Can anyone recommend good yoga w/o's?

crazystepr

crazystepr

Cathlete
I looking into trying some yoga but don't know where to start. I have never considered doing yoga before because I don't feel like it's a "real workout". (I'm the same way with stretching...I don't want to spend an hour stretching when I could spend an hour doing an intense Cathe w/o and burn major calories--bad, I know).

Anyhoo, I'm tired of being so stiff, sore and achy. I think it's time I gave yoga a shot. I own quite a few "Classical Stretch" workouts but I'm just not clicking with them. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Allison
 
Hey Allison,

I'm the same way, and I feel i don't have the patience to just sit there and strech.
So when I decided to try yoga i recorded Namaste Yoga, and I love it!
I do it 2x week for 45min and sometimes i even sweat a little.
:p
It can be a good option to start with that one...


Alini
 
Apparently you've never tried power heated yoga! I go to a Baron Baptiste affliated power yoga studio. There are some ladies in class who lift weights and do lots of cardio, but have trouble holding poses in power heated yoga.

If it wasn't for yoga, I highly doubt I'd be doing pull-ups and chin-ups right now. And, I went through an entire X rotation without being able to do one unassisted. My core is much stronger. Shoot! My entire body is much stronger and leaner looking from yoga.

My favorite for starters is Eoin Finn's Power Yoga for Happiness.

Wendy
 
I love Eion Finn's Power Yoga for Happiness. It's a great stretch especially for the legs and hips. I did that after my half marathon.

Another one for those who are looking for something less "yogaish" is Rodney Yee's Yoga Conditioning for Athletes. I enjoy that one because he is very good at talking you through the moves and it's another one that really stretches you out.

I did a strictly running/yoga rotation for six weeks before my half marathon and I can tell you that I never felt more balanced (in every sense of the word) and more relaxed. It's really a mind-body connection that you get in so few workouts. You may not burn the serious calories, but the other stuff it does for you is incredible. I will never not include yoga in my routine again.
 
Those are all great, thanks! I just went and ordered Eion Finn'a Yoga for Happiness and I also got Yoga for Stress Relief. We'll see how I like them.

Allison
 
Just a warning - Eoin says some interesting things in his video - so don't think you're hearing things! LOL While in the pigeon pose he makes the comment that this should feel like ice cream being licked off your body. Well, I'm sorry, as much as I love yoga - no pose feels like that! But, it does feel good. That's the worst comment - I actually think it's funny. But it's tough to laugh in pigeon pose!
 
Christine,
Thanks for the heads up! haha. What a ridiculous comment. I'm sure I'll be rolling my eyes and chuckling when I hear that one!

Allison
 
I'm a fan of Shiva Rea. Although she has some more advanced workouts, she also has some great stretching workouts on her Lunar Flow DVD (the stretches are also available on the Yoga Shakti DVD, a more comprehensive DVD). My husband and I like to do her "Supine Poses" and "Forward Bends and Twists" together after our tough workouts. Her recent DVDs have the "Yoga Matrix" so you can customize your workout, much like Cathe's "Mix and Match."

All the best, Brandie :)
 
Hi Allison! I have Power Yoga for Happiness on order too, along with Yoga Shakti & Yoga Dance Fusion. I think they will arrive next week. But I also ordered & already received Yoga for Stress with Barbara Benaugh & the Dalai Lama. Is that the one you ordered or was it the one from Yoga Journal? I guess it doesn't really matter b/c I have both. Anyway, I've only done a couple of routines from Yoga for Stress & I loved them! Another series I would recommend is the Yoga Journal Step By Step series & I've actually seen these at a local TJ Maxx recently. I think they're a good series to start your home practice & become accustomed to the poses. They're only 20 minutes long so you could either do 2 or 3 in a row or add on some cardio at the beginning. One of the DVDs also includes some more difficult postures like headstand & crow. Another DVD set that comes highly recommended (but I don't have yet) is Rainbeau Mars Yoga for Beauty Dawn & Dusk. I really want to get these but I've just spent way too much money recently. I also love Crunch Super Slimdown Pilates Yoga Blend & anything by Baron Baptist too. I guess one more series that I might recommend would be Sarah Ivanhoe's Yoga Makeover. There are 5 in that series, each 20 minutes in length, & one even uses light weights.

I hope this helps & I hope you find what you're looking for.:)
 
I would recommend Stott Pilates Simple Stretches as a good place to start. Even though it's made by the Stott Pilates people, it's a yoga DVD, about 40 min. long, with great stretches for your whole body.

ETA: If you have netflix or blockbuster online, you can try this video (and lots of other yoga workouts) to see if you like them before you buy.
 
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