Question for you Flexible People.....

[Tugger31]

A thought occurred to me while doing yoga the other day as I was staring at the tv thinking you want me to do what with my legs straight?? Anyway, I know alot of people, myself included, practice yoga to help with flexibility and stretching. For those of you who can do all those contortionist yoga moves with no effort at all, what do you get out of yoga?? Relaxation?? Strength??

Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks,

Stacy

[AcademiaNut]

Well, I have totally un-earned flexibility and I do yoga, so I guess I'll weigh in.

I use yoga as a spiritual discipline in a way. Bear with me, here, because it's probably not as weird as you're thinking Yes, I can do some of the circus poses -but not usually without effort. All of yoga -even tadasana(mountain pose) and staff pose and child's pose- take effort and concentration and staying right there in that moment. NOT my strong suit. Sometimes in savasana (relaxtion/corpse pose), I find myself planning my grocery list or transitioning into the meeting that comes after the yoga class..... It's an interesting and valuable process for me (one of those hugely scattered people who still manages to get a lot done) to pull myself back into that one place of meditation -again and again and again.

But on the physical level, which I'm sure is what you wanted to talk about, I know that I'm not as flexible now as I was when I was twenty. So I am working on flexibility -just starting from a different place than some people. And, as the people in the yoga check-in have reason to know- I REALLY struggle with the strength poses. Even the comparatively simple ones are hard for me.

So, the answer to your question is yes I'm working on all those things: flexibility, strength, and finding my very elusive center.

I hope that helps.
Andrea

[Jane P.]

I have an inherited gene for flexibility (it is a recessive gene so you must inherit it from both parents). Even though I'm 50 years old, I'm still very flexible. I found out when I tried yoga that it requries strength as well as flexibility to hold the poses. I have to be careful not to hyperextend my joints when doing stretching exercises. I'm much more prone to injury than a less flexible person.

[caragoub]

I remember way back in High School when I wasn't an exerciser, we had a yoga teacher come in and do a workshop for gym class. She told me I was "flexible and weak". Never forgot that!!

so for me it takes alot of strength to hold poses, even if i don't have to work terribly hard in the flexibility department. And the stretch always feels really good to me.

I'm not into spiritual discipline in yoga...I'm just not disciplined enough ....tried all that meditation stuff but I'm too hyper. I like walking meditation though...now I'm digressing :rolleyes:


voilà,

Cara

[tiffanywu]

I practice yoga for four things - cardio, strength, flexibility and relaxation. I probably have a higher tolerance for crunchy, eco-granola, woo-woo stuff than lots of folks, so the more philosophical and spiritual aspects of yoga is something I can take in small doses. Talk abount chakras and energy loops and such are a bit much for me, but appreciating the present moment and self-acceptance are useful lessons for me, the hyper one. I really enjoy breathing exercises and relaxation segments, and am beginning to meditate a little too. Learning to accept that I can't just force myself into difficult positions is a lesson in patience and discipline...

Flexibility-wise, I have regained almost all of the flexibility I use to have as a kid (I'm 27 now, and the last time I dared to touch my nose to my knees and do cartwheels, I was 12). However, my hips are still pretty tight and this prevents from safely doing a lot of fun stuff involving the lotus position (puts pressure on my knees to compensate for stiff hips).

I haven't scientifically measured it, but I'm pretty sure that just doing yoga has maintained my strength and cardio levels... I used to lift a lot of weights with Cathe and Cory, and do low-impact floor aerobics, but now I only occasionally speed walk or cycle outdoors in addition to practicing power/Ashtanga style yoga 4 to 5 times a week. And my lung capacity has really improved from all the breathing exercises! What I do know is that my core strength and upper body "integration" (i.e. getting all the muscles to work together in a given movement) has improved significantly in the last six months of 75% yoga, 25% other. The ability to do sun salutations without a struggle and any kind of movement where you support your entire body's weight on your hands is good evidence, methinks.