What IS yoga really?

[greenishmama]

Can anyone tell me what yoga really is? I have it in my head from a few different now unknown places that yoga is a series of worship poses to various gods. If that is true, then why do some people feel it is so much better than exercise/stretching developed by physical therapists and others who have studied the body?
I have done yoga before. I have dvd's too. So I have experienced the exercise and it is great in some ways for stretching, strengthening, etc. but I have also come across articles about the spine saying how bad all those forward bends can be (even though I have loved to do them until there is now something wrong with my back and I'm now suspicious of all those wonderful forward bends I would do.) I think some of the yoga moves/positions are probably not good and have even read of people really into yoga who don't do certain positions because they just aren't good for you.

I've been wondering for a while now why some think it so much better than other exercises. And I know that some people could write pages on why. I guess I'm doubtful that something so "old and ancient" could indeed be more wonderful than exercise designed by those who have studied the body and exercise, etc.
my motivation to ask right now is my chiropractor told me today that I really need to do yoga. And he poo-pooed regular stretches (though he made me take a stretching handout a few weeks ago- which I think he is reguired to by insurance at some point maybe). I know so many people who have used physical therapy and some who have quit the chiropractor due to physical therapy (and I mean some pretty basic stretches usually) helping them so much. They do the exercises now and never have problems or if they feel the problem coming back they get back to the stretches and their good to go.
So why would some insist that yoga is the go-to?

[cheri]

I read your question three times and I'm still not sure what you're asking. :scratch

[Elibellamiah]

This brings up something I've wondered about. Is it really worship poses to other gods? And, do you think that matters? Is it something Christians shouldn't do? It's been suggested that Yoga would be good for me, I have very tight muscles. But my husband is not comfortable with it, he thinks it's not a good thing for Christians to do, so I've never done it.

[Soliloquy]

There is Christian worship yoga in my town.

You can read about the history/origins of yoga. I did a long time ago but I don't remember much.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[believer]

I took a yoga class many years ago. It was a form of yoga called kundalini yoga. One difference between it and other exercise was that it was slow and focused on breathing at the correct time to oxygenate the muscles properly - the breathing at the correct time was as important as the exercise. It seemed to work well. One time I went in with AF and bad cramps not sure if I would make it through the exercises and I left with no cramps feeling terrific. There are many different styles of yoga and many do combine the spiritual in with the physical using meditation and clearing the mind and stuff. I think that if you take a yoga class in a gym in the US, you will most often encounter the yoga that is merely exercise with no spiritual component.

[Redeemed]

Yes, it has Hindu/Buddhist roots. I read about it in one of my college classes last fall. I'll come back to this and explain further.

Can anyone tell me what yoga really is? I have it in my head from a few different now unknown places that yoga is a series of worship poses to various gods. If that is true, then why do some people feel it is so much better than exercise/stretching developed by physical therapists and others who have studied the body?
I have done yoga before. I have dvd's too. So I have experienced the exercise and it is great in some ways for stretching, strengthening, etc. but I have also come across articles about the spine saying how bad all those forward bends can be (even though I have loved to do them until there is now something wrong with my back and I'm now suspicious of all those wonderful forward bends I would do.) I think some of the yoga moves/positions are probably not good and have even read of people really into yoga who don't do certain positions because they just aren't good for you.

I've been wondering for a while now why some think it so much better than other exercises. And I know that some people could write pages on why. I guess I'm doubtful that something so "old and ancient" could indeed be more wonderful than exercise designed by those who have studied the body and exercise, etc.
my motivation to ask right now is my chiropractor told me today that I really need to do yoga. And he poo-pooed regular stretches (though he made me take a stretching handout a few weeks ago- which I think he is reguired to by insurance at some point maybe). I know so many people who have used physical therapy and some who have quit the chiropractor due to physical therapy (and I mean some pretty basic stretches usually) helping them so much. They do the exercises now and never have problems or if they feel the problem coming back they get back to the stretches and their good to go.
So why would some insist that yoga is the go-to?

[greenishmama]

I read your question three times and I'm still not sure what you're asking. :scratch

sorry. Was hard to explain what I mean. and interrupted many times by two little boys. took over 15 minutes probably to finish it!
just not sure what is so "special" about yoga that can't be achieved with the type of stretching and exercise a physical therapist might prescribe. And if it was originally developed as religious thing, not sure how scientific it is.

