so i have several 90 min power yoga dvds. However, i have a hard time carving out 90 min per day to do them. I was wondering if it still beneficial if I were to break them up into 3 30 min workouts? This would allow me to do 30 min of cardio and then 30 min of yoga? Would i still get the same benefits as if i did the 90 min one?
? for all you yogis
- Thread starter kariev
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LaughingWater
Cathlete
Oh yeah, 30 minutes of yoga is way better than zero minutes of yoga because you can't fit in a 60 or 90 minute program.
Obviously you won't get the practice of or exposure to a wide variety of poses compared to a daily practice of 90 minutes, but you will most definitely reap benefits.
Since I started weight training, my yoga practice has pretty much been shelved, and all that's left is a quick 10-20 minutes after a Cathe DVD or 15 minutes in the morning if I'm feeling yucky and need a good stretch. I concentrate on keeping my spine, hips, hip flexors, hamstrings, and shoulders flexible. I'm not able to play with arm balances that much anymore, and I've lost some range of motion with more advanced poses, but I'm keeping myself aligned and injury-free.
I have also noticed that I still get that awesome, post-yoga relaxed feeling after only 10+ minutes. I think a lot has to do with opening the hips and loosening up the spine. Those poses must release all kinds of cool endorphins.
Obviously you won't get the practice of or exposure to a wide variety of poses compared to a daily practice of 90 minutes, but you will most definitely reap benefits.
Since I started weight training, my yoga practice has pretty much been shelved, and all that's left is a quick 10-20 minutes after a Cathe DVD or 15 minutes in the morning if I'm feeling yucky and need a good stretch. I concentrate on keeping my spine, hips, hip flexors, hamstrings, and shoulders flexible. I'm not able to play with arm balances that much anymore, and I've lost some range of motion with more advanced poses, but I'm keeping myself aligned and injury-free.
I have also noticed that I still get that awesome, post-yoga relaxed feeling after only 10+ minutes. I think a lot has to do with opening the hips and loosening up the spine. Those poses must release all kinds of cool endorphins.
pepnchar
Cathlete
Depending on the DVD, you can see where a workout would naturally break up -- for example, they might do standing poses and then go to the floor for backbends -- so you could do the standing pose section one day and then the backbends the next day. Since most workouts have some sort of a WU and a relaxation section, try to work those in too so you don't turn on the disc and jump right into something you're not ready for. If you have to cut out savasana, you can lie quietly on your own after you turn off the DVD.
I often split up my longer yoga DVD's -- there are a lot of DVD's out there now that have the shorter pre-mixes. Shiva Rea's DVD's have great pre-set sequences, or you can program your own.
I often split up my longer yoga DVD's -- there are a lot of DVD's out there now that have the shorter pre-mixes. Shiva Rea's DVD's have great pre-set sequences, or you can program your own.
thanks guys. I'm going to do 30 min of cardio and then do half of the workout (45min) and then the next day do 30 min cardio and then other half and just continue thorough the week. I want to practice each day as yoga makes me feel so good! Since i will be doing them first thing in the morning (6a.m.) the cardio will be a real good warmup. I know there are other videos out there that have the ability to select different routines but i don't want to buy anymore and will just use the ones i have.
JodelleFitzh20
Cathlete
Breaking it up into segments is fine for strength and flexibility benefits. The benefit of doing the entire 90 mins is building up muscle endurance and better mind and body awareness and endurance. It would be good to do that every now and then, but even with 5 mins of yoga a day you can gain many benefits.
i ended up emailing mark blanchard (power yoga instructor) in regards to my original question and his response was that I wouldn't get ANY benefits from breaking it up. That was all he wrote. I understand that the workout is meant to be done in its 90 min entirety but not to get ANY benefits from it seems a bit extreme.
LaughingWater
Cathlete
I find his answer to be bizarre. One of Baron Baptiste's practices is 30 minutes long, and it's extremely effective.
If one could not gain any benefit from a practice under 90 minutes, then why do the best yoga instructors out there offer 30, 45, and 60 minute practices?
Maybe he was referring to the sequencing, meaning that if you only do the first 30 minutes of poses, you are working your body in an unbalanced way. Of course, he could have actually said that in his email to you. That would have explained his thinking a little better.
Try this from Baron: Unlocking Athletic Power
It's a well balanced, 30 minute practice.
JodelleFitzh20
Cathlete
I must say as a yoga instructor that I teach 1 hour yoga classes as well as a few "express power yoga" classes, where we do intense power yoga for only 30 mins and most every one of my students has gained many different benefits from the express class, just as much as the 1 hour class. I'm sure many more benefits would be gained from 90 mins but 30 still does many wonderful things for strength and flexibility gains, not to mention body awareness. And I also agree that if you are doing power yoga, you won't need a cardio warmup because many power yoga sessions can be very cardiovascular. Yoga has too many benefits to say that you won't get any unless you do exactly 90 mins.