I've realised I prefer exercising at home

[tectonicplates]

My favourite yoga teacher has been teaching online. I've been enjoying it even more than usual and felt even calmer than usual. She usually teaches at this stereotypical trendy yoga studio that I only go to because of her, although I do sometimes go to other classes there.

It's made me realise how much resentment I often feel towards people in the real-life classes - they're always thinner and trendier than me. I know this is my issue, not theirs and would never say it to anyone's face.

But I've also realised how much I can't stand "yoga studio culture". I wish I could find a regular class at a hired space/community hall as it's usually much nicer, but it's so hard to find a teacher I actually click with. So online classes seem like a much better idea, even once the lockdown ends.

I also sometimes treat myself to classes at this trendy exercise studio that I've convinced myself is great because it's so popular with women. But in reality, it's mainly populated by young, slim and beautiful people dressed in Lululemon, and it makes me feel rubbish. I even feel annoyed with the instructors wearing tiny crop tops that I'd never fit into. Again I'm not blaming them, I'm just realising I'm glad I'm not there.

This week I restarted 30 Day Shred. So much better! No overcrowded class, no getting annoyed with people. So much better for reducing stress.

I'm sure some of you will say it's just because I haven't found the right gym for me, but why even find one at all? There's plenty of exercise videos on YouTube.

Corrections are important to me so I would go back to that class if it starts up again.

Other than that, enjoying the relaxation at the end and knowing that when the teacher says move in any way your body might want to move now ... I really could just turn over and go to sleep is priceless.

I've done online yoga for years but like to mix it up by going to classes as well. I miss swimming soooooo much though, can't wait for the pool to open again. I'm dreaming about swimming.

I'm loving my online classes. All of them are with teachers that I've gone to 'in the flesh' and I'm paying for them to keep the teachers going. I love being able to roll out of bed and onto the mat without having to brush my teeth. I really hope the teachers keep running a couple of on-line classes when this is all over.

You've all inspired me!

I love being able to roll out of bed and onto the mat without having to brush my teeth. I really hope the teachers keep running a couple of on-line classes when this is all over.

Yep, pretty much the same here.

I like a mix of everything otherwise I get bored.
Have you tried Adriene yoga?
Where are you getting Jillian 30 day shred? Do you have to pay for that?

I already have several Jillian Michaels DVDs which I bought several years back.

No pool at home.... I'm actually going to sleep visualising yellow and blue tiles...🙁

Have only ever exercised at home.

Don't get the point of classes. It seems so inefficient. All that travelling time. Car parking faff and cost. Or extra exercise if you walk

I think there's a real gap in the market for blobby instructors to do online classes for antisocial blobs like me

Op I can recommend the app Down Dog. Choose your workout, skill level and length and off you go. The full version is free during lockdown, but the free version is great anyway..

JonHammIsMyJamm pilates instructors in physical, group classes usually don’t “correct” you or give any individual guidance anyway, you’d need 1:1 for that, you just try to follow. expect risk of hurting yourself in an online pilates class or a dvd is low.

I understand.

In normal life I did park run (which I miss) and crossfit, which was social and effective. Right now I feel too fragile and exhausted to force myself through the punishing regimes of online crossfit, so am just running and doing yoga. I can't imagine every wanting the loud music, dropping barbells, the physical pushing again. I just want it all to be gentle and can't imagine being so keyed up that crossfit would suit me again.

I like real yoga classes because I get bored and walk away if no one is watching, but am always glad to have finished it in the end.

I love the online Zoom classes I’ve been going to but it’s not as good as being in front of a teacher who can see you properly and suggest modifications and alignment shifts and make manual adjustments if needed.

I have an ambition to be able to do a headstand before I’m 60 (18 months to go) and have been slowly working towards it. However I am very cautious about it as I don’t want to damage my neck and so I’m not practicing those atm. I want a teacher on hand to correct my posture and offer support if needed.

And to the poster who doesn’t think they could do a three hour workshop - I used to think that too but in fact the time flies by. They are great.

