About Yoga and or pylates....

majo

Member
I am curious about Yoga as I've never done it. I have a fairly good idea what it's like but what is pylates? I'm still fairly flexible so hopefully I can handle it? I would like to do some yoga or pylates or something, on my rest days. So was hoping for some advice on which videos might be appropriate. My goals would be for stretching and for flexibility (are they the same thing?)and something for the mind would be an added bonus also.

Would anyone have some suggestions? And I'm curious as to what are you're favourites for what goals and why it's your favourite?

Thanks,
Jodi
 
pilates is for "core strength". It is meant to strenghten your whole torso..... everything that holds you upright and supports you.

It is great for deep work of abs, ribs and back.. there really isnt much flexibilty work involved with pilates other than what is involved with the torso...
but the spine work excellent .. rolling on the spine and twisting the spine.

for the rest of your body however, its got to be yoga or stretching tapes. And the rest of your body is very important...especially the hips.

Yoga is the most comprehensive exercise in the world (thats in my ever humbler opinion). With yoga you will be stretching, strenghening and balancing....always working with your body weight ... very challenging..and effective.

A simple stretching tape might be a good place to start if you are just working on flexibilty .


go to collagevideo.com and look up stretching, yoga and pilates.
you can look at review and clips of the videos
 
Cinza mentioned the balancing aspect with yoga . . . .

I had to go to some Continuing Ed seminars in Atlanta last weekend and I took an entire seminar on balancing. I thought it would be something I could doze through and walk out with my certificate, but it was actually very enlightening.

Part 1 of it was geared to older people who already have lost a lot of their balancing ability.

Part 2 . . . well . . . . that's where the fun began. He had a room full of trainers/group fitness instructors, and we found out how hard balancing truly is. Most of us fell into the "very fit" category, and virtually no-one who had no had yoga experience could do some of the simple things. I have a little yoga experience and still found them challenging.

So yesterday, we spent the last 10 minutes of my Pilates class doing some of his balance drills. What fun!!! And they coordinate so well with Pilates or even Yoga.

The whole point the instructor wanted to make is that we need to work on balancing NOW, while we're fit. We need to learn and practice those skills so when we're older, we can spend our time doing something better . . . like dancing!

These seminars I attended were put on by Exercise Etc. I found them well worth the money and my time. Check out their website for a time they come near you.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-01 AT 04:23PM (Est)[/font][p]
what were some of your balancing exercises?

i have noticed balancing excerises are making a new layer of calf muscles appear ...

try this:
stand on the left leg... holding your right foot with right hand stretch the right leg out in the air front of you... ..... get settled... then... take the foot/right leg to the right side while turning your head and eyes to the left....

that turning the head and eyes knocks me over every time . :)

ps.
notice in this pose you are stretching one leg and hip, strenghtening the other leg, doing a balance exercise and if you pull your foot towards your head you will be strenthening the bicepts and stretching the back.
 
oh, we did tons.

First we just stood on both feet, eyes closed. Then eyes closed, head tilted back.

Then we did the same thing standing on each foot.

Then we did that while shifting our weight from foot to foot, eyes closed, and eyes closed head back.

Then we practiced stepping onto two unstable surfaces, like wobble boards, dynacushions, or just plain old bed pillows. Then after we got that, we tossed balloons and soccer balls while we were stepping on the unstable surfaces. Then he would add some kind of resistance like a band around our waist and he would pull on it in different directions, or he would just stand behind you and push you in different directions.

Then we sat on top of flexballs, two feet on the ground. Then with eyes closed, then with eyes closed, head back. We repeated that with only one foot on the floor. After that, we stayed in the one-footed position and tossed around balls and balloons.

Then we had different kinds of lines taped on the floor. One was like a tightrope, one like a balance beam, and the third like a laddar with 18" squares. We practiced walking different ways, on toes, on heels, sideways, and while throwing stuff.

I know it sounds really lame, but it was HARD!!!!! I'm going to do some more with my class tonight.

Kim
 
sounds like being a little kid at camp, playing and skill building and having fun all at once
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-01 AT 08:58PM (Est)[/font][p]oops repeated my post... this site is acting up today
 

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