Do you follow your bliss or do workouts you think you should do or need - Page 4

beyond.omega · 10-15-16, 06:31 PM

Life is too short to do workouts that you don't like just to take your bitter medicine. Unless you have to for a medical reason, I say stick to what you like, especially since you found love with a workout.

Also, yoga people seem to have great external results too. You didn't get that?

Pat58 · 10-15-16, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherry7899

I will eventually get back to using weights. I do love Margaret Richard's workouts. For now I am sticking with cardio/yoga for a few more weeks.

Sherry

Sherry - as you know, I'm also dealing with shoulder issues - last week I did some Margaret but with no weights at all, and I still felt a workout - and felt better the next day. We are all different, just sharing a thought.

bzar · 10-15-16, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boots

bzar - I would usually do a 1 mile or 2 mile walk with Leslie Sansone 5 days a week. I would walk anywhere from 20-40 minutes each time. I normally do more intense workouts, but I wanted to take a break from those for a little while. I couldn't believe I lost 6 pounds by just walking!

thanks!

daisyduke · 10-15-16, 07:18 PM

Thank you all for your replies.

Someone asked about my results with yoga. I did yoga the whole time I was pregnant and then once the baby came I forced myself to do the hard workouts to lose that extra weight.

I did only gain 25 lbs with my pregnancy. So yoga helped that. I'm not sure if yoga alone would have gotten my stomach pulled in again! After this pregnancy I had some back fat that wouldn't budge. I did a week of p90x and it disappeared. I then got too tired to keep up with a baby and p90x.

Garrie A. · 10-16-16, 11:09 AM

I do a variety of activities. It's interesting how my tastes have changed since I started working out to videos in 2012 (while still a sophomore in high school). I think this year I've "found my bliss":

2012: Early on I used Richard Simmons, Leslie, Tae Bo, and Kathy Smith. The only few I clicked with were Kathy's. That summer, I found the original six Firm volumes in the clamshells for $1 at a yard sale. My Firm obsession started. AWT became both my primary and secondary workout. I learned that I was more of a strength training person than cardio.

2013: I discovered Pilates through Mari Winsor and a VHS I found called "The Method All in One Workout." I saw results faster in my abs than traditional crunches. AWT still comprised a majority of my workout.

2014: Pilates became more important to me, and I began using it in spells as my primary form of strength training (using the standing arm series for upper body and the side kicks for lower body). I'd continue to go on Firm kicks periodically. Yoga also became somewhat of an interest, so I occasionally dabbled in it. I also discovered Karen Voight, with YogaSculpt, Great Weighted Workout, and Energy Sprint.

2015 (long post--bear with me): I took a college weightlifting class at the beginning of the spring semester (January-April), when the weight room only had Nautilus machines (and not a free weight in sight). I found it very difficult to get an AWT-style workout in one hour. So, I began using it for upper body strength training. I hardly did any cardio (Kathy Smith and Leslie were my primary cardio choices). For my lower body and core, I did Pilates. I'd occasionally pull out my Firms and Karen Voights on snow days. Once I completed the course, I was back to using my Firms. Then in late April, I had a nasty bout of wrist tendonitis. So, I had to cut out the weights and did yoga and Pilates only, with some lighter cardio workouts. From late May through early August, I was back to Firming. Then, I discovered barre when I found a Fluidity bar and DVD set at Goodwill. I continued to Firm twice a week with one barre workout a week. In September, I slightly cut back on Firms to add in more Fluidity workouts. I also bought two Core Fusion DVDs to add variety to my barre routines. In October, I went back to primarily Firming, with an occasional barre routine. The week of Thanksgiving I hit "rock bottom" and didn't really feel like working out. In December I became obsessed with Yoga Booty Ballet, which I credit for getting me out of the slump. I also incorporated barre, with the occasional Firm.

2016 (up to October): I started off strong in January-March with a mix of Classic Firms, Physique 57, Core Fusion, and Turbo Jam (which I found I could only take in spells). Then in April I decided to do a barefoot-themed month where I did mainly barre (Fluidity, P57, CF, and Bar Method) and Pilates, along with YBB. I decided to break it to "start" a Firm 90-day rotation, but then quickly went back to YBB and barre. I then went on a serious barre kick, and bought P57 V2, both Ballet Physiques, two Fluidity Real Classes, and three more Bar Methods. In late June, I burned out on Barre and decided to try Tracie Long's post-Firm workouts. They helped improve my balance and functional strength, and also helped me make immense upper and lower body strength gains. I'd add in an occasional barre workout. Then I bought an AeroPilates reformer at a yard sale, which got me back into the Pilates. I'd use Pilates then as my primary form of strength, with some barre and an occasional weights (Firm, Tracie, or KCM Muscle Defintion). I also started a fall yoga sadhana in September.

