Dedicate thread 2 and onwards. Yoga support thread.

[Gumpendorf]

It's day 23 and there are just 7 days of Dedicate left. Well done yogis for getting onto the mat in your own way and at your own pace. We’re here to support each other as we yoga to the end of Dedicate, through to Feb and beyond.
*
Link to Thread 1:
Dedicate: 30 days of Yoga with Adriene
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/yoga/3464159-dedicate-30-days-of-yoga-with-adrienee

Hi drspouse, nice to have you here!
I'm another one who falls behind when Adriene does her flow routines - she definitely breathes faster than me! For some of the more energetic routines I do hang around in downward dog whilst she goes through other things! But I've definitely improved over the past 6 months - stretchier and stronger.

I think it's worth trying a lot of routines, then bookmarking your favourites. I often return to Dedicate Day 8 when I'm feeling exhausted - it might be a nice one for you, lots of leg & lower back stretching.

I think I'm really more of a stretch than a flow person really - I first learnt yoga in the Iyengar style about 30 years ago, so return to the patterns I know when I'm free styling. I also really enjoy the Five Parks focussed stretch sessions - did neck, chest & upper back again last night to try to chase off some RSI tingles I was picking up from being at computer too long.

Let us know how you get on as you work through the 30 days and others, will be nice to share recommendations!

I slept really badly last night and I'm WFH this morning so not sure whether to do something relaxing or to wake me up!

GreenHat , I used to do Iyengar Yoga too, about 20 yrs ago, so I'm quite good at adapting with props! I think I like both stretchy and flow yoga, there's apparently benefits to both. More recently, I've quite a bit of Shiva Rea, which is vinyasa flow, so I don't find Adriene's or the Five Parks' flows too fast. I think it's a question of practice and knowing the poses you're going into.

I hope you get more sleep, drspouse, I had rubbish sleep last night, thanks dd2 . I think I mix up energetic with restorative practices, depending on how I feel and what else I've done, so I might follow a couple of harder days with something gentler. I would really recommend Adriene's Intro to Yin for a gentle practice, lots of cushions and blankets, very restful!

Ooh that sounds my speed! I am pretty sure I started aged about 15 with Iyengar and had a Yin teacher more recently.
I managed a more flow-y one yesterday and a more meditative one this morning, both Adriene, my morning routine is getting quite settled now - alarm, groan, out of bed, avoid hungry cat, drink of water, yoga, 10 mins later the children come in and groan I'm "still doing yoga" and get their own breakfast.
Interrupted this morning by sweeping up the mouse that the hungry cat didn't think was tasty enough to eat for breakfast!

drspouse, other restful practices I like are Adriene's Yoga when you're sick and For Women (period pain). Also slow and with lots of props, cushions etc. Most of the 30 day ones have Day 8 as a meditate/restorative practice, I think.

Really heavy duty gardening weekend this weekend - exciting makeover project underway! Limbered up each day with about 40 minutes of freestyling concentrating on stretching out everything & ....I was going to say I don't feel too bad, then remembered I've had 3 doses of slow release ibuprofen over the past 36 hours! Haven't yet looked properly at the August calendar - anyone tried anything new?

I haven't looked at the August Calendar, yet either. The gardening sounds exciting, GreenHat. I did the Five Parks Slow Burn Vinyasa today if anyone thinks fast flow is hard doing a chatarunga slowly to the count of five should you disabuse of that! I wanted something slow after the weights one I did over 2 days, but I'll need something gentle tomorrow!

Hello everyone 🧘‍♂️ When does everyone fit their practice in? DS has stopped napping so I’ve lost that lovely middle of the day opportunity for an Adriene session and I am really struggling to fit yoga in around DS and mealtimes - we try to eat as a family but that means quite early and I don’t like to do anything too bendy and energetic after a meal. I’ve tried practicing during the day with DS but he either makes off with the iPad or climbs all over me, which is cute but unhelpful

I’m going to have to start getting up early, aren’t I... woe.

At weekends and on the days I work from home, I do my routine first thing in the morning (after a cup of tea, of course!) Those are the times I'll try something more energetic & enlivening.

On days where I'm commuting, I usually do a more gentle session (although might push myself stretching wise) quite late in the evening after bath & before bed. I find that helps me wind down and lose the niggles of the day. Just trying to decide what to do tonight - Yoga for a Rainy Day is seeming suitable right now!

I've been getting up a bit early now the DCs can get their own breakfast.