I took a yoga class many years ago. It was a form of yoga called kundalini yoga. One difference between it and other exercise was that it was slow and focused on breathing at the correct time to oxygenate the muscles properly - the breathing at the correct time was as important as the exercise. It seemed to work well. One time I went in with AF and bad cramps not sure if I would make it through the exercises and I left with no cramps feeling terrific. There are many different styles of yoga and many do combine the spiritual in with the physical using meditation and clearing the mind and stuff. I think that if you take a yoga class in a gym in the US, you will most often encounter the yoga that is merely exercise with no spiritual component.

I think kundalini is the type my chiropractor promotes. I think they had these people that make dvd's actually come and do workshops at their office (and I live kind of nowhere compared to larger city areas). The dvd's they sell sounded a bit too weird for me, but maybe it's not.

Yes, it has Hindu/Buddhist roots. I read about it in one of my college classes last fall. I'll come back to this and explain further.

looking forward to hearing more...


In the past it didn't bother me to do yoga for exercise. I had no plans of getting into anything spiritual with it. But it started to bother me thinking that I was doing some type of worship poses for other religions.

[believer]

I think kundalini is the type my chiropractor promotes. I think they had these people that make dvd's actually come and do workshops at their office (and I live kind of nowhere compared to larger city areas). The dvd's they sell sounded a bit too weird for me, but maybe it's not.
looking forward to hearing more...


In the past it didn't bother me to do yoga for exercise. I had no plans of getting into anything spiritual with it. But it started to bother me thinking that I was doing some type of worship poses for other religions.
I think there can be weird spiritual stuff with the yoga, but that is only if you add it in or if the class you take does that. The kundalini yoga was great for my back and I would love to find a class that does it again.
I think the spiritual stuff that is added to it sometimes is strange, but to me, you can take it or leave it and it is still a great back exercise. I think it may depend on the class you take or what they may put on the video and if that part bothers you, you can take a different class or just do the exercises without the spiritual mumbo jumbo.

[Soliloquy]

just not sure what is so "special" about yoga that can't be achieved with the type of stretching and exercise a physical therapist might prescribe. And if it was originally developed as religious thing, not sure how scientific it is.


Because physical therapists view the body as a machine. Their exercises are designed to work the muslces, bones, and connective tissues in a specific way. Yoga takes into account the whole person.

“If you thought that science was certain - well, that is just an error on your part.” -- Richard P. Feynman :lol

[2TMama]

Interesting thoughts :)

I've practiced yoga (only via dvd). I definitely prefer the dvds that don't have the hokey/new-agey jargon all mixed in. I enjoy it & find it both strengthening & relaxing simultaneously :yes I think it also helps with flexibility.

I am not thinking about "other gods" while I do it....and am really not "worshipping" anything or anyone while I do it.

On the other hand, I do think taking care of our bodies IS a way to honor our Creator...I am thankful for the way He's knit my body together and believe that it is glorifying to do things to physically take care of the body He has given us. :rockon

[greenishmama]

Interesting thoughts :)

I've practiced yoga (only via dvd). I definitely prefer the dvds that don't have the hokey/new-agey jargon all mixed in. I enjoy it & find it both strengthening & relaxing simultaneously :yes I think it also helps with flexibility.

I am not thinking about "other gods" while I do it....and am really not "worshipping" anything or anyone while I do it.

On the other hand, I do think taking care of our bodies IS a way to honor our Creator...I am thankful for the way He's knit my body together and believe that it is glorifying to do things to physically take care of the body He has given us. :rockon

I agree. I never did yoga with all the new-agey stuff in mind. Either ignored it or sought dvd's that had less of that. But since learning more I just keep wondering why would yoga be considered better than other stretching and exercise (some people say it is). Some say it has to do with breathing. But proper breathing is also taught with regular exercise (when done well with good teacher). My concern is that yoga has some positions that perhaps aren't really good for the body. So I started wondering how yoga came about and if positions were contrived for other reasons than accomplishing specific things for certain parts of the body. Not sure if I'm making sense. I know that people love yoga and it helps them and that it can be done without getting spiritual about it if that is what one desires. But wondering what yoga was originally supposed to accomplish and if new knowledge of how our bodies work has made some of it obsolete. (as some people are now finding with certain positions they may have injured themselves with.)

