General Yoga Chat Thread?

[UnrulyPig]

I wondered if anyone fancied a general chat thread? I am a newbie to yoga but have fallen madly in love with it - unfortunately I don't know anyone else who practices and certainly no-one who is interested in talking about it!

I am lucky enough to have a tiny, dedicated yoga studio up the road from me, so I go to 3-4 classes a week, more if I can. It's mostly vinyasa flow, although I do a yin/nidra class and a Forrest class once a week as well which I really love.

I have appalling balance and frequently wobble completely out of poses but I've definitely seen progress in my flexibility even over just a couple of months, which is really exciting. I have always been a lazy couch potato who would rather die than do any form of exercise, so then fact that I'm motivated to go out in the dark and the cold several times a week has taken me by surprise, but I love it.

Just me then

Well, I'm off to a Vinyasa Foundations class this morning - taking advantage of working from home! Hopefully today will be the day I get my foot a millimetre closer to my hands when transitioning from down dog to lunge! Have a great day all.

Hey! I'm in the same boat. Started on October, not done any exercise at all for years, become totally addicted. Currently do 2 Rocket Yoga classes a week and a hot yoga class and the occassional vinyasa flow. I like quite hard core yoga. (Did Bikram quite a bit a decade ago before I discovered Bikram is a sex pest) Rocket has been a confidence boost as it's playful and I've discovered I'm good at headstands and arm balances (crow and eight-angle pose). It's like I've found a new party trick, I'm well chuffed! Also this week I've got my heels down in downward dog and that feels like an achievment

I started in November and go twice a week - once to a structured beginners' course where she covers all the basics - we do a lot of breathing and balancing. I wobble a lot too and I'm quite old so my joints are stiff (one of the reasons I've taken it up) but I'm feeling some benefit

I've been going to yoga since the end of August and I adore it. My gym offers a variety of classes each week and I try to attend at least three. I am much stronger and more flexible than I was when I started. It's also, since I live in China, a really nice way to meet people from my local community.

I'm on holiday at the moment, but I'm doing Five Park's "Vigorous Vinyasa Flow" video off YouTube every other day. On the alternate day I do a pilates video. No way am I going back to class having made losses!

I have been doing Yoga with Adriene since Jan, 2019, though not in as committed a way as some of you.
She has saved my sanity, as I have gone through a hellish year, and I feel so much more in control of my body. It is wonderful.

Hi all

smellbow that is seriously impressive - crow pose?? I don't think stuff like that is ever going to be within my reach - I can barely get from a runner's lunge to warrior 1 without falling over! My core strength is definitely improving though so maybe one day...you never know.

I've just got back from my Forrest class and am enjoying a much-deserved glass of wine. We did lots of ab work this evening so I will be feeling it tomorrow.

PurrBox - I agree about feeling more in control of your body. I've lost a fair bit of weight over the last few months and am much more in control of my eating, and yoga has helped hugely. There are actually bits of my body I really like now!

Well that's what I like about Rocket. I had no idea I could do a crow pose or a handstand, but it gives you a chance to play and I discovered I could! But there's lots of basic stuff I can't do... About 8 years ago, pre-pregnancy, I used to be quite active (not yoga apart from a few months of bikram) and I think I have muscle memory from back then if not the actual muscles yet! It's still helpful though.

Hi, I like the idea of this thread and would love to join.

I've been doing yoga for a few years and am currently 6 months into my yoga teacher training (it's a 3 year course - one day a month).

The yoga I do has changed over the years, I've done plenty of ashtanga-inspired classes but now I've slowed way down to focus on the strength and stability of my joints, the integrity of my body and doing more in terms of meditation and pranayama.

Some people do yoga to improve their health. Let's see what makes a person do yoga?

I do it because it absolutely holds my back pain at bay, as well as keeping work stress down.
The sense of calm I get on the mat makes any arseholery from staff later in the day so much easier to deal with.
I get a lot of back pain on and off for to slightly different leg lengths and a mobile coccyx. By keeping the hip joints open I've found it hurts far less. Seems a no brainer to me!

I started Hot Pod yoga 3 weeks ago and am living it. Just starting to understand all the poses as the trainers say them rather than having to stop and see what people are doing. Not sure I have seen any improvement yet but I am loving it.

I forgot I'd started this thread

I started yoga because I needed to do something. I knew I'd never go regularly to a gym, or run. But I needed to move, and I wanted to build strength and flexibility as I headed towards 50.

I continue to go because it challenges me and cossets me all at the same time. I love that I can see progress much faster than I thought I would. I love that it really feels as if I am nurturing my body. I love that I have this huge yoga journey ahead of me, that I'm only at the very beginning of, and I have so much to learn - that's really exciting.