i know several of you are doing yoga so i'm coming here for some information.
dh has been listening to oprah radio on his way home from work (which totally makes me giggle) and he is now insisting we start doing yoga because "dr. laura berman says...."
so .. if you could indulge me??
1. what exactly is involved in yoga?
2. could 2 super overweight people actually do yoga? (i typed yoda i do NOT want to do yoda)
3. what is involved mentally? (does this question even make sense?)
For me, Yoga is essentially a good way to build muscle strength and possibly endurance, but mostly a phenomenal way to stretch. You basically move through many different poses, all with funny names. Each pose will focus on a different muscle group. At the end we always have Shivasima(sp) which is a mediation/relaxation time. Ours is less than 5 minutes.
I think yoga is something anyone can do as there are different levels of difficulty for each pose.
Anyone can do yoga. It is a personal practice and over time you develop more strength and flexibility. Each person can push themselves as far as they personally are comfortable with.
It is all about breathing.
It helps you clear your mind and stretch and tone your body. Mentally you get into a breathing pattern and you clear your mind and just be in that moment in your practice.
It is very good for stress reducing and teaching you how to have patience.
I think every person gets something different out of it.
I haven't done much yoga, but I have done a few beginner dvds we have. I think you can modify things to fit your level-you just have to know you aren't going to look like they do and that is fine. Some of the poses are hard for me personally because being inverted gives me heartburn (I have a hiatal hernia, and I think that might be why), but it really isn't that big of a deal.
WHEN I have done it, which isn't often, I am always glad I did. And Bill has tried a few as well and enjoyed it, even though it is even harder for him because he has SO little flexibility.
I just ordered a couple of dvds geared towards kids as well. I am going to do them with the girls-they actually LOVE yoga, and I think that yoga is just so great for me for stress relief that it would be fun to do it with them, just for that purpose, not even for strengthening or weight loss or anything.
I have all sorts of dvds-some are geared towards weight loss and move quickly, some are more for meditation and relaxation, and some are more for strength.
I would give it a try. I have a yoga block and strap too (you don't need those things though-a belt or something works fine for a strap and you can always find something to use instead of a yoga block) for poses where I just can't reach. And you can even get dvds from the library to try them out-my mom has done that with my girls a lot and they always love it.
i do NOT want to do yoda)