[librarianjojo]

The main spiritual aspect of the yoga poses (or "asana") is to prepare the body for meditation. The idea is that by moving through yoga postures while focusing on breathing forms a kind of moving meditation that releases negative energy, mental blocks, calms the mind, creates awareness of both body and mind, etc. and prepares the practitioner for meditation. If you are Buddhist, you will be then meditating on Buddhist teachings. If you are a Christian, you would meditate on Christian teachings. Many Buddhist teachers advocate following the religious teachings of your traditions - not substituting theirs. I personally find no spiritual reasons not to practice yoga. If a teacher steers meditation too far away from my core beliefs, there are Bible verses that I begin to meditate on. (This has only happened with 1 or 2 teachers in my experience. Most are very respectful of the variety of religious views present in their classes.)

As far as "is yoga the best exercise ever in the history of the world?" I would say yes and no. I find that it stretches my body and calms my mind extraordinarily well. That said, there are poses I do not do because they don't work for my body or that I am very careful when I approach them.

What yoga has given me is awareness of how my body works, where I tend to get tight, where I am prone to injury, and what I need to protect. It also helps me slow my mind and muffle the roar of everyday life.

However, it is not the only form of exercise I do. I also lift weights, circuit train, and run. These kinds of exercises give me a sense of power and accomplishment and euphoria I don't get with yoga.

So...yeah. That's my long-winded answer. :shifty

[Mother Duck]

I have always view Yoga as a thing to be avoided. DH went to India on a missions trip a number of years ago and the Christians their were very surprised to learn that western Christians practiced Yoga because that's the same poses the Hindu's use in India to worship their gods.

Interested to follow along with this thread :cup

[Auroras mom]

Yeah but...who cares what positions Hindus/buddhists use to worship their gods? Are we really that superstitious? If they worship their gods by sitting cross-legged on the floor (which they do), then are we to never sit that way?

This mindset is, in my opinion, clinging to slavery and legalism. :shrug3 We have freedom in Yeshua to stand on one leg, to stretch our back and legs, to breathe slowly and feel our body relax, to sit cross legged and contemplate our navel or the weather or what to eat for dinner.

[Redeemed]

...

[zak]

That reads very much as a personal attack.

Please stay on topic of the subject.

[eta: Hermana Linda has removed the text in question and the infraction is being delt with by the admins]

[believer]

I have always view Yoga as a thing to be avoided. DH went to India on a missions trip a number of years ago and the Christians their were very surprised to learn that western Christians practiced Yoga because that's the same poses the Hindu's use in India to worship their gods.

Interested to follow along with this thread :cup

Yeah but...who cares what positions Hindus/buddhists use to worship their gods? Are we really that superstitious? If they worship their gods by sitting cross-legged on the floor (which they do), then are we to never sit that way?

This mindset is, in my opinion, clinging to slavery and legalism. :shrug3 We have freedom in Yeshua to stand on one leg, to stretch our back and legs, to breathe slowly and feel our body relax, to sit cross legged and contemplate our navel or the weather or what to eat for dinner.
I agree. I think that if a person is that concerned, and there are some people who are, then it becomes very difficult to draw the line in things like that. If you are not going to do yoga since it is used in other religions, then you should not celebrate Christmas and Easter due to their pagan origins or have a wedding ring because it has pagan origins too etc...

The most important thing, if you are concerned about it is to pray about it and follow the Lord's leading in the matter.

[librarianjojo]

Some people worship with dance, or with contemplation, or with yoga, or with song, or with writing, or with preaching, or with (insert activity). I don't feel that my faith is shaken or impacted at all by the fact that I am participating in an activity that some others may use to worship.

I am firm enough in my beliefs to acknowledge the benefits of yoga, the wisdom of some of their teachings, and to disdain some of the other teachings. I do not read the books of yogic spiritual teachers, but I do practice the asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing). I do meditate, but only on what would be pleasing to God. I do not use yoga as an intentional worship practice.

