# Yoga



## Bigtallfatbloke (16 Sep 2008)

Does anybody do this? I heard it's good for de stressing and keeping the body in good shape, which is why i cycle as well so i thought the two might go together during th ewinter when cyclong isnt always so..erm...dry....or is this just a 'girly' thing?

..hmmm...erm..I mean Hummm


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## purplemoon (16 Sep 2008)

I "do" yoga on the Wii Fit but that's about as far as I've ever got with it 

Aksherly ... it might benefit you to get one of those to use during winter! I got mine when they first came out and after an enthusiastic start it laid dormant for a couple of months but I've been getting back on it again over the past week. 

I bet you'd have great fun doing the hula 


View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0WDct_U122U


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## mr Mag00 (16 Sep 2008)

i used to go to a class was the only bloke and it was great, was a form of yoga for stretching and developing core strength, ayurveda was the system. not sitting around cross-legged humming, but we did lay down and relax at the end of the session. the tutor was great and worked with me and stretching my hamstrings and helping with back pain. I have continued doing some of the exercises at home and i will return to it one day soon.


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## Bigtallfatbloke (16 Sep 2008)

..The hula sounds fun..do I have to wear a grass skirt though?

..seriously I thought a yoga class would be good because it would keep me 'stretched and chilled' and get me out of th ehouse (other than on the bike) in th winter...I could also ride there and back I guess....also i heard women wear leotards at those things which is of course an added bonus

..now just need to find one locally.


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## Twenty Inch (16 Sep 2008)

Yoga is great. Good for all sorts of things - flexibility, strength, body awareness and coordination, relaxation. I do it several times a week, mostly to keep my back limber. I used to go to a class (no time now) where there were many girls, but also several very fit runners, cyclists and a bodybuilder, who all used it to complement their chosen sport.

I've been doing it on and off for many years and thoroughly recommend it. When I was doing triathlon it was great for working the kinks out, and a good general stretch before an event. 

Find a class, give it a go. There are lots of styles available, probably best not to go for Iyengar or that sweaty yoga first of all. A good teacher will not insist on you being able to get into the exact pose - ours used to say "it's the journey, not the destination", and no-one in the class should make you feel uncomfortable, (apart from yourself).


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## mr Mag00 (16 Sep 2008)

iyengar, that was the system i used to do, why would you not recommend it twentyinch? i found it brilliant and we werent pushed it was all at our own pace and the class had an enormous variaty of ability


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## Bigtallfatbloke (16 Sep 2008)

so would something like this be suitable for a complete berk beginner like moi then?
http://www.yogapages.co.uk/classes/class_listing.php?class=2629


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## Twenty Inch (16 Sep 2008)

The Iyengar I've seen and talked about is very technical and precise, and I'm not sure it would be a great intro. Lots of straps and blocks to get into JUST the right position. However I've never taken a class, and it may well be just what BTFB wants.

There's really no way of telling what a class is like and whether you'll like it without going along and trying it out. A good teacher will let you have one class to try out before hitting you up for joining fees etc. You can talk to other people there too - ask how long they've been coming, whether it has helped with problems, what other classes they've been to and so on. 

I went to my class principally because I enjoyed the style of instruction and the welcoming atmosphere. When I was broke, the instructors let me come for nothing, but I always tried to pay something. I wasn't the only one that they helped in this manner. If those two teachers were still teaching during the week, I'd probably still go, but they now concentrate on training other teachers.

Try it out. It may not be your cup of tea, but I find it really useful. Just counted up - I first started doing yoga when I was 12 years old, from an old Richard Hittleman book. That's 27 years ago. Christ....


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## Twenty Inch (16 Sep 2008)

BTFB, you're not a berk. And believe me, everyone in that class was a beginner once, including the instructor. A good class remembers that.


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## arranandy (16 Sep 2008)

I did a pilates class last winter and found it was great for my back and posture. Also found it very relaxing after a hard day at the office


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## Bigtallfatbloke (19 Sep 2008)

..no replies from the course...hmm...maybe they are all tied up...


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## james_so (19 Sep 2008)

You could always give sky chanel 275 a look and try it out in privacy  (my wife tells me the kundalini yoga is brilliant)


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## Morrisette (19 Sep 2008)

Yoga is definitely good for cyclists. I've been doing yoga on and off for a while, I really recommend it. Good for stretching out hamstrings (which cycling tightens up).

The first course I did was a very gentle, beginners introductory course, where everyone worked at their own pace and there was no pushing from the instructor at all. I enjoyed this, but I actually found the more 'structured' Iyengar style a lot better, as it pushed me into improving how I did the postures and realising that your body can do more that you think it can - for example I would never have done a shoulder stand if I'd stayed in the first class, as I didn't think I could do it. You still work at your own pace, but your own pace is stretched a little, which improves the practice overall.