I'll be straight back to the gym. However, I'm aiming to carry on with with my home exercise routines too. I miss the social side of the gym and I like training with other people.

Don't get the point of classes. It seems so inefficient. All that travelling time. Car parking faff and cost. Or extra exercise if you walk

Surely the extra exercise is a desirable thing.
Anyway, I go to the gym on the way to or back from work, so no extra travelling time. I park outside the door and walk in. It's not remotely faffy. As for cost; I get a lot out of it, I enjoy it, and I can easily afford it.

People who say you get bored doing yoga ... could you tell me a bit more about that ?

I find myself wondering how anyone could get bored. Maybe I'm just self obsessed but I find scanning my own body , noticing how the different parts respond to the challenges of yoga, which bits are working, relaxing or resisting. How breathing 'into' or 'through' the parts resisting can sometimes change that response. Or how the right visualisation can sometimes unstick something that was difficult.

The differences between the two sides, no matter what I am working on, one way or one side will be tighter than the other. A twist to one side will be able to go much further and/or deeper. And never the same side from day to day.

I'm thinking that perhaps it's because I am so early in my journey that there is so much to learn that it all seems so interesting. Maybe when (well, if) I could do it easily it would be much less interesting though I am finding that it gets more not less interesting as I do more.

ok, Just me then.

I was a daily yoga person (mainly at home) until I found pilates. Now I get bored with yoga because it doesn't seem like much of a challenge. I've never been very good at the more meditative aspects anyway and prefer the feeling of working my body to breathing. Obviously there are some more challenging types of yoga which I might find more interesting I guess.

I’m really inflexible and have some muscle issues from sitting at a desk/on trains for 20+ years, so find pretty much all yoga positions challenging, even “child’s pose”

Intrigued by classes where the instructor gives personal feedback during the class, are those small, yoga studio type classes? I’ve only been to (cheap!) big classes with no feedback.

The ‘visualisation’ and ‘omm’ stuff is the problem, @FinallyHere.

I've been doing yoga for over ten years and it's not so much that I get bored, more that I can switch off and go through the motions. Or at least I could, and can do a lot more again now I'm at home.

But what's been happening, and increasing a lot over time, is the levels of resentment I've been feeling towards the teachers and the students. Sometimes the yoga classes get fully booked and then we're packed in with hardly any space to move around. Often there'll be a heavy breather, which I find really irritating. I've also had several disagreements with the studio about their use of incense and then I leave with a headache.

But my main thing is that most of the teachers have the same body shape, especially at the trendy gym. They all wear these trendy tops that just shows off even more that I'd never fit into them. I've realised how much I internally shout at some of them "Just you wait until you have some belly fat", and "You must be no more than a C cup, you don't have a fucking clue what it's like for me". I've also had a couple of Pilates teachers tell me not to lean forward so much, and every time I think FGS, I'm carrying an extra half a stone of weight on my chest, you don't have a clue about what happens when I move around. Like I said before, even the best bra fitter in the world can't solve this. My weight is where it is.

Looking back on this, it's a ridiculous and unnecessary amount of stress for me to be carrying around. In fact I'm amazed I haven't walked out of the class half way through and told them to get lost. This is so unhealthy. It's clearly much better for my health all round to be ditching these people and exercising at home.

I can't do child's pose at all @Dozer thanks to my dodgy knees!

Quarantimespringclean please do be careful about your headstand goal! I am the same age as you and a few years ago got to that stage. I did it once, was really proud of myself, and then a while later started having awful neck problems. Years later I’m still seeing a chiropractor and my neck is very delicate. Not saying this will happen to you of course!

Quarantimespringclean PS I now do Pilates instead of yoga and it seems to suit me much better - and if I’m careful, improves the neck muscles.

techtonicplates my favourite yoga clothes are from H&M - not specific to yoga, just nice comfortable sportswear that looks yoga-y

@beachbreeze Which is fine, but when 99% of all the people there are wearing tiny crop tops from Lululemon, then it doesn't really matter what I wear as I stick out.

I've never been to a class like you describe! I've seen them advertised though. Yuck.