First Yoga Class!

[jessmarimba]

Haha - I'm having the opposite experience. Yoga was the first thing I was able to do after I was cleared to exercise and it's been extremely helpful. 7 months after my wreck and I tried my first pilates class...owwwww!! But a good ow, so I will keep going back. My back has been spasming all day though and I can't quite figure out how to make it stop.

[nscrbug]

I tried my first yoga class today. It was at my gym, so I got there at my usual time (when the gym opens) and did 75 minutes of cardio first. Then I took the yoga class. I enjoyed it very much. Our instructor is VERY pregnant, but that didn't seem to interfere at all, with her being able to teach the class. It was a very basic class, geared towards beginners...so there were no difficult or really challenging poses. I found it to be quite relaxing. Although I did have some trouble trying to relax my body at the start of the class. But this could have been because I had just come off running on the treadmill and my HR was still pretty high. The only other issue I had throughout the class, was that I was cold...as in chilled to the bone. Could be because my clothes were wet from sweating through cardio just prior to the class. I may have to bring a dry top to change into next time. I will definitely try the class again...that is, until the weather starts getting nice enough to ride again. Being out on my bike will always win over being indoors taking a class.

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, temperature is often an issue in gym yoga classes, because they set the thermostats for treadmill rats doing heavy cardio and older ladies who freak out if their foundation gets dewy. You definitely want a blanket for shavasana even if you don't use one as a prop.

[OakLeaf]

More on yoga anatomy and knees:

http://www.dailybandha.com/2011/03/s...it-people.html

[Catrin]

More on yoga anatomy and knees:

http://www.dailybandha.com/2011/03/s...it-people.html

Thank you for the link Oakleaf, it does make sense that stronger quads do help the knees. I did have a fair amount of knee discomfort last week in class, but I am sure my poses were far from being what they should have been.

My knee feels MUCH better this weekend than it has over the last month. I think that I will stick with the Pilates, and riding of course, until things are a little stronger and will then try Yoga again.

There was one position in Pilates yesterday that I defiantly should have not done - there is some issue with my mid-spine (just below where my bra stap hits) that aggravated it but that feels better now. I've been aware of this for years but it is minor.

[sundial]

...older ladies who freak out if their foundation gets dewy.

Oak, lol! I have to admit I would probably not enjoy "hot" yoga. I am hot natured enough without having to sweat buckets in a 90 F room.

Catrin, did you meet with a PT for your health issue?

[OakLeaf]

Haha, 90° is considered "warm" yoga (and I do sweat buckets). I've never done hot yoga, which is 105° for Bikram, or some styles go even hotter.

[indysteel]

Oak, lol! I have to admit I would probably not enjoy "hot" yoga. I am hot natured enough without having to sweat buckets in a 90 F room.

Catrin, did you meet with a PT for your health issue?

Our yoga studio is intentionally kept rather warm for certain "hot" classes. Not quite Bikram hot, but warm. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked it. Now I can't stand most "normal" classes. I just find myself feeling too cold.

When I first started practicing yoga, I took classes from a very experienced and much loved teacher who really worked her student into a sweat. This was before the studio purposely overheated the room. Even so, I would be completely drenched in her classes. I'm not exactly sure how she did it, because it's not that the poses themselves were all that different from my current practice. It's a mystery to me, but I found it very satisfying to get that sweaty.

[badger]

I got a fabulous deal - $30 for 5 weeks of unlimited hot yoga. I've done Bikram before, but I haven't done hot yoga (or any yoga for that matter) for about 5 years now.

I probably should've started with the 75 minute 30C class, but I really didn't want to be doing that at 8pm, so went for the 90 minute 40C class. I surprised myself at being able to do all the poses, but the last 30 minutes was SO hard. It was just so darn hot, my face felt like it was going to explode from the heat, which strangely felt worse when I was lying down. By the time I got out, I knew I was severely dehydrated. Came home and had an electrolyte drink, a banana and some more water and feel somewhat ok now, but still have a headache.

I remember why I stopped going... it's hard work!!