Yoga Videos

[Trek420]

mtbstarr asks "Have you found it helps with your cycling skills? My friends marvel at my balance, and my ability to keep my head in a fall and almost always roll out, avoiding any injury at all."

Yes, I've found the balance helps, riding from my center, helps my breathing and is great for my range of motion. I mostly road ride so falls are not often an issue.

But I've had a few incedents that I *know* I would have fallen if not for that, and one embarassingly spectaular idiotic endo on the road bike where I was fine ;-)

As you know from your rank (congrats back atcha!) MA is a hard taskmisstress, she requires temendous commitment and a lifetime of study. I love it, and will always train, it has helped me on the bike but I don't recomend it for all. Cross training is essential, our bodies get curled up like shrimps on a bike, combine that with sitting at a computer, we all benefit from something that frees up your range of motion like yoga, pilates, Tai Chi etc. My teacher, 6th degree black belt Pat Hendricks does yoga and....bike rides ....on a full custom steel Eisentraut no less ;-)

As for falls that's a learnable skill and especially mtb riders should practice. This was kinda endlessly debated on my *other* board and I hesitate to get into that again ;-) We all can learn how to take a basic roll or survivable fall but to get truly great at that is a lifetime of work as you know.

I asked someone I know who coaches racers and she says that pro racers do practice and drill falls of the bike. I'd wondered about that seeing the pileups on the TdF etc.

[mtbstarr]

I always wondered if they did practice falling. Some of them always look so composed during some pile ups, or gnarly crashes in the case of mtb. I have wanted to teach my husband how to fall, but he won't have any part of it. (He falls like a ton of bricks. Any small fall he always gets hurt. We won't discuss the big ones.) He says that's part of it. I can see why you are hesitant to get into the discussion.

I feel you completely on the "curled into a shrimp" aspect of riding. Even though training is out of my reach, I do stretch all of the time.

I was wondering....do you (or anyone else) recommend yoga over pilates or visca versa? Never ventured into either. The new rec-center the University is building is offering both. Will probably only have time for one. Any suggestions?

[yogabear]

I don't have as much experience with Pilates as yoga but I have noticed there is one difference...the breathing. Pilates uses a different type of breathing and I thought there was a more forceful exhale and it was through the mouth. The breathing with yoga is typically in through the nose and out through the mouth and not as forced (depending on the style, however).

Pilates really focuses on the core or what they term the powerhouse. I think yoga can be pretty versatile where you can work on the core, but also, balance, strength, functional fitness type of things, flexibility, agility, etc. I have done lots of matwork for Pilates and noticed pretty rapid strengthening. I think you could maybe experiment to see how to incorporate both or try both and see if you like one or the other. Many of the yoga and pilates instructors I have had taught both and utilized a few elements of the other in their teaching...One thing I have noticed though for myself is that Pilates was harder for me LOL...it really wasn't but I perceived it that way as it used different muscles than my yoga workouts...

Don't know if this helps or not...

[mtbstarr]

yes this does help. Thank-you

[nuthatch]

I'm sorry to reopen this old thread, but I was wondering... Snowtulip, did you like the Yoga for Cyclists? I was considering buying it.

[snowtulip]

Hi Nuthatch,
I love your red-breasted nuthatch photo! I haven't been too excited about the Yoga for cyclists video. I find myself using my Rodney dvd and the yoga for athletes more. If just doesn't flow to well for my liking. The dvd is also of low quality (I thought I had a bad copy and sent for an exchange, but apparently they all are a little grainy visually).
Enjoy!

[nuthatch]

Thanks, Snowtulip! I think I'll just skip that one and try out the Yoga for athletes instead!

P.S. I could sure use some tulips through the snow about now here in Illinois!

[yogabear]

Had been contemplating the Yoga for Cyclists DVD so thanks for the heads up. I really enjoy Yoga for Athletes. I like how the person speaking goes in a nice slow manner...it's a nice break from all of the vinyasa classes I did at my local gym LOL...I have graduated onto home practice and feel competent now, but I like to go to yoga studios now and then for a tune-up and make sure my alignment is good...next house is going to have a mirrored room for yoga and cycling

Namaste,
Lisa