Talk me into yoga please

[Jmangel]

Please help motivate me to do yoga - I am notoriously stiff and have really tight hamstrings due to a mild scoliosis but I have attempted a 10 minute yoga routine on YouTube and really enjoyed it. It was a combination of mountain, cactus, chamarama sp?, upward, downward dog and warrior 1 and 2.
Can you recommend a good YouTube workout that's similar to these poses but maybe 20-30 min and builds on these kind of poses?
Also, what benefits do you get from yoga? I'm looking to feel more energetic, strong and toned - don't want to lose weight necessarily. Can yoga fully replace cardio?
Also, do you have any tips for finding time for it - I think I know I need to set my alarm 30 mins earlier so please give me a kick up the bum!

[carrie74]

Yoga With Adriene is lovely, she's funny, kind, and has hundreds of You Tube videos, plus every January she does a 31 days of yoga programme which you'd also still be able to access for free.

I started yogaing Jan 16 to compliment other exercise (weights/circuits and some half hearted occasional running). I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I do, and am more flexible than I was (hamstrings still tight, but can definitely do more than I could when I started!). I find it relaxing, and it's the only exercise that feels like me time rather than another chore that needs doing.

Timing, I go to classes, or at home I'll just fit it in, evenings before dinner at the weekend, sometimes in the morning. Good luck, let us know how you're getting on.

[Jmangel]

Thanks Carrie - really helpful. Will check out Adrienne as I don't feel good enough for a class plus don't really have time to spare to factor in travel time - was hoping to do it before DDs get up - going to set alarm for 6 tomorrow - am also hoping that this new morning routine will encourage me to forgo weekend glasses of wine and encourage an earlier pampering bedtime as I find if I exercise regularly, I'm more motivated to exfoliate, shave, lotion up etc!

[Singingforsanity]

Bit late to the party here but are there any intro to yoga type courses near you? I've recently fallen in love with yoga after doing one of these! I'm unfit, always shy away from exercise or sport but loved this as everyone was a beginner, there were no experts aside from the teacher! It was also a small class so it was great to have individual attention and advice specific to our own needs/injuries etc. Have since graduated to the beginner class and loving it!

[phoolani]

I have AS so really need to do yoga but find it so...boring. Except for hot yoga which unfortunately I no longer live near enough to a studio to do. I 'splashed out' on the Yoga Studio app (4 quid I think) and I must say it's really working. I started with the 10 minute beginner routines - even I can be bored for ten minutes, right? - and have progressed to the longer ones. I'm really impressed with it.

[Spam88]

I really like YogaTX on YouTube. Cole is my favourite, although I haven't actually watched any of the others... There's a mix of levels, including plenty of videos for beginners. There a some full body videos or ones that target particular problem areas (back pain, headaches, stretches for runners etc). Most videos are around 30 minutes but there are some shorter or longer ones.

[sniffle12]

Definitely Yoga with Adriene, she's really gentle and encouraging. The benefits as I see them are keeping flexible (and by that I don't mean like - being super bendy as I also have very tight hamstrings - just more, keeping my joints mobile and keeping supple), and also the mental benefits - it really relaxes me and clears my head.

Adriene has a very relaxing voice and a much nicer/tidier house than I do so I like being able to pretend I live there instead

[FedUpWithBriiiiiick]

I supplement my weekly gentle yoga class with Yoga With Adrienne.

A gentle class is great - mat-based, pose-led, no competitiveness, lots of folks with mobility issues (not that that's a great thing, it just reflects the inclusiveness/benefits of the class IYKWIM).

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

can I beg for a recommendation for something that's even gentler than Yoga with Adrienne? I have fibromalgyia, but also a LOT of joint pain, and I'm so stiff I can't manage even the sitting cross legged at the start of Adrienne's 30 days thing. I got to day 4, and had to give up as my wrists can't hold me up, and being on hands and knees hurts my knees too much .

Maybe I'm looking for something chair-based? I do like Adrienne though, does she do something aimed at people who are too bad for even complete beginner classes?

TIA

[sniffle12]

Adriene does do a range of videos outside of the 30 day challenges of which some may be suitable, one particularly gentle one that comes to mind is her Yoga for Period Pain which was incredibly gentle but amazing for the pain.

A few searches for terms like 'yoga for arthritis' 'yoga for seniors' and 'very gentle yoga' bring up a good few results on YouTube. Sorry not implying by that that you are senior at all!! Just thought they may be terms which would throw up a more gentle session

[sexymuthafunker]

Placemarking

[SwimmingInTheDeepBlueSea]

Sniffle - it's probably best to find a good yoga teacher and start with a proper class. My yoga teacher runs one specifically for people with severe mobility / physical problems. There are also a few of us with physical​ issues in the normal beginners one. She's very good at discretely giving modifications to those that need it and knows what is safe to try and what isn't for your specific issues.