Ladies and gents, I have been rocking the yoga this week!
Specifically, the P90X Yoga that I mentioned earlier this week. Eric borrowed this from a coworker and we have had it sitting around for ages now. I finally dug it up and gave it a whirl!
If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you probably remember my stint with yoga in December 2008/January 2009. I dove full force into yoga, 30-Day shred, and training for a marathon. It was no surprise that I sustained an injury from the over-training.
I have grown a lot since that time and I realize that I am the type of person who likes to focus on one main goal or challenge, instead of spreading myself all over the place. When I was training for my races this summer and fall, I was focused. I had tangible goals and I met them.
There has always been this lingering desire for me to practice yoga on a regular basis. I think this is the perfect time for me to explore something new. I find that I am craving flexibility and tension-relief exercises. I haven’t done anything of the sort in months! Baking all day has left me with really stiff and sore back muscles and I hope that yoga will help with that.
I have been turning out the lights in the office and lighting a few candles. This instantly relaxes me, similar to baking when the sun rises and everything looks clean and crisp outdoors.
I haven’t set a time limit. I just go until I feel tired and stretched out. Tuesday I ended up doing 15 minutes, Wednesday I did 25, and Thursday I did another 15.
I immediately knew that I was going to like this DVD because it didn’t seem too ‘out there’ for me. It seemed like a normal group of people practicing yoga. I liked that the group involved a male athlete who had just started to take up yoga to help with his athleticism! Many athletes in all different areas practice yoga as a way to improve their chosen sport. I think it can really help with my running too because I have obviously gotten really tight and was doing nothing about it.
I can’t review the entire 90 minute DVD since I have only done 25 minutes, but I can tell you what I liked about it so far:
1) Aside from the instructor’s heavy breathing, he is quite easy to listen to and learn from. He explains things clearly.
2) The DVD counts down the time remaining (far right) as well as how many seconds are left in each interval. I don’t pay much attention to it, but it is nice to have.
3) For the first 25 minutes, I was able to follow along with the poses without too much difficulty. At some parts they moved a bit quicker than I did, and this caused me to lag a bit, but it wasn’t a big deal.
4) In addition to the instructor naming each pose, the bottom of the screen also displays the name. This really helped me learn each pose name. I find when instructors just say it, I never really picked them up. I am a visual learner! I love how clear this DVD is.
Here is what I didn’t enjoy:
1) Downward facing dogs
I despise them with every core of my being. My arms are so sore!!!! I could see enjoying this pose if I was flexible, but it really is no fun when you aren’t. I hope this improves over time. This DVD had many series of down dogs over and over and over again. I found it felt a bit long. Again, I hope that improves as I improve. I also need to work on my mental game and focus because I am not as zoned out as I would like to be.
At the start of the DVD, the instructor says, ‘Free your mind of all the clutter’. It really is necessary to get into it. Tonight my mind wasn’t into it and I could tell. Eric and I sort of had a stressful night and I was just not able to tune out my thoughts.
To all you yogis out there: What are your tricks for zoning out and being present in the moment? Does it just come with practice?
What do I think of yoga so far?
All and all, I am enjoying it so far and I am trying to keep my spirits up despite feeling like I suck. I think the reason I get so frustrated with yoga is because for me it is not easy to see improvements with it as fast as I would like to. Yoga, to me, seems abstract. With something like running or weight training, I have clear tangible evidence of my hard work in terms of numbers. I know that my flexibility will improve and I will notice that over time, but it is just not what I am used to I guess!
Yoga is probably one of the hardest challenges I have given myself because of my lack of flexibility and my fidgety personality. When I was young, I always scored POOR on my flexibility tests in gym class. I also am the type of person who can’t sit still, so it is no surprise that I did not gravitate toward yoga.
I got frustrated with my down dogs tonight and Eric said something very clever. He said, ‘It’s not about whether you do the pose exactly right or not. It’s not about your form. It is whether you are challenging your own body. Are you stretching? Well, then you are doing it right.’
Who is this guy? lol. Apparently, he was a yogi in his past life! ;) Wise words from my man.
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I think I need to stop focusing on my form so much and start focusing more on how my body feels and where my mind is. I think I will find that it is much more pleasurable this way.
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Do you do yoga? What was it like when you started? Tell me your story!
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I confess it’s been a month since my last yoga class. I’m terrible no scratch that horrible. I can’t do foreward bends can’t reach the ole toes. Downward dog leaves me feeling shaky and sick my hammies are so tight and my arms so weak. Yet I do it because I do feel better when I do. I need to get back to class. I may spend half in child’s pose because I can’t go 45 minutes, but at least I’m trying!