Now, I think I've "found my bliss": Two days of non-traditional strength (barre or Pilates), two days of lighter cardio plus Pilates, one day of traditional strength (or non-traditional, depending on how I feel), and two free days. (My rest days are active rest days) I also enjoy adding in short yoga practices on most days of the week.

Pat58 · 10-16-16, 02:06 PM

I enjoyed reading how you found your bliss, Garrie.

hch · 10-16-16, 02:31 PM

I'll post more later when I have more time, but I'll start by saying that after reading the original post, I've realized that I've never thought about exercise choices this way.

Then I thought about the question as I understand it, and I thought about some of the reasons that I think and act as I do (those details are what I'll post later). I've realized that I'm actually happier not having a particular strong exercise "bliss" that diverges from "what I should do or need." I might even say that I find a different level of bliss in being "blissless."

yogapam · 10-16-16, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hch

I'll post more later when I have more time, but I'll start by saying that after reading the original post, I've realized that I've never thought about exercise choices this way.

Then I thought about the question as I understand it, and I thought about some of the reasons that I think and act as I do (those details are what I'll post later). I've realized that I'm actually happier not having a particular strong exercise "bliss" that diverges from "what I should do or need." I might even say that I find a different level of bliss in being "blissless."

I look forward to hearing more.

For me, "bliss" in regards to working out is getting that endorphin high during & after my workout. It also means no dread before & no pain after. My most blissful workout with those three things is probably swimming. I always feel fantastic when I get out of the pool.

bubbles76 · 10-16-16, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogapam

For me, "bliss" in regards to working out is getting that endorphin high during & after my workout. It also means no dread before & no pain after.

I have been going back and forth on this, trying to figure out what blissful workouts are. I think this is a good definition. I would say that I don't do anything but blissful workouts. Well, blissful to me

I do come back to workouts that have bored me at times, just to see if my tastes have changed, but I never do a workout that I dread or that causes pain. Soreness yes, but never pain.

And I never realized until very recently how music and background play a huge factor in how enjoyable a workout is. I wish I had more time for all the workouts that bring me bliss, yoga in particular.

Alan · 10-16-16, 05:36 PM

I guess I don't see it as an either-or situation. If, for instance, you love a particular workout you can simply make that the foundation of your routine and then add use a few other "vegetable" workouts for crosstraining. So in this case the OP can do yoga 3-4 days per week and then add more cardio or strength training for the other days.

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10-15-16, 06:31 PM
beyond.omega VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006	Life is too short to do workouts that you don't like just to take your bitter medicine. Unless you have to for a medical reason, I say stick to what you like, especially since you found love with a workout. Also, yoga people seem to have great external results too. You didn't get that?

10-15-16, 07:18 PM
daisyduke Join Date: Jun 2004	Thank you all for your replies. Someone asked about my results with yoga. I did yoga the whole time I was pregnant and then once the baby came I forced myself to do the hard workouts to lose that extra weight. I did only gain 25 lbs with my pregnancy. So yoga helped that. I'm not sure if yoga alone would have gotten my stomach pulled in again! After this pregnancy I had some back fat that wouldn't budge. I did a week of p90x and it disappeared. I then got too tired to keep up with a baby and p90x.

