ChroniCare: Have you tried laughter yoga? It can lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, & help w/ constipation or IBS. link
about 3 minutes ago
Maddie_World: No jeans, PJs or yoga pants looking better.
about 9 minutes ago
AshleyHodak: Yoga: The more relaxing pain OR the most painful relaxation you'll ever experience? Either way...good class tonight!
about 11 minutes ago
unepetite: I should really do one of three things: yoga, bake apple crisp, or wrap presents. Instead what I really want to do is: sit here.
about 23 minutes ago
articles4author: When Does One Become A Yoga Teacher: Author : Paul M. Jerard Jr.When you teach a friend, co-worker, or family m.. link
about 29 minutes ago
Follow us on Twitter ...
 |
Well...it seems to be working for this woman. |
 | By Julie Lawrence   OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Julie Lawrence |
| Published Sept. 26, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. |
|
Every year about this time, I begin to wonder how I'm going to keep myself from succumbing to a long, lazy winter of hibernation.
I'm not the world's most motivated exerciser, yet I have been known to complain when, from about late fall to late spring, I feel myself getting "soft" thanks to spending a few too many nights wrapped up in blankets on the couch after a hearty comfort food meal.
It's not that I'm inherently lazy; it's that I hate being cold. And, usually, if don't have most of my body covered in a protective layer of something fuzzy, I"m cold.
All summer long I ride my bike everywhere, go on walks, hike trails and go swimming. But as soon as it becomes scarf season, I become a shut-in and I feel crappy. Not even a good snowball fight excites me anymore.
I know; I need a better system.
The past couple of years I've tried yoga, which seemed to do wonders. I impressed myself with my season-long commitment to Yama Yoga in the Third Ward, but after a while, the weekly sessions can start to add up and not being able to find a parking spot in a snow storm was annoying.
Earlier this year I ventured over to the new Bikram Yoga studio, which I totally loved, but never quite figured out how to incorporate into my schedule. Since it's 105 degrees in there with 40 percent humidity, you sweat your ass off, which meant a quick session before heading into the office in the morning was completely out of the question. And after work, I am always way too hungry for dinner to be able to withstand 90-minutes of intense calorie burning. And any rigorous workout after 7 p.m. means I'm wide awake way later than I want to be on a work night. All those endorphins just won't let me sleep.
This season, I'm determined to save time, money and my sanity by attempting to do yoga at home. I've bought two DVDs (in case one really annoys me, as exercise DVDs have done to me in the past) and a yoga mat (if you don't want to drop $40 for the fancy ones, Target sells them for $9.99 -- if you don't mind magenta.)
My plan is to give everything a test run this weekend. My biggest fear, however, is hurting myself. Although I endured yoga in a class setting for months on end, there wasn't a single night that my instructor didn't reposition or adjust me in some way. If she's not there to tell me my downward facing dog is looking more like cow, am I really doing my body a benefit, or a disservice?
I guess my biggest question is, how difficult is it to keep on eye on the screen while in a pose?
Has anyone else found success in DVD yoga?
|
6 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by Atlantya on Sept. 28, 2009 at 5:51 p.m. (report)
I've tried several different yoga DVDs (Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, and the ones I've stuck with longest/enjoyed the best have been an obscure set available from Yogakingdomsanctuary.com with an instructor named Naader Shagagi. I have all three, but find myself mostly using the second one with occasional fallbacks to the first DVD. I've found it by far, for me, the most enjoyable, just-challenging-enough-without-hurting-myself, with good clear instruction DVD in my library.
| Rate this: |
Posted by blp123abc on Sept. 28, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. (report)
Good for you for sticking with yoga! I agree it gets a little challenging to watch those at home tapes and try and figure out what your body is doing at the same time. Been there, done that. I also found that I didn't have the discipline to do the tapes everyday which is why now I take yoga classes at Invivo. Plus, all the classes are included in my membership there. But for people that are not members, they have this new thing on Sundays where all the yoga classes on that day are free to everyone- unlimitedly. I know I didn't believe it either... not many things are free these days. Invivo is calling it "Good Karma Sundays"- sounds good to me! I told my neighbor about it and she has been coming every sunday for the last month now for free. There are 3 classes to choose from on sunday-check out their website for class times. www.invivofitness.com Bonus: Free parking and some is even covered!
| Rate this: |
Posted by courtenayt on Sept. 28, 2009 at 10:47 a.m. (report)
Great idea! I've also found it helpful to try out some of the exercise videos on Netflix Watch It Now. I'm also easily annoyed with exercise vids - or maybe just can't keep up ;), so I've found it a great way to try them out, pick the ones I like best and leave them in my online queue for easy access. Now I just have to get better at actually pushing that play button more often :)
| Rate this: |
Posted by BVMG on Sept. 27, 2009 at 8:50 a.m. (report)
I have no experience with Yoga DVDs, however a yoga friend of mine loves the guided sessions you can basically get for free through iTunes (i think - or some other online source). If you are taking suggestions on what to do over the winter - perhaps try riding you bike more??? The more you get outside, the more acclimated you get to the cold...at least that works for me.
| Rate this: |
Posted by mr.woody on Sept. 27, 2009 at 1:58 a.m. (report)
gonna talk my way no yankee crap, just what comes 2 mind at 0235 doors open frigging cats wants attention n u yapping 'bout yoga n weather? give you 5 stars just 4 the hell of it. you whine 'booout milwaukee saddest thing n the whole wide world make me cry
| Rate this: |
Show me the other Talkback
Recent blogs/briefs by Julie Lawrence
|
Art vs. Craft 2009 is here Nov. 25, 2009 This Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year. But if you're not into all that hoopla, ... |
|
Oh, Christmas tree. What to do with you? Nov. 21, 2009 While scouring the pages of the December '09 issue of "This Old House" I came across a ... |
|
Drinking for a difference Nov. 17, 2009 It's no secret that people tend to get extra jolly this time of year and embrace the nature ... |
|
A new book by screenprint star Jay Ryan Nov. 11, 2009 About a month ago, OnMilwaukee.com tried something new in the art scene. |
|
Reuniting with William Elliott Whitmore Nov. 04, 2009 This past August I got married, and as married folks tend to do, my husband and I set ... |
| Top Clicks | Top Searches | Most Talkbacks |
- Everyone's welcome at PJ's Yoga Shala
- I'm hot for Bikram yoga
- Yoga for degenerates
- A guide to yoga studios
- The Pink House invites you to cross its welcome mat
- What's happening in the Ward?
- OMC Recommends: Cool stuff we like right now
- A year of yoga
- Third Ward's new futon and yoga store encourages "Livn Lite"
- OMC Recommends: Cool stuff we like right now
