Trying to Fit Yoga In for Sat Nov 11

lorajc

Cathlete
Morning Ladies -

This morning I did Amy Bento's Hi/Lo Quick NRG premix (48") followed by the Floor Legs Section of Cathe's Butts and Guts and then the Stretch from Amy's Hi/Lo. I then did Shiva Rea's Fluid Power Yoga - Matrix - Dancing Warrior Prep, Mandala Namaskar II, Backbending Vinyasa, Forward Bends and Twists and Shavasana. At the end of the 48" of cardio - I burned 355 calories and at the end of the glute work and stretch - 455 calories. I left my HR monitor on during the yoga (forgot to take it off) and I was sweating during the Mandala segment and clocked by HR in at 136!! I couldn't believe it. Oh and during the Amy DVD, my HR climbed to 166! Wow - that Amy Bento Hi/Lo was an intensity junkie's dream. I'll have to PM A-Jock about it.

I hardly ever do Hi/Lo cuz it used to bother my back...but I felt fine today. I'll see how my back is tomorrow before I make that conclusion, but this was SO much fun. I loved it. Amy's really good at Hi/Lo. I followed it pretty well also. I can't wait to do it again.

Again, the yoga felt REALLY good on my hips, etc. All of that deep lunging, yogic squatting and warriors really got my HR up during the Mandala Namaskar segment. I had my HR monitor on still from aerobics and felt myself sweating...so I clocked my HR and it was 136. I couldn't believe it. The last couple times I've done Fluid Power, I've noticed that I was sweating. It must be slightly aerobic at times.

The first segment - DAncing Warrior prep - was just so/so...I probably should have done the regular Dancing Warrior segment. I need to sit and watch this DVD some time at night so I can see which segments I'd like. Same thing with Yoga Shakti - I always do the same segments over and over. I need to sit and watch that as well.

I want to get some Kundalini in later...but I've got E-bay business to take care of today and I'll be quite busy.

August - That's great you got your DVDs already. I'd definitely do Bryan Kest first. Isn't that the series where he still had his mojo?? (long hair). We don't like him with his hair cut. Just make sure you actually do the DVD and not just stare at him on the screen.....okay??? LOL.

Jen - Yes, I've done PIlates in the past also. I actually have a reformer...but it's hard trying to fit everything in, ya know?? I wish I didn't have to work....then I could work out all day! I actually purchased a bunch of DVDs a while back, but haven't used them yet. I find that PIlates is too easy for me unless I add resistance. I usually wear ankle weights and use dumbbells to feel it more in the abs. I am trying to be more balanced....but I love to work out hard...so I feel guilty when I do pilates or yoga on a regular workout day! I bought the Winsor series recently that uses the Pilates ring. That's a pretty good one and I bought the Fat Burn series off of QVC and it looks good..........need more time!!

Well...I've got to go put groceries away and get my bath. I'll be back later. I've got E-bay business to take care of. ..Why do I do this to myself and work on the weekends?? Oh..that's right....so I can buy more yoga/pilates/fitness DVDs!!! LOL
 
Hi there!

Lora - That's so great that you had such a fun hi-lo session. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your back is as perky tomorrow as it is today!

Well, my choice from all my new DVDs turned out to be easier than I thought it would be. x( My Bryan Kest DVD doesn't seem to agree with my DVD player, and I couldn't get it to start. I'm going to have to try it out elsewhere to make sure it really plays. :-( Then I put in Total Yoga......and totally couldn't find the button to play the sucker in English!!! What's up with that?! I can't imagine that they would erase the English part, so I'm going to have to go through the advanced ones soon to see if there's a button on those guys for language.

And sooooooooooooooooo, I did Crunch Joy of Yoga! I was kind of hoping to be able to do a yoga workout with a different instructor than the one I already have on Basic Yoga for Dummies, but oh what the heck. Or rather, I had no choice LOL. I did it, it felt great, and there were some new placements for many positions I already know. Actually, I was a little surprised there wasn't THAT much difference between it and the Basic Yoga workout - only mainly that it flowed faster and I kept having to remind myself to breathe "yoga style." Anyway, tomorrow I guess I'll do the other Crunch one that's on this DVD. I suppose trying to figure out what they're saying in Japanese on Power Yoga probably ain't a good idea :+ .

