Should I give yoga another try?

[Eng2345]

A couple of years ago I tried a bit of yoga but never really got into it , I enjoyed it but I guess wasn’t motivated enough to carry on! Should I try again? How often do you practice and how long for? What are the main benefits you find?

[nicecoldwinterday]

Yoga teacher here 👋
What are you looking to achieve from it?
Purely fitness and flexibility? Or mental health benefits/relaxation too, maybe incorporating mindfulness and breathwork (pranayama)?
My advice would be to try a few teachers and styles who fit what your needs are... There's plenty on offer.
A regular practice will bring the biggest transformation - perhaps look for a weekly class and try to do at least 5-10 minutes a day a few times a week in addition.

[Backtobacktheyfacedeachother]

I do yoga with Adriene vids on YouTube. I do it 3 times a week. I have done classes in the past and dipped in & out of yoga over the years but have been doing it regularly now for several months. She has loads of videos from 15 mins to full on hour sessions. I just completed her 30 day ‘home’ video series. Benefits - I now have killer arm, leg and stomach muscles without feeling like Ive been doing workouts. I feel more relaxed and not as stressed. If I have a stressful day in work I think ‘I can’t wait to do yoga’, in the past it would have been ‘I can’t wait to stop on the way home and buy wine’. Try it, what have you got to lose? If it’s not for you it’s no big deal.

Try a short one

30 day series
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLui6Eyny-UzzFFfpiil94CUrWKVMaqmkm

[nicecoldwinterday]

Oh, you asked about the benefits. My entry point was to help manage stress and many years later (after leaving the stressful job I'd been doing), I trained as a yoga teacher.
The strength, balance and flexibility which come with are extra benefits for me, especially as I grow older.
It's wonderful to see the difference it can make to people.

[ShiningGonnaShine]

I've always dabbled in a bit of yoga here and there... I really enjoy the way it makes me feel. I've developed a huge aversion to exercise over the last couple of years, however... I lost about a stone last year (through diet alone) and I promised myself I'd start exercising to tone up what I had left once I reached my target. I keep breaking this promise. I can face doing yoga - and your post gives me hope, @Backtobacktheyfacedeachother! If I did yoga a few times a week, or even every day, do you think it would be enough to tone up (this is all I need - I don't need to lose weight)?

[31RooCambon]

Yeh, give it another go. I have tried and failed to like Adriene but i cant warm to her. I prefer sean vigues style of yoga. But i do love that. Improves my balance, strength, fitness. Im 50 and i just dont want to punish myself doing punishing workouts everyday like i used to. Yoga feels kinder.

[OhioOhioOhio]

Maybe daily stretching instead?

[clary]

O0ooh OP I have been doing Yoga with Adriene since the start of May last year. I really feel she has got me through the lockdowns!

I am keen on activity and run every day; before this all happened I swam 3-4 x a week too, but have swum v little in the last 12 months (obvs), just Aug-Oct and then Dec. So the daily yoga has been great. also really good for self love and destressing, as well as actually quite hard work.

I know some people don't like YWA as she chats on - but I find tis helpful and supportive, and also good for focus (she is usually talking about the pose or your breathing). Also she is American but hey! She laughs at herself and I love that. Even her dog is cute.

I did all the 30-day series there were and then freestyled from her playlist (eg did yoga for runners after a run). This Jan she did Breath which was great, now in Feb there is a list Bridge which I am loving too.

Her practices btw very from 8 mins (!) to 50 mins but most often around the 20-30 min mark.

This is a bedtime one that I love and it's only 12 mins - try it tonight!

[clary]

hahaha who knew I was such an evangelist! A friend says A is my girl crush! :D

[OverByYer]

Depends what you want from it .
I like vinyasa which is quite an active yoga and have also recently started Les Mills Bodybalance which combines yoga, Pilates and tai chi , set to music which I really enjoy

[FiveGensOfLove]

I second the Yoga with Adriene (free on YouTube). I’ve tried to get into yoga so many times and it’s never worked - wrong teacher, wrong type of class, just not getting it... with her, something clicked. I did the 30 days in January and honestly feel great - less stressed, more motivated, my body has changed and is tighter. I’m using the breathing techniques in everyday life, I’m sleeping better and it’s genuinely the highlight of my day when I get a chance to do some more. But I’d have laughed in your face if you’d told me I’d type that in December.....! Do it!