I’ve tried yoga. Really, really tried to give it a shot – classes, DVDs, more classes – and it just isn’t for me. For ages I thought I just wasn’t doing it right, or I needed to find a different type/teacher/environment, so I should keep trying, but it just never made me feel strong or connected or any of that. It left me feeling weak, achey in unusual ways, and defeated. I used to dance pretty seriously, so I know when my body is just tighter or less flexible than it should be, and that wasn’t it. Finally, a pilates instructor told me, “you know, for some people, it just doesn’t ever FEEL right – not everyone’s body is well-suited for yoga. that’s totally ok, there’s no reason to force something that doesn’t seem right.”
it was a little shocking. I had thought all along that I just wasn’t trying hard enough, wasn’t getting into it enough, wasn’t paying enough attention, when really, it’s just not for me. my body doesn’t like it. I LOVE stretching, but it’s pretty run of the mill dance and grade school gym class stretches done thouroughly that make me feel best; and I do love pilates, as far as feeling centered and connected to my muscles and all of their potential! I love how different it feels from anything else, how important breathing is, how challenging it is to the muscles that never get any play, and how clearly you can see progress doing the basics (one day it’s impossible, a few later you’re halfway there). But yoga? Nope. My wrists, elbows, hips, knees, shoulders, and neck have all thanked me for finally choosing to let go of that dream. I think that it was easy for me to mistake discomfort for challenge; I figured it would feel better eventually, I just had to get better at it. Truth is, even when something’s hard, you can still tell when it FEELS GOOD to you, and to me, yoga just doesn’t. Sadly. Maybe someday.
I hope it makes your body sing, though! Looking forward to seeing how it goes. :)
Downward dog was SO hard for me when I first started, and I was a dancer! It will get easier, just keep up with it!
Hi Angela,
I have recently picked up yoga again after months of trying to follow along with free podcasts at home. This did not work for me, and intrinsic motivation was lacking, so I signed up for some classes.
Even though they can be pricey, taking 1-2 classes per week has made all the difference. Each class is unique, the instructor can adjust individual posture problems, and I am receiving (however much my mind resists) the full yoga experience… more than just the poses, there is a focus on the mind and spirituality.
Anyway, one of the things I have heard from various instructors is–only go as far as you can with each pose. If you feel a stretch, you are getting the same benefits as someone who is able to touch their toes with straight legs, etc. We also use blocks–if you are doing forward bend and your hands aren’t able to balance on the ground with straight legs, you should position blocks for your hands to create balance between the weight on your hands and the weight on your feet. Does that make sense? Hard to explain.
In downward dog, most of my weight was on my hands leading to wrist pain and fatigue. But, if you send your hips toward the ceiling and think about balancing weight between your hands and feet, it helps a lot!
I am actually going to my second yoga class in a couple hours. I was nervous the first time and I am nervous again! But it’s great because the point isn’t to force yourself.
They tell us “If you want to force yourself then you came to the wrong place, you can force yourself somewhere else” and they encourage us to rest in child’s pose whenever we feel like our breathing is getting to heavy or we are NOT breathing and that it takes more courage to rest then force yourself into a pose. It’s very helpful.
I just feel so great after it that makes it all worth it! Give it another shot! I think it can do amazing things. I hear it can improve your running even when not running as much.
I remember reading some of your old yoga posts and being right there with you! I’d only done videos at home, hated downward dog, and in all just felt like I was “missing” something about it.
Then I started taking Iyengar classes at my campus gym. There are no flows in Iyengar. It’s static poses that you hold for what feels like a very long time! The instructor is very “hands-on” and will come right up to you and adjust you. I left those classes feeling as if there wasn’t a muscle in my body that didn’t get stretched to its limits.
Those classes made me realize that for me, yoga isn’t a “workout.” It’s about doing something that’s good for my mind and body. So no hot yoga, or flow after flow (can’t stand sun salutations!). I like to go to classes that are very laid-back and calming, and that’s where I’ve been able to find my “yoga-zone.”
Just keep experimenting! I think I remember you mentioning the high price of yoga in your area, but in my experience, the classes are really worth it!
Hey! I know this might sound silly..but don’t try to fight the thoughts that you have when you are trying to quiet them. Acknowledge that they are there and then try to let them go (deeeep exhaling breath and visualize them leaving you) The best thing for me is to take deep cleansing breaths and to concentrate on my breathing. How does the breathing make me feel? How does my body feel?
My mom has practiced meditation & yoga for as long as I can remember so I have to give her credit for all these tips :)
I danced for 18 years so the flexibility is not a problem for me. I struggle with staying focused because my mind wanders!
I’ve been doing yoga this week, too! From yogadownload.com I love it! I’ve just been doing the free 20 minute sessions, but there are longer ones you can buy too. And it comes with a pose print out. I light a few candles, and go at it!
