10 mins a day yoga/pilates at home for a rubbish person

[JustAnotherManicUsername]

I don't mean I am employed as a refuse collector.

I mean that I really, really suck at anything bodily where you have to follow instructions. I've tried a couple of yoga, pilates and tai chi classes and I really struggle to remember what the teacher said and to translate it into bodily movements. So I feel stupid and miserable and stop going.

I thought I would try some kind of online / DVD / YouTube kind of thing that I can do at home, preferably in little chunks of time most days. I'm interested in yoga and/or pilates because what I want out of it is to be a bit more flexible - I'm very stiff and unbending (never been able to touch my ankles, let alone my toes) and as my 50s loom, I want to do something about it before it becomes problematic. So other suggestions for type of activity also very welcome (not swimming though - I already do that occasionally).

I've googled but just got overwhelmed with all the possibilities. Can anyone recommend something like this? Especially if you are similarly a slow learner about bodily stuff.

To start off look for beginners Hatha yoga classes on YouTube. There are lots of 10-20 min sequences on there. Hatha yoga will give you a good starting point. Worth looking for videos about the yogic breathing too.

I really love yin yoga too as you get to hold the poses for longer and I feel it gives me a better stretch and greater strength.

Avoid anything with flow in the title whilst you're learning the basics.

Lots of mnetters like Yoga with Adriene but I don't really like her style.

The NHS have a 'fitness studio' with online videos here. They have different yoga/pilates for people with various conditions like a bad back etc.

Thank you, those are good leads. Any more?

For yin yoga I like Yoga with Kassandra on YouTube. She has a lovely morning routine which I must remember to revisit as I haven't done it for a while.

For pilates you'd be better to do a course with a proper instructor rather than online videos so they can check your in the right position and therefore targeting the right areas. It seems that lots of physiotherapists or sports massage therapists offer pilates courses and I'd be inclined to go web one of them rather than a fitness instructor.

Live Fit Girl Pilates is brilliant

She’s really easy to follow and not annoying! I’ve done a workout a day for a year and it has changed my body dramatically.

Barbra Currie has done great DVDs ( about £5 on find.Dvd) .both are pretty much the same, one called 7 secrets of yoga, can't remember the name of the other. But they are both in 10 minute chunks, really accessible, and she's in her 60 s I'd say, so it's encouraging!

Marking place

I really love Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I find she has a good way of describing the movements. If you scroll through her back catalogue she has some shorter videos, including her foundations of yoga where she will literally spend the whole time going through one pose.