I've never said 'Ommmmm' in a class, btw!!


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## Toshiba Boy (4 Oct 2008)

Have just returned from a 3 day yoga "holiday" in Cornwall with my wife (www.yogaatwork.co.uk), which was absolutely brilliant. My only previous experience was a few years ago at the local gym, but this was much, much better.

Definitely have felt much more energised, and (I know this may sound daft) but "lighter"

I have suffered from fatigue/gland related problems for some years post Glandular Fever in my mid 30's, and I can honestly say that since I've returned from Cornwall, it's the best I've felt for a long time.

As to it being "girly", no way, it's an excellent work out (albeit, and very importantly, in a non-competitive way) + as other have said, you can often be vastly out-numbered by lycra clad females


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## yenrod (4 Oct 2008)

Ive done that thing whereby your in a group and move your body all together SLOWLY...

That was quite boring!


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## Kirstie (8 Oct 2008)

Yoga is good but pilates is better (I've done both - Iyengar system for yoga). Fantastic for core strength and flexibility. I've had hardly any back pain since starting pilates and am much more comfortable on the bike.


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## Twenty Inch (8 Oct 2008)

I keep hearing that Pilates is good. Is it possible to do at home? By which I mean are there good materials and can it be done without lots of input from an instructor?

I have zero time or money for a course.


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## Auntie Helen (9 Oct 2008)

I did yoga at home for several years and found it brilliant. I had a variety of books that I used and also one DVD. Of course that option is a bit rubbish if BTFB wants to see leotard-clad women but it might be worth getting a book/DVD from the library to see what sort of thing you might be doing.

The most notable thing I found with the yoga, apart from the improvement in overall body shape, was that I found it much easier to look over my shoulder in the car when reversing!


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## Madcyclist (13 Oct 2008)

I'm another Pilates addict, after years of lower back and pelvis problems Pilates has helped me to get my life back and get back on the bike.

I'd recommend the 'Body Control Pilates' book for practising at home, a swiss ball is also well worth the expense.


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## Twenty Inch (14 Oct 2008)

Madcyclist said:


> I'm another Pilates addict, after years of lower back and pelvis problems Pilates has helped me to get my life back and get back on the bike.
> 
> I'd recommend the 'Body Control Pilates' book for practising at home, a swiss ball is also well worth the expense.



That's helpful, thanks. I'm already scooping as we speak - even such a little action helps. And we have a swiss ball left over from when LO was born.


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## CeeDee51 (17 Oct 2008)

mr Mag00 said:


> iyengar, that was the system i used to do, why would you not recommend it twentyinch? i found it brilliant and we werent pushed it was all at our own pace and the class had an enormous variaty of ability



I agree. I do Iyengar and have found it very beneficial. You do it at your own level and progress as your body dictates. Mr. Iyengar is 90 this year and still teaching!


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## Fiona N (17 Oct 2008)

I'm another with experience of both yoga and Pilates. I feel rather like I do about recumbents and uprights - both good but very different.

The yoga style I did was Vinyasa, which is a rather more aerobic style as the emphasis is on moving - flowing - between the postures rather than slowly rearranging yourself after long periods in one posture, which was my (short) experience with Hatha and Iyengar. I found it was good for overall suppleness, especially in my back, and it developed quite a bit of upper body strength too. As I'm not someone who has problems relaxing, I find all the meditation & breathing stuff a bit of a waste of time but I think this is very teacher-dependent.

The Pilates ('Body Control'- style) classes I attend are very different with much more emphaisis on core strength & posture. They don't do anything for general suppleness or strength of other muscles, although again this is a function of these particular classes and if you could get to classes using equipment, like a Reformer, it would be very different as it is a whole body conditioning scheme. Unfortunately, it seems that Pilates is mainly taught as a core stability activity, based on mat work and maybe resistance band work. Few studios outside the cities have invested in the full suite of equipment that could make it a real rival to yoga. 

Consequently I go to a class a week of each and practice fairly religiously (but sans God ) at home to get the maximum benefit.

I suspect that Wii practice may be fun but not a substitute for getting hands on instruction from a good teacher for either yoga or Pilates. It's fair to say that both can create problems if done incorrectly so it's probably best to at least find out the right way first.


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## Janeyb (26 Oct 2008)

I've just started Iyengar yoga classes having practiced at home for a while. It's great and a nice mixture of hard work and relaxation. I did Hatha yoga a few years ago which I also enjoyed but there seemed more relaxation in Hatha than Iyengar and it wasn't physical enough for me. As others have said a good teacher will stress that you take things at your own pace- in fact she sometimes stops us newbies doing certain postures as she doesn't want us to run before we walk.

I would thoroughly recommend it.


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