I love p90x!!! I think Tony is one of the least annoying video instructors :) And how hardcore is that black guy in the yoga!?? haha Tony always oohs and ahhs over him
When you said that you feel like you suck, that comment reminded me of a recent experience I had… I’m relatively new to yoga myself, and the last class I attended – not at a fancy yoga studio, but just a free class at my gym – the yoga instructor came over to whispered “I feel like you are ignoring everything I say!!” in an angry voice…. this was the first 5 minutes of class, so I couldn’t have been doing THAT badly. Either way, it really turned me off and I’m actually not sure I want to go back to her class, which is unfortunate. But, rest assured that you are not the only one that struggles and feels like a beginner!
Have a great day! :)
I took yoga as a P.E. in college and I loved it. I really really sucked at it in the beginning, but by the end of the semester i could do all the moves that the instructor demonstrated. I left everyday feeling relaxed, calm and strong. You wouldn’t think that yoga would help strengthen you, but it did me. It just takes time so don’t give up.
i am so, so excited that you are enjoying yoga!
i haaaated down dogs in the beginning. coming from running, my upper body strength was never good, and between all the down dogs, planks, and chaturangas, i thought i’d never improve. but you will see improvements if you keep at it. yoga isn’t like running in that you can go out and say, “today i’m going to do x miles.” but you can say, “i’m going to do x class, and see what happens.’ you’ll be in the middle of a class, and all of a sudden you’ll start to feel strong in the poses, or you’ll go deeper into a stretch than you thought you could, or you’ll make it through a flow where you might have needed a break before. it has its rewards too. :)
i also think you’re doing the right thing by taking it slow and in short bursts. you have the most balanced approach to exercise! i’d also totally recommend the 20 minute classes from yoga download – it might feel nice to feel like you can make it through an entire class, rather than having this long class looming in front of you when you’re just starting out.
I started doing yoga with my mother. It was weird to go to a class and see that my mum was more flexible than I was… Even as a little girl in ballet class, I had tight hamstrings and was the least flexible kid in the bunch.
I’ve never thought of yoga as something you can “suck at”. Some parts of my body are more “open” (like my hips…i can do the fire log pose like there is no tomorrow…) and some are wound up like springs (i share your dislike for down dog…my hamstrings hate it). I just go with what my body does and can do and try to get the tight parts to open up a bit. One of my favourite yoga teachers always says “listen to your body and go with what it is telling you TODAY. some days you will be more open and more balanced than others. go with what you are feeling today, not with what you THINK you should be able to do”
I’ve now been doing yoga for 6 or 7 years and have found that I still really hate some poses, but that I’m slowly finding that although I hate them, they are becoming more “available” to me and I see their function in stretching me out rather than causing me pain and frustration.
In one of my yoga classes, my teacher told me to think of your thoughts as arrows being sent away from your mind. That has always stuck with me, and makes me relax every time.
Hi Ange,
Firstly, congrats on starting yoga and committing to it – that’s awesome! I am no yogi in the sense that I am not overly flexible, balanced or even just good at it, but I do know that when you start to focus on breathing as your first focus, the other parts of yoga tend to fall into place. Sure it can take time to get more flexible and move deeply into postures and build strength, but if you get the breathing sorted, it becomes meditative, and your mind becomes controlled and calm and centered and the body follows. Try it! :)
Have fun!
Casey x
I love yoga. I never did it before my back injury. But when I first strated having problems. my doctor suggested it might ease the pain a bit. I fell in love. And after surgery I was advised to do it regularly because it would keep my hips loose since I have a fused lower spine. I try to do it at least 3 times a week to just enjoy it.
As for zoning out you just need to enjoy it and do it. Sometimes relaxing music can really help but I don’t know if you can do it with the music on the dvd. Also you will get more flexible as you do it. Downward dogs are some of my favorites.
Also try to find a studio near you who has community classes. They usually have a low fee and you can enjoy learning from someone who can help correct your form.
Do you know if you can purchase just the P90X yoga dvd. I don’t know if i can do the entire thing but I love a good yoga DVD.
You may want to try pilates. It is great for flexabilty, but you move around more than with yoga, which helps with the fidgety personality. Once you’ve done pilates a few times, you’ll notice the increased flexability. Then, try yoga again and you’ll get more out of it because you’ll be able to do more of the poses. Then, instead of worrying about not being flexable enough, you’ll be able to relax, clear your mind, and enjoy it more. At least, that’s what worked for me.
Btw, I’m new to your blog. You’re awesome!!
Stick with it. Once you fall in love with yoga, there is no turning back. I normally have one day of strenuous exercise like running/squats/lunges/weights and then the next day recover with yoga and nothing else. I know you like to dive in to one activity at a time but switching it from day to day really works wonders. Good luck!
Sometimes I find it hard to concentrate in yoga as well. All I want to do is get out of the pose!
It’s easier said that done to “free your mind of all clutter”. I tend to focus on my breathing. Literally, I just focus on BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. Deep breaths.
A lot of people above have said this… and it does work. And I think if you practice more consistently it becomes much easier.