has it for $8.99… i would burn you a copy, which i tried to do for mom, and it was going to take 4 damn dvd’s!! i have no idea how since it all comes on one but that is my recommendation!!!
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It does sound like you jumped into a “class” that was too advanced. I am not one for solo yoga at home as I enjoy the class experience so I’m no help on tips where that is concerned but I really do think if you started out at a beginner’s level with something like a “gentle flow” that’d be better.
I hope you grow to enjoy it!
I just tried a yoga video yesterday and HATED it so I won’t suggest it. In my case I am not sure if it was the DVD or me though. I may just not be a yoga person? Even though I really want to be!
I have Yoga envy. I tried it years and pounds ago and couldn’t do it then. Let us know what you get so maybe I can try it again…wathing me trying yoga is pure comedy! =)
I’ve been wanting to try yoga, too. Let me know if you find a good beginner DVD!!!
I would suggest a beginner Yoga class at the local Y or park district. One thing tha tI can also think of is renting some Yoga DVDs at the library so you can test them out before you commit to buying them.
I wish I knew of some good, cheap yoga videos…I’m at a loss! I took my first Yoga class at the Y – it was pretty cheap – and LOVED my instructor. Here lately I’ve been trying yogadownload.com. Some of the 20 minute downloads are free – 90 minutes is insane! I hope to get to that point one day. 🙂
Denise Austin’s voice is incredibly annoying but if you put her on mute, she has some great yoga videos. They really make the you work up a sweat!
i agree w/robin a bit – i COULD NOT do straight yoga when i got into it, but a yoga/pilates blend worked out great for me. not as intense w/the flexibility and DWDs, but still a nice (relaxing!) work out w/great core work. i have some random generic “beginners yoga” dvd and it’s pretty good too – i’d say any non-super-intense-crazy yoga dvd would be a good start!
The only yoga I’ve ever done was on the Wii Fit. I didn’t mind it. I like Pilates better, though. Except for a few Pilates moves, that is.
I never have dome yoga, but I think you may have gone out the gate a little to quickly. Slow down and I am sure you will be relaxin in no time.
I’ve never tried yoga, so I have no advice to give you, but I’m thinking of taking yoga classes in college, so I’m really interested in all the other people’s responses! Thanks for postng this!
Rodney Yee has a bunch of yoga dvds, and several beginners or AM workouts. He’s really mellow. He can do really advanced yoga too, so read the descriptions. I find him easy to follow though.
Check out your local library, and its network (online you can often request items from other libraries and have them delivered to yours for pickup). I bet they’ll have some yoga videos/dvds and that way you can try some out for free.
It can also help to look at books with good photos of the poses to help you understand them more if you’re not taking classes. (or even if you decide to).
Robin – Steven and I have been trying to figure out what the difference is between yoga and pilates (of course, without any research). I looked up Windsor Pilates briefly and did not find much, but maybe pilates is the path I should follow…
Jen512 – Aww, thanks! I will send you my address! I tried yoga once in college and got a really bad migraine. I was looking at a community class here though. I just hate committing to classes. How awful is that? We even have them in my building. Maybe that is more feasible since I am already AT work…
Kyra – Thanks for the recommendation. I would like to find one that is relaxing. Because I need another relaxation method.
kapgar – LOL. Somehow, blood rushing to my head DOES NOT relax me. Hmm, who wouldn’t thunk it? 😛
Mica – I have heard about Yoga for Runners too! I looked at it briefly and the lady seemed pretty cheesy, but maybe I should give it another glance 😉
Odie – LOL. I think I could have been on AFV. I was having a hard time looking at the screen while doing downward dog. I kept getting behind!
diane – Hopefully I will find a good cd for beginnings that helps me use yoga to relax… and maybe even do it before bed? Hmm. Right now, if I was worn out, it would be the last thing I would think about doing!
Julia – I am going to check out the website! Thanks! I wonder if we did this for a long time if it wouldn’t tire us anymore. Hmm. I am really envious of the super flexible girl in the P90X video. Damn.
Amy – That is the same problem I was having! And I even had my husband there to guide me as well. Hmm. That is a good idea. I know they have free yoga in Chicago, but on the weekends. Hmm.
CourtneyInControl – You’re so uplifting! Thanks! So, are you going to do your yoga video tonight? 😉 I will see if my library has the DVD you recommended!
sizzle – I think I would like a class better too. And I would be more likely to do it!
tori – I think we are having the same problem. It’s not the yoga, it’s US 😉
Jo – I will keep you updated, if I make it anywhere! Hee hee 😉
nancypants – I will!
Christina – I think that IS what I will do. I don’t want to invest in something then not use it. Ugh. I hate wasting money.
Holly – 20 minutes sounds like a better start! 😉 And I have been meaning to check out our Y!
Emma – Cool! Thanks for the tip!
Alice – I need a yoga DVD that’s title “Non-Super-Intense-Crazy Yoga for beginners”! LOL!
Erin – I have been wanting to try Wii Fit. I can’t believe it has been out for so long and I haven’t tried it! You will have to tell me what you like better about pilates during our run this week 😉
Tony – I hope so. I hope so 😉
Sophia – It would be so fun to take them in college, either as a class or an extracurricular. I hope you get to!
claire – I think it would be a good idea to look at pics of the poses before hand. Then when I get to class or watch a video I won’t feel so lost! I have tried to do interlibrary loan from my library, but it never works. I need to try it again 😉
Libraries don’t always let everything in their collections go out for InterLibrary Loan. I was thinking more of a network your library might be part of where different branches share materials. It’s easier to get stuff that way than through ILL.
I’m a big fan of the Gaiam yoga for beginners videos – especially those featuring Rodney Yee. Easy, gentle, good for beginners, and then as you get better, you can progress to different levels…
claire – That is what I was thinking of when I said ILL. I think my library is supposed to be linked with all of the ones in our county, or maybe even Chicagoland area! That is a lot of material! If I could just figure out how to get it to work…
suze – That sounds like a good program. Then, if I ever get better (ha!) I can move forward to the next level!
ooh sorry, how did I miss this post. I like Denise Austin’s yoga dvds. Plus a beginner’s yoga class would be a good place to start, but I know you’re pressed for time most days. So try a DVD. Those Downward Dogs are the best! : )
Gina (Mannyed) – I think I am going to look at the library next weekend (that is the first opportunity I have, can you believe it?!). For now, I think I will try the free yoga websites.
[…] second time was years later, and I was trying P90X yoga with my husband. It’s an hour and a half long – and it’s intense. I lasted about 20 minutes then […]