I do mine first thing, after a cup of coffee. It's generally my time in the mornings, teenage dd1 is not up early and dd2 plays in her room (we have a video monitor). School days, it's often a 20 min one, but weekends and school holidays I try to do 30-40 mins. I find it sets me up for the day and undoes any stiffness.

I did the Adriene Deepen and flow from August this morning, I've done it before. I would say it's a good one for anyone who finds flow yoga tricky as she takes time to help you align and move between the poses, also breaking down chatarunga practice by showing you modifications. There are a few harder balances at the end, but you could always miss those out. I just wanted to do something a little gentler than Erin's power yoga this morning.

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing OK. My broadband has been down for 10 days and won't be fixed until next week so we are relying on mobile data at the minute, nighmare! Have been trying to do my own thing but it's not the same without a video to follow. Hopefully be back up and running soon.

Such a stressful week at home and work! Got into the ridiculous mindset that I was too stressed to do yoga or my lunchtime 30 minute walk so it all spiralled. Gave myself a good talking to last night, put on Day 30 from Dedicate so I had some nice background music to chill to & did a 45 min freestyle - oh, I needed that! Don't let me be so silly again!

I hope things get calmer for you GreenHat .

I'm trying to find time for myself in the whirlwind that is school summer holidays, it feels very busy this year, probably as we have a lot going on atm. My elderly mil is very unwell, and dp has had regular emergency phonecalls and hospital visits, as we live nearest. On top of which, I'm trying to sort out the paperwork to return to supply teaching, taking refresher driving lessons (I used to drive an automatic and am relearning gears), dd1 is a hormonal teen, dd2 has sen and I'm full of perimenopausal hormones myself. Yoga and walking is my saviour, I think, from losing it. I can take satisfaction in that I'm getting stronger, I did the Five Parks Core Pick me up this morning and managed the core triangle, which I found very challenging last time.

New yoga studio open day in my town at the weekend. Going to brave a live class eek.

Still no internet and relying on mobile data for now so this morning (after a week of nothing and feeling bad) I did my old Elle Macpherson DVD. I have realised that if I cut out sugar, fat, exercise 5 days a week and grow 8 inches, I too can look like Elle macpherson Oh and go back in time 20 years!

How was the class cherrypi?

Great joy here, the builders have finally gone and the place is ours again - have spent the day digging and planting in my new garden. Hams, glutes & lower back feeling it tonight - I wonder if Adriene has done a yoga for gardeners!?

Did you see the picture of her amazing outdoor session in the newsletter this morning? - something like 2000 people doing yoga together.

Hello. I'm in quite a desperate state mental health wise and hoping to commit to daily yoga in the (vain?) Hope of it helping. I hope I can join you to help keep me going. I like Adrienne but hate when she talks for ages and I want to get on with it! I like Five Parks as well. Just need to find a time when DD (5) will allow me to do yoga! Have any of you found yoga helpful for your mental health?

valency I confess I fast forward when she goes on. Often for several minutes. I like her very much but I don't have much time and need to get going!

valancy I think yoga helps massively for my mental health. I do other things too to help (Headspace, walking outside, keeping healthy...) but self care is always going to be good. Obviously, everyone is different, I started with Adriene but more and more am doing Five Parks, as I like the variety and the harder poses. I do yoga early in the morning, while dd2 plays in her room, as that works for me.

Glad things are better for you, GreenHat, your house and garden sound lovely.

My mil died at the weekend, it was a release for her as she had deteriorated so much and there were four ambulance visits in her last week. So life is quite stressful atm. Definitely, yoga helps me.

Thanks sooner and quirkychick. I have just done Five Parks Rise and Shine and managed to stop myself from bingeing. Back is hurting though. I normally avoid cobra and up dog but was feeling brave/desperate and my lower back is not thanking me! I am battling a lot of dark dark thoughts and I'm hoping some yoga each day is one positive thing I can bring to my life.

Sorry for your loss quirkychick

Thank you, valancy. I can get issues with my lower back too, both Adriene and Five Parks have some great stretches for lower back. It took me a couple of years to master up dog, so go gently, you need to build up your core strength to do it safely. Start with very low cobra, if it's comfortable for you, a lot of the plank and chatarunga can be done with knees on the floor too. Other poses that are great for lower back are bridge, especially supported bridge (a block, if you have one, under your sacrum), supine twists, cat cow.

valancy, just another thought, would sphinx pose work instead of cobra, as it's still a back bend but much more supportive?

The class was lovely thanks. Did a guided meditation one as well which was very relaxing. Definitely going to go to a few classes there as well as carrying on with Adrienne. I'm sure she did a gardening one.