[mommychem]

I want to answer the OP. :shifty

I took a "yoga" course in high school. Because it was an Episcopal school, they changed the name to "Stress Management" to avoid any spiritual connotations. I found it very beneficial in learning the importance of breathing and the breath (which comes from God :wink) and I feel has gotten lost in our very fast paced society. Whether some poses are harmful or not beneficial for our bodies, :shrug

I'm a wait-and-see type afa what science/studies prove which seems somewhat antithetical to my education (undergraduate degree in chemistry and a chemist before SAH). One of my favorite phrases is "we don't know what we don't know" and studies find new information all the time disproving what we thought were facts. I do take some issue with western medicine treating ailments, hurts, systems without focusing on the whole person. :shifty

And I'll throw this out, I find that a common sentiment amongst Westerners is that we can't learn from other cultures, aside from the reasons "they" attribute to why certain things are done.

[ShiriChayim]

I want to answer the OP. :shifty

I took a "yoga" course in high school. Because it was an Episcopal school, they changed the name to "Stress Management" to avoid any spiritual connotations. I found it very beneficial in learning the importance of breathing and the breath (which comes from God :wink) and I feel has gotten lost in our very fast paced society. Whether some poses are harmful or not beneficial for our bodies, :shrug

I'm a wait-and-see type afa what science/studies prove which seems somewhat antithetical to my education (undergraduate degree in chemistry and a chemist before SAH). One of my favorite phrases is "we don't know what we don't know" and studies find new information all the time disproving what we thought were facts. I do take some issue with western medicine treating ailments, hurts, systems without focusing on the whole person. :shifty

And I'll throw this out, I find that a common sentiment amongst Westerners is that we can't learn from other cultures, aside from the reasons "they" attribute to why certain things are done.

:yes Well said.

[teamommy]

Yoga is an eight-limbed spiritual path based on the sutras of Patanjali. Major Hindu roots. You can read about the other limbs on wiki or multiple other places.

The asanas (poses) are just one of the eight limbs. Different practitioners over the years have taken the poses and put their own spin on them.

It makes sense that since there are only a certain number of ways the human body can be moved, that there would be major overlap between yoga asanas and other forms of exercise. Some forms of yoga seem to focus more on body alignment and specific physical benefits rather than the spiritual component.

What makes the asanas different than PT or many other forms of exercise, IME, is the breathing and the bandhas (basically, but not exactly, "locks" of the muscles of the pelvic floor, pelvic girdle, and core which is supposed to be maintained throughout the yoga practice). The breathing is of a specific type and coordinated with the movements. Focusing on the breath has a meditative quality. Focusing on a specific series of movements every time also has the same effect. Yoga and meditation have been shown to have beneficial physical effects in all sorts of areas. Of course, like many other forms of exercise, some things are not going to be good for certain bodies. In some places where classes are offered, a teacher may or may not have any special training, so that may be one reason to not seek out yoga in place of other beneficial forms of exercise. If someone isn't comfortable with the spiritual origins of yoga, I think there are other ways to obtain those benefits, including other physical practices.

I think that every religion has it's meditative or contemplative parts. I don't do much yoga anymore, but when I do I meditate on Christ and His blessings in my life, and pray when I quiet my mind with the breathing.

[WanderingJuniper]

A lot of people already said what I was thinking and said it very tactfully.
Personally I do yoga as part of my personal devotion time. I use it to help me memorize and meditate on a chosen scripture that was part of my study that day. My God is bigger than any false god. He created my body and all the ways it can move. There is no way for me to move my body while focusing on Him that would or even could accidentally worship a false god. The asanas of yoga amaze me in what our deliberately designed bodies can do and resets my pace in life to one of intention and not hurry.

FWIW, my chiro also has yoga as part of his practice but he is also clear in telling his patients that due to their personal health modifications may be needed or certain positions need to be avoided. I messed my back up a few years ago and during my healing he gave me a list of positions to avoid until I was healed.

[greenishmama]

Yoga is an eight-limbed spiritual path based on the sutras of Patanjali. Major Hindu roots. You can read about the other limbs on wiki or multiple other places.

The asanas (poses) are just one of the eight limbs. Different practitioners over the years have taken the poses and put their own spin on them.

