What happens to you when you only do yoga

[Gardengirl]

I have always hated yoga. Too slow and boring and never felt like I was pushing my muscles for the burn. . . . until last year! I began live classes last spring and have been surprised at how it has helped me deal with stress through breathing and meditation and flow of exercise. Totally outside my personality, or what I thought was my personality. Ha!

And what a timely thread because I was coming here to pose the question of what I need to add. I would like to add some more strength training but something that would work well with yoga. I'm done with metabolic/hiit/balls to the walls exercises (I think that's okay to say because I heard Jessica Smith say it on a dvd ). So while I do think yoga has made improvements in many ways, I feel like I've lost a little in the toning department.

So, I'd love to hear what others are doing. I'm thinking Margaret Richard's Unplugged as add ons might work nicely with yoga, and some walking. Thoughts?

ETA: I would also love to know what DVDs for gentle yoga you might recommend.

[eam531]

Originally Posted by Gardengirl

So, I'd love to hear what others are doing. I'm thinking Margaret Richard's Unplugged as add ons might work nicely with yoga, and some walking. Thoughts?

ETA: I would also love to know what DVDs for gentle yoga you might recommend.

J. Brown's Yoga DVD. Wonderful teacher; his mantra is "gentle is the new advanced".

Jane Adams' Gentle Yoga. Lots of fans of this on VF.

Just Relax by David Swenson. David is an Ashtanga yoga teacher, but this DVD is NOT Ashtanga! It's sort of yoga-esque; very relaxing. Great long deep relaxation at the end.

As far as toning--I think Margaret Richard would be great, and adding walking to your routine is a great idea too.

[videofit]

Originally Posted by dnna

well, what happened to me is that I now look absolutely great,better physique than all my years of cardio & weights

What is your body type? Ecto, endo, meso?

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by eam531

I too need an hour of at least somewhat challenging yoga to maintain strength. I modify these practices due to pre-existing joint issues (and to head off any new ones), but I'm on that mat 5-6 days a week for a good hour.

So power yoga an hour a day? Or just more vigorous yoga rotated with some gentler stuff?

[Gardengirl]

Thanks, Betsy! I'll give those a look.

[dnna]

videofit_from dnna- I am a very small person,about 5' tall, generally petite all over and hard to build muscle. I do have some though from all my years of Firming. a better response is -I am almost 67 and experiencing a lot aof changes due to being way way past menopause (27 years) and having had a complete thyroidectomy. and 70 is just around the corner. so those labels kind of do not apply.

[eam531]

Originally Posted by bubbles76

So power yoga an hour a day? Or just more vigorous yoga rotated with some gentler stuff?

Most of what I do is power yoga or a variant for an hour a day. One yoga routine I really like that is not power yoga is Janice Lennart's yoga DVD. It's an hour, and is not easy, but is not vinyasa-based. Janice is so elegant that I love doing the routine with her, and she's over 70 and a huge inspiration. She has a pilates DVD that I don't have, but some people here have said that it is tough and really good.

Once a week I do something gentle--J. Brown, for example. But even with his DVD I choose a routine that is at least an hour--you get several choices of routines of varying length on his DVD.

If I'm really tired or not feeling well, I will do a shorter gentle routine, but basically I shoot for an hour of challenging yoga 5-6 days a week

[Pat58]

I have the opposite reaction to an all yoga rotation than everyone who posted about great results. I lose strength and turn to mush. I get great results in the stress relief department, though.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by Pat58

I have the opposite reaction to an all yoga rotation than everyone who posted about great results. I lose strength and turn to mush. I get great results in the stress relief department, though.

Do you have good results with bodyweight workouts at all? The reason why I think a yoga hybrid or all yoga rotation might work for me is that I have very good results with bodyweight workouts.

[Betty Boop]

Originally Posted by Pat58

I have the opposite reaction to an all yoga rotation than everyone who posted about great results. I lose strength and turn to mush. I get great results in the stress relief department, though.

I think it's interesting that Tony G in Yoga Elementals has a class called Build Your Body that he recommends doing at least once a week. It's body weight exercises.