Oh, Lora, by the way, I wanted to ask you - are you familiar with any kind of Kundalini (Ravi and Ana's) rotation? Like if I wanted to do one a day, is there a more beneficial order I should do them?
 
August - I have no idea about that. I guess you could email them. They answer pretty quickly and are very nice. Let me know if you figure your player out. I wanted to see what you thought of Bryan Kest. I remember liking the pose selection on that series. It was the first set I owned. Bryan taught me!!

I'm so excited. I finally had time to search Amazon for the CD that Rainbeau Mars told me she used on the Dusk Yoga DVD and I ordered it from them. It's Jai Utal and Ben Leinhart. I can't wait to get it. I can start doing all of my other yoga DVDs that I don't like the music to them!!!
 
Hi ladies! Tonight's workout was Rodney Yee's Yoga Burn and Sarah Ivanhoe's 20 min Beauty Makeover Yoga w/ weights. I ended the workout with Pick your Spot Pilates-10 minute abs.

Yoga Burn-Comes with weighted gloves and small square weights that you can stick in the pockets of the gloves. I think each weight is 1/4 pound each, for a maximum of 1.5 lbs per glove. I used 1 pound per glove since it was my first time through. The music stays in the background-it is neither motivating or irritating. It has some steel (?) guitar and drums, all very subtle. (And August, I can verify that you are didgeridoo safe on this one. :) ) The set was minimal and neutral-not beautiful but it also will not be readily dated and will seem fresh for awhile. I am sad to tell you that I found this workout to be too slow. (yes, I know that was the point!) There were some moves that I really felt, such as moving the arms in slow circles and overhead-it really gave my rotator cuffs a good stretch-I didn't even realize how sore and overworked they had become. Rodney is a good instructor and soothing, but he did miss some very key cueing opportunities. An example was when you are holding in push-up position (during sun salutes) and getting ready to go down and then push up into cobra. As you are visualizing this, remember that your head is neutral and looking at the mat. Since the workout is slow, I am expected him to hold this position, but the next thing I know he is talking about coming up into cobra, completely missing the lowering down cue one needs when not looking at the television. He does this on each sun salute. I was not happy! x( You also do not get a great variety of exercises with this DVD, since you are moving slow. I felt like this gave me exercise ADD instead of relaxing me. He did spend a reasonable amount of time on the relaxation (my pet peeve of most yoga workouts) which was good-it could have been longer. He also focused on "Western" style relaxation and did not toss in any spiritual gems. Bottom line: Back to using the gloves with Kick, Punch, Crunch!

Sarah Ivanhoe-I felt like I got a better 20 minute workout with this one than with 45 minutes of Rodney Yee. I did not use dumbells, rather just kept the weighted gloves on and added another 1/2 pound to them. The set was natural and beautiful. the music was upbeat and a little pop-new age sounding-not annoying, fairly pleasant. Sarah is not one of my favorite instructors. My friend Shani and I were just talking about her on friday and have dubbed her, forgive me here, "the yoga slut". Not because she is icky, but because she is very free for all-she has done videos for Crunch, Natural Journeys, Hip Hop Yoga with Russell Simmons, For Dummies, and she teaches at maha yoga, but was with someone else before that-a lot of hopping around in other words. Anyway, her instruction is clear, but she sometimes sounds like she is talking to a 3 year old-almost the simplicity of a Dick and Jane children's book....."now take your hips up, up, up...". I did enjoy the feeling of yoga with weights-it was a new experience and does make you notice your alignment more. She ended with a mudra practice that she explained very well and was a nice ender to the program. I also didn't like the claims she makes-for example she talks about how defined your triceps will be....while doing only a 3 reps set with 2 lbs weights. Bottom line: Sarah is still not the girl for me, but I will try another yoga workout with weights..maybe Iron Yoga.