It makes sense that since there are only a certain number of ways the human body can be moved, that there would be major overlap between yoga asanas and other forms of exercise. Some forms of yoga seem to focus more on body alignment and specific physical benefits rather than the spiritual component.

What makes the asanas different than PT or many other forms of exercise, IME, is the breathing and the bandhas (basically, but not exactly, "locks" of the muscles of the pelvic floor, pelvic girdle, and core which is supposed to be maintained throughout the yoga practice). The breathing is of a specific type and coordinated with the movements. Focusing on the breath has a meditative quality. Focusing on a specific series of movements every time also has the same effect. Yoga and meditation have been shown to have beneficial physical effects in all sorts of areas. Of course, like many other forms of exercise, some things are not going to be good for certain bodies. In some places where classes are offered, a teacher may or may not have any special training, so that may be one reason to not seek out yoga in place of other beneficial forms of exercise. If someone isn't comfortable with the spiritual origins of yoga, I think there are other ways to obtain those benefits, including other physical practices.

I think that every religion has it's meditative or contemplative parts. I don't do much yoga anymore, but when I do I meditate on Christ and His blessings in my life, and pray when I quiet my mind with the breathing.

thank you- this is answering what I was asking and wondering about. I'm not asking if Christians should or should not do yoga. But what is so different or beneficial about it as compared to modern exercise that some people would say yoga is best and not to do physical therapy type exercises (my chiro is saying do yoga and others tell me how much other exercise has helped them- and helped them NOT need to see a chiro anymore!)

[Zooey]

I just want to point something out here: Worship is an act of the will. You *cannot* accidentally worship anyone or anything, in order to worship, you have to choose to worship.
Now, I have to admit, that I no longer do yoga the way I used to, but that is because I am an old lady who knows that, one of these days, I am going to get down on the floor to do yoga (or to pick up a dead mouse, for that matter) and have to:doh crawl to the phone & :blushget somebody to help me get up again, so I keep it simple and upright.
I do the stretches, & I hold the positions because static stretches do more to loosen tight/sore muscles than anything else I know.

I am not going to try to do a shoulder stand again:snooty. I thought I was going to be found :shiftyupside down on the living room rug, with a cat trying to play whatever "game" I had come up with this time......:shifty

[mommychem]

I just want to point something out here: Worship is an act of the will. You *cannot* accidentally worship anyone or anything, in order to worship, you have to choose to worship.
Now, I have to admit, that I no longer do yoga the way I used to, but that is because I am an old lady who knows that, one of these days, I am going to get down on the floor to do yoga (or to pick up a dead mouse, for that matter) and have to:doh crawl to the phone & :blushget somebody to help me get up again, so I keep it simple and upright.
I do the stretches, & I hold the positions because static stretches do more to loosen tight/sore muscles than anything else I know.

I am not going to try to do a shoulder stand again:snooty. I thought I was going to be found :shiftyupside down on the living room rug, with a cat trying to play whatever "game" I had come up with this time......:shifty


Ahhhh shoulder stands used to feel.so.good! I haven't done one since I was twenty-something. :shifty

[librarianjojo]

Thanks to the other posters who so clearly answered the question. I used to the teach yoga at the YMCA and a lot of people were a little wary. I wish I'd had y'all with me to help explain things. :gcm

[flowermama]

Thanks to the other posters who so clearly answered the question. I used to the teach yoga at the YMCA and a lot of people were a little wary. I wish I'd had y'all with me to help explain things. :gcm

Oohh, how neat that you used to teach it at the Y! I take yoga at the Y and love it. :heart It helps my hip so much, and helps me have better posture, and it helps me be more relaxed. I love the focus on breathing and the calmness of it all. I think the teacher I had today might be Catholic. I just love his class. He's such a calm person, and he seems to teach yoga because he really cares about people.

[librarianjojo]

Oohh, how neat that you used to teach it at the Y! I take yoga at the Y and love it. :heart It helps my hip so much, and helps me have better posture, and it helps me be more relaxed. I love the focus on breathing and the calmness of it all. I think the teacher I had today might be Catholic. I just love his class. He's such a calm person, and he seems to teach yoga because he really cares about people.

I'm so glad it has helped you with your hip! I can tell when I haven't been to a class in a while - my hips start getting really tight, really fast. Those hip openers are no joke!