10-16-16, 11:09 AM
Garrie A. Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Virginia	I do a variety of activities. It's interesting how my tastes have changed since I started working out to videos in 2012 (while still a sophomore in high school). I think this year I've "found my bliss": 2012: Early on I used Richard Simmons, Leslie, Tae Bo, and Kathy Smith. The only few I clicked with were Kathy's. That summer, I found the original six Firm volumes in the clamshells for $1 at a yard sale. My Firm obsession started. AWT became both my primary and secondary workout. I learned that I was more of a strength training person than cardio. 2013: I discovered Pilates through Mari Winsor and a VHS I found called "The Method All in One Workout." I saw results faster in my abs than traditional crunches. AWT still comprised a majority of my workout. 2014: Pilates became more important to me, and I began using it in spells as my primary form of strength training (using the standing arm series for upper body and the side kicks for lower body). I'd continue to go on Firm kicks periodically. Yoga also became somewhat of an interest, so I occasionally dabbled in it. I also discovered Karen Voight, with YogaSculpt, Great Weighted Workout, and Energy Sprint. 2015 (long post--bear with me): I took a college weightlifting class at the beginning of the spring semester (January-April), when the weight room only had Nautilus machines (and not a free weight in sight). I found it very difficult to get an AWT-style workout in one hour. So, I began using it for upper body strength training. I hardly did any cardio (Kathy Smith and Leslie were my primary cardio choices). For my lower body and core, I did Pilates. I'd occasionally pull out my Firms and Karen Voights on snow days. Once I completed the course, I was back to using my Firms. Then in late April, I had a nasty bout of wrist tendonitis. So, I had to cut out the weights and did yoga and Pilates only, with some lighter cardio workouts. From late May through early August, I was back to Firming. Then, I discovered barre when I found a Fluidity bar and DVD set at Goodwill. I continued to Firm twice a week with one barre workout a week. In September, I slightly cut back on Firms to add in more Fluidity workouts. I also bought two Core Fusion DVDs to add variety to my barre routines. In October, I went back to primarily Firming, with an occasional barre routine. The week of Thanksgiving I hit "rock bottom" and didn't really feel like working out. In December I became obsessed with Yoga Booty Ballet, which I credit for getting me out of the slump. I also incorporated barre, with the occasional Firm. 2016 (up to October): I started off strong in January-March with a mix of Classic Firms, Physique 57, Core Fusion, and Turbo Jam (which I found I could only take in spells). Then in April I decided to do a barefoot-themed month where I did mainly barre (Fluidity, P57, CF, and Bar Method) and Pilates, along with YBB. I decided to break it to "start" a Firm 90-day rotation, but then quickly went back to YBB and barre. I then went on a serious barre kick, and bought P57 V2, both Ballet Physiques, two Fluidity Real Classes, and three more Bar Methods. In late June, I burned out on Barre and decided to try Tracie Long's post-Firm workouts. They helped improve my balance and functional strength, and also helped me make immense upper and lower body strength gains. I'd add in an occasional barre workout. Then I bought an AeroPilates reformer at a yard sale, which got me back into the Pilates. I'd use Pilates then as my primary form of strength, with some barre and an occasional weights (Firm, Tracie, or KCM Muscle Defintion). I also started a fall yoga sadhana in September. Now, I think I've "found my bliss": Two days of non-traditional strength (barre or Pilates), two days of lighter cardio plus Pilates, one day of traditional strength (or non-traditional, depending on how I feel), and two free days. (My rest days are active rest days) I also enjoy adding in short yoga practices on most days of the week. __________________ Garrie -AFAA certified GFI -Licensed Barre Above instructor -------------------------------------------------------- CLX 6/19-9/19 STS Grad 11/19-2/20, 9/20-12/20 Current Focus: Joyce Vedral "Mix-It-Up" Rotation Check out my blog by clicking on the "Home Page" link under my profile name.

10-16-16, 02:06 PM
Pat58 VF Supporter Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut	I enjoyed reading how you found your bliss, Garrie.

10-16-16, 02:31 PM
hch VF Supporter Join Date: Mar 2002	I'll post more later when I have more time, but I'll start by saying that after reading the original post, I've realized that I've never thought about exercise choices this way. Then I thought about the question as I understand it, and I thought about some of the reasons that I think and act as I do (those details are what I'll post later). I've realized that I'm actually happier not having a particular strong exercise "bliss" that diverges from "what I should do or need." I might even say that I find a different level of bliss in being "blissless." __________________ "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The Velveteen Rabbit Last edited by hch; 10-16-16 at 02:33 PM. Reason: added things to clarify second paragraph

10-16-16, 05:36 PM
Alan Join Date: Nov 2003	I guess I don't see it as an either-or situation. If, for instance, you love a particular workout you can simply make that the foundation of your routine and then add use a few other "vegetable" workouts for crosstraining. So in this case the OP can do yoga 3-4 days per week and then add more cardio or strength training for the other days.