I borrow a trick from hot yoga and Bikram yoga and heat my workout room with a space heater while practicing...no matter what style I am doing. I totally recommend you try it-it really helps the flexibility and relaxation-and helps you sweat out those toxins!!!

Starla-Forgot to say "hi" and welcome yesterday! I also love shoulder stands. Wheel is my favorite back bending pose, but I enjoy a good camel every now and again, too.

August-Oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear about the Bryan Kest problem! I would have recommended you do that one first, too. Have you been able to work with it at all or is it a lost cause? You must check out the Shiva DVD. You've got to check out the bonuses on the DVD, too. There is one of Shiva free-style flowing at some temple-oh my god-she can put Cirque du Soleil to shame! It is amazing to watch her and what she can do! You will just sit there with your jaw dropped the entire time. How did you enjoy Cardio & Weights? I have the FitTV version (edited) and not the full Cathe version but I will be purchasing it sometime in the near future. Glad you agree on the Buttercup song! Also, I still really enjoy Basic Step on those days I don't feel like jumping all around and reversing and all that stuff. I did yesterday's workout on one riser, but have done it on two risers many times-that workout is no joke on two risers!

Lora-Do you know what I am talking about to August-the bonus footage on the DVD? What do you think of Shiva's flow? You are quite the workout warrior!! There is no way on earth I could workout twice a day-even if the second time was yoga only. How many years have you been working out now? I am encouraged that you are having a great time with your new Amy Bento's and are mastering the choreography right away. I will have to check her out. I think I will try to find her website after I am done with this post. I notice you reference videofitness quite a bit. Is it your favorite site for workouts? I only knew about collage video and like it pretty well, but I'll log on to videofitness if it has good reviews, too.

So, what fitness magazines do you guys read, if any? I read Yoga Journal, Shape and Women's Health and Fitness. A long time ago, I picked up a Yoga Journal and it had an article about the merits of drinking your own pee. Yep! I decided right then that the Yoga Journal was too "out there" for me. The magazine is a lot more mainstream now (I am sure they have alienated a few of their purists) and I have to say I enjoy it much more this way. I recommend you subscribe if you are on the fence about it.

Jen
 
Lora - You're not kidding! I took your advice and wrote to Ravi and Ana to see what they thought, and I got a response almost immediately. So nice. In essence, they told me that they recommend doing one workout a day, and that I could just listen to what my body was reaching for and do that one. Oh, and hey, it was nice to see you over at VF!

Jen - Thank you so much for that Yoga Burn review! :) I've taken it off my wish list (I'm sorry, Mr. Lee!). I loved the details in your reviews, thanks for writing them all out. It's very helpful for me in making (and lessening LOL) my wish list. Oh, I was looking at Iron Yoga. It has some good reviews, but that short sample on Collage always cracks me up. I'm spacing on the name of it, but years ago there used to be a space show like Star Trek but using puppets, and the Iron Yoga outfits and set totally remind me of it. :D

My yoga world is limited to Sara, can you believe it? But I don't mind. I like her. So far, at least LOL. Geez, you heat up your room for your yoga? Maybe I will try that. When it gets colder. :) Do you have a humidifier, too, to keep the air moist while you're heating up?

I'm going to have to try putting my Bryan in the player again today. Maybe it just didn't like me yesterday and will be nice on a new day. I've got Yoga Shakti on my Amazon list, and I plan to order a bunch of stuff at the end of this month. I can't wait!

Yeah, I totally got into Cardio & Weights (not to mention got a good laugh when the song came on). And yes, who'd have thought that using all the risers, one riser or none could make such a big difference. And yet on any level, my HRM is telling me I'm working hard.

I don't read any fitness magazines but I do major, major internet researching. To the point of where I need the yoga to help get the kinks out of my shoulders LOL.

Drink...drinking your own pee? (Not that drinking someone else's pee would be better ;) )
 

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top