The teacher makes all the difference...there are some teachers who just have to smile at me and I start feeling more relaxed. :heart

[Zooey]

Oohh, how neat that you used to teach it at the Y! I take yoga at the Y and love it. :heart It helps my hip so much, and helps me have better posture, and it helps me be more relaxed. I love the focus on breathing and the calmness of it all. I think the teacher I had today might be Catholic. I just love his class. He's such a calm person, and he seems to teach yoga because he really cares about people.
The thing that always has amazwed me, is that you don't use up energy; you seem to increase it.
I think that we sometimes have no idea that so much energy is drained from us by the pain & tension in our bodies. Sometimes, when I have an ache or pain, I just stand in a pose that stretches that spot, & I feel all the tension being pulled out of the area.:)

[believer]

This thread has made me want to take a yoga class.
Now if I only had the time and the money. :sigh

[BarefootBetsy]

This thread has made me want to take a yoga class.
Now if I only had the time and the money. :sigh

I know the feeling :hug

I loved the yoga class I went to for a while when I was pg with ds. I miss it :( But yeah, time and money are the keys and I don't have them right now.

[flowermama]

I'm so glad it has helped you with your hip! I can tell when I haven't been to a class in a while - my hips start getting really tight, really fast. Those hip openers are no joke!

I go to the chiropractor, and that has helped a whole lot, too, but my hip really started to feel *so* much better when I started doing yoga. The stretches are wonderful!

The teacher makes all the difference...there are some teachers who just have to smile at me and I start feeling more relaxed. :heart

I think so, too! There are two teachers whose class I've taken, and I feel so much more relaxed in one teacher's class than I do the other's. I'm not sure, but I think one may be DYT type 2 and the other DYT type 3, and for me, well, the type 2 teacher is more calming. They are both nice, though! :)

The thing that always has amazwed me, is that you don't use up energy; you seem to increase it.
I think that we sometimes have no idea that so much energy is drained from us by the pain & tension in our bodies. Sometimes, when I have an ache or pain, I just stand in a pose that stretches that spot, & I feel all the tension being pulled out of the area.:)
Yes, it does seem to work that way! It's so nice. I love how I feel warm after doing yoga, a nice pleasant, energized, warmth.

This thread has made me want to take a yoga class.
Now if I only had the time and the money. :sigh

I don't know if you'd want to do it at home, but this website (http://www.doyogawithme.com/) has free video workouts.

I like to do this one (for my hip):
http://www.doyogawithme.com/content/deep-release-hips-hamstrings-and-lower-back

[hollybells]

Has anyone tried any of the Christian dvds? I'm wondering about the music and "chatter" (for lack of a better word :shifty). I'm good with instrumental music and minimal chatter beyond explaining what I'm supposed to be doing. :grin

If anyone has tried any that are similar to :up and can recommend something, I'd appreciate it. I've found a few online through Indigo / Chapters but am not sure where to start.

I know that when I was doing yoga regularly, my body felt much better and this year, self care is a (slow) priority, so now that physio is making a difference, I'm ready to add in something new.

A bit of a derail:

My self-care plan - a new habit a month:

January ~ Drink 64 oz of non-caffeinated liquid / day
February ~ Sleep Get influenza / pneumonia and be bed ridden for most of the month
March ~ Sleep
April ~ Physio 2 - 3 x / week and massage once / two weeks
May ~ Regular fitness - start with walking 3 - 4x / week + ??? something for stretching / pain management - yoga would be a good fit

[saturnfire16]

I don't know too much about the types of exercises PTs recommend, but most stretches I've seen outside of yoga classes seem to me to have obvious yoga roots. :scratch So I guess I'm confused about how much of a difference there really is. :shrug3

For example, in high school, I suggested to my then bf (now dh) that he might like doing yoga with me. He balked at the idea, and I pointed out that he was already doing yoga poses when he stretched before football. He said NO WAY! so I had him show me some of his stretches, and said, "Yep, that's down dog. And that's cobra. And that's triangle.... just because you don't know you're doing yoga, doesn't mean the stretches aren't the exact.same.thing." :lol

Of course, there isn't usually the emphasis on breathing in other stretching programs, and no spiritual element (but there doesn't have to be with yoga either), usually lack the flow (but not all yoga is flow yoga, either) but for the most part, the body can only move so many different ways. :shrug3

Do you have specific examples of stretches in yoga that are recommended against by PTs? And why?