[Backtobacktheyfacedeachother]

All I can say is that I don’t do any other exercise but my strength in my arms & legs & my core strength has really improved. If I do a daft body builder pose I can see muscle definition in my arms and legs. My abs -although no visible 6pack-do feel really solid.
I see a lot of old people in my job so I’m really keen to keep my strength and flexibility like pp.
I saw a programme a few years ago about being able to stand up from sitting on the floor, without using your hands, as a predictor for scoring frailty in older age (or something along those lines) I couldn’t do it then but I now can.

[drspouse]

I've also noticed more core strength and it's helped my hip pain (trochanteric pain syndrome).
I find Headspace is better for my mental well-being.

[Taswama]

I was doing yoga once a week this time last year. But increased during lockdown to 3 x week and was almost daily in January (Adrienne again, plus a live lesson over Skype once a week'.
My main motivation was and is relaxation, but it is also a good strength workout and stretch the muscles that are tight from the running and cycling I do.

[CurbsideProphet]

I've been practicing yoga for nearly 16 years. I really hate the "yoga influencer" concept that has popped up, plus all these "yoga studio" places that cost a fortune and include "will take photographs for your social media" as part of their services. There's too much emphasis on showing off.

I usually do 2 live zoom classes per week and 2 classes from the subscription service I use. But if I'm tired and not feeling it then I don't.

I find yoga very personal. I've tried lots of different styles over the years. I went to a Iyenga classes twice and found it awful - the teacher was shouting and it was all very aggressive. But the other people there loved it.

I don't want a teacher (or anyone else) to chat mindlessly during class and I don't want them to play one of the acoustic play lists that you get on Spotify and have Ed Sheeran crooning in the background. But again other people might love that.

Maybe think about what you want from a class and what style you prefer. There are so many different variations I'm sure you would find one 🙂🧘🏻‍♀️

[CurbsideProphet]

Oh I forgot benefits. I just feel happy when I do yoga, like I can do anything 🙂

[drspouse]

I went to a class like that @CurbsideProphet. I'd been doing yoga for about 10 years and this class was a really fast flow and the teacher said "if I'd known you were a beginner I wouldn't have let you come".

[ProfessorLayton1]

I do like Adrienne but she is constantly talking during the lesson. What subscription service do you use curbsideproject ? How much does it cost, May be I will find someone I can relate to. Currently I do a zoom live class but it is more of stretching than anything else.

[clary]

I saw a programme a few years ago about being able to stand up from sitting on the floor, without using your hands, as a predictor for scoring frailty in older age

Backtoback that's interesting! What sort of age are we talking? I just tried - sat cross-legged on the floor and was easily able to get up. I sometimes have to do it while carrying something (like a load of laundry for eg) and that's quite hard. I am in my late 50s btw.

[1990s]

So nice hearing all these people taLking so positively about yoga! I want to be one of you!

I find the breathing hard, I always feel like I’m doing it out of time.

[drspouse]

I do Pilates as well and the teacher says don't worry about breathing so I don't.

[sidsgranny]

I'm worried about trying a YouTube class (like Adrienne) that I wont be doing it right and there's no one to correct me.
Also, do you need much floor space or just enough for a mat?

[NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy]

@ProfessorLayton1

I can't stand Adrienne wittering on, so I do Sarah Beth yoga - also free on YouTube. Love her

[GrimDamnFanjo]

I do my yoga on zoom with my local teacher and Donna Noble in London who was great in encouraging me to have ago as a complete beginner. I do it to keep flexible and it's working.

[Backtobacktheyfacedeachother]

clary I am just the right side of 50 but was diagnosed with osteoarthritis a few years ago in several joints, that may be a factor as to why I struggled, the yoga has certainly improved my flexibility so I can now manage it.