Yoga that is easy on the wrist?
 

I am trying to get into a regular workout rotation. I am dealing with pain on my wrist. I am also dealing with plantar fasciitis. I would like to include yoga in my rotation but so far, I have been discouraged. They have all been heavy on the wrist. Are there any yoga dvds that are easy on the wrists? I am a complete beginner, thanks.

You are right; that is hard to find! a couple of years ago I sprained my wrist and was in a cast (they weren't sure whether I broke it) and it was difficult to find doable yoga during that time.

Yoga that avoids downward dogs seems to be the way to go. I think there is only one downward dog in Barkhan yoga, but I have not done it recently-- but I DO remember it is very light on the downward dogs. Bikram yoga avoids downward dogs, too, but the only video I know of for that is Raquel Welch's VHS.

Hope that helps.

It seems like Level 1 of Jill Miller's Yoga At Home is very easy on the wrists. I have a lot of arthritis in my wrists and find that hers do not bother me. I don't know if you can buy just Level 1 though. http://www.yogatuneup.com/yoga-at-home-fitness

Jill's yoga is not a flow practice. It's not like any other yoga I've ever done - it's kind of like physical therapy meets yoga. Months 5 & 6 of Level 1 do have a few down dogs, but they are not held long and it's easy to skip poses that don't feel good and pick right up with the next pose she does.

Carol

You ca also modify with half-dog on your knees. I do this when my wrist is bothering me

I also have Jill Miller's lvl 1 and it is very easy on the wrists. Any practice labeled gentle should be as well, although I would not call hers gentle. It is more therapeutic as Carol mentioned.

Yoga for Stress Relief with Barbara Benagh did not have many poses that use the wrists depending on what practice you select.

Viniyoga might be good. I know it has a lot of hands and knees though. You might want to check out a clip.

Yoga for Weight Loss with Suzanne Deason has no downward dogs. There's one section of hands/knees but I think that's it for the wrist. You can always skip those poses.

All of these are beginners. I especially like Yoga for Weight Loss because it shows beginner to advance modifications.

Wow, you guys are all giving me great tips! Thank you all so much :). Please keep the recommendations coming! I really want to get into yoga.

Try gloves!
 

These are pricey!! But they are amazing, great gloves to support your wrist!

http://www.wristassuredgloves.com/shop/

Sadly, these gloves did not help me. I know they have helped others at VF. I've had better luck using Grip-Its, but unfortunately these are no longer made.

Carol

I wanted to add that Suzanne Deason has 2 Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss DVDs. The one called A.M. & P.M. Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss has downward dogs in both the am & pm routines.

Yes to both. And Suzanne's Balance Ball DVD's from Gaiam are yoga-ish (except Balance Ball for Weight Loss, that is Pilates).

Here are some others:

• Erich Schiffmann's Beginners
• Zyrka Landwijdt's Gentle Yoga
• Ashley Turner's Yoga for Flexibility & Stress Relief
• Rodney Yee's AM Yoga for Your Week
• Mark Laham's Yin Yoga (it says "power" in the title but it's not power yoga)
• In general, Ravi and Ana's Kundalini yoga programs are wrist friendly, with some exceptions
• restorative and Svaroopa yoga
• there is an all lower body and core DVD - escapes me at the moment. I'll edit when it comes to mind. Leslie Kaminoff is the teacher