[MrsDuck]

Has anyone tried any of the Christian dvds? I'm wondering about the music and "chatter" (for lack of a better word :shifty). I'm good with instrumental music and minimal chatter beyond explaining what I'm supposed to be doing. :grin

If anyone has tried any that are similar to :up and can recommend something, I'd appreciate it. I've found a few online through Indigo / Chapters but am not sure where to start.

I got one from the library once that was so very awful. I don't remember what it was called, but it was terrible beyond words. Christoga maybe? The leaders were so unprofessional and one of them could barely do the poses herself and they would. Not. Be. Quiet.

[hollybells]

I got one from the library once that was so very awful. I don't remember what it was called, but it was terrible beyond words. Christoga maybe? The leaders were so unprofessional and one of them could barely do the poses herself and they would. Not. Be. Quiet.

That's what I was afraid of ... :shiver

[Johns_Gal]

"Christoga"? Oh my goodness. :shifty :lol :bag

[Punkie]

For online classes, yogaglo has some really fantastic ones. None of them have music, and the room is well lit and simple, so there are no distractions. They have some of the best instructors in the world, so you can try a few and find one that works for you.

My husband and I are both athletes, and my husband competes in his sport. He wanted yoga that would prevent injuries but wasn't too out there or spiritual. One of the instructors on yogaglo worked at Nike headquarters, leading their yoga program. Her classes focus much more on cross training for individual sports and injury prevention, as opposed to the more woowoo teachers. I think they have something for everyone. :)

[twoplustwo]

For online classes, yogaglo has some really fantastic ones.

Hey - look at this:

www.yoga glo.com/yoga_for_cyclists (broke link bt yoga & glo)

Sooo . . . .I see the 15 free trial, but are you will to let me know what the monthly rate is? Generally, I think - wow! Id do that & then the price is so far out of my budget. Id rather know upfront than be all disappointed.

I know that the point is to try it & see how awesomely wonderful it is & then you are suddenly willing to pay double what you thought. But its either in the budget or not, no amount of wonderful can change that.

[Punkie]

My husband is a cyclist, and he really likes the classes for cyclists. The cross-training classes for runners are also fantastic. I credit them with helping to keep me injury-free throughout my marathon training.

The price is $18/month (http://support.yogaglo.com/entries/21915207-Can-I-have-a-free-trial-What-is-monthly-cost-Is-my-credit-card-secure-). I live in a place with outrageous cost of living, and a single class at a studio here costs me that, so it is a good deal for me. I know pricing for local classes varies greatly depending on where you live, though.

[twoplustwo]

Oh yea - thats not bad at all. Classes start here at $10/class & thats generally if you commit to a punch card or a pay for a month's worth. Drop in rates usually start at $12 & go up (way up sometimes) from there. And thats at the park district. Those private places are more.

I may try the 15 day trial for cyclists & maybe the cross training for runners too. My hip has been hurting when Ive been running lately.

Thanks for the info.

[Punkie]

With the membership you get access to all of the classes, so I can do cycling, running, surfing, or any other cross training classes as well as all of the "regular" yoga classes.

It really is a good deal for me, and it is easier to find time to do it in my house than if I had to go to a studio.

[satin.mama]

www.do yogawithme.com (link broken between do and yoga) is free forever if you do it on your computer - you only have to pay if you want the large-screen versions or sound-only files, etc.

I've found some good videos on there.

[2TMama]

I got my Bryan Kest (Power Yoga) dvd on ebay, I believe. I discovered him via a new/wrapped VHS I stumbled onto at a Goodwill. Once we phased out our vcr, I was on the lookout for a dvd replacement :D

(I just took a peek & there are some auctions right now for the same dvd)

[sara1215]

I took an outdoor yoga class last summer. It was held at a park by a lake in the evening. I had never done yoga before and I loved it! I have scoliosis and the yoga really helped with my back pain. I found it very relaxing and I plan to do it again this summer.

[MegMarch]

I like the Yoga For Dummies videos:O:giggle

They are pretty non-spiritual and easy to follow along with.