Q's for any current Yoga Practitioners out there

[djfunkaholic]

Hi everyone,
I have been thinking about trying Yoga of late & have just started doing some research on the net & am about to start ringing some studios to try out a style & a place to go - which has been interesting but also more than a little confusing as well :blush:

I am mainly interested in checking Yoga out for stress management/relaxation purposes - so something that emphasises pranayama (breathing, meditation etc) more so than difficult/complex asanas (poses) is what I am after - increased flexibility would also be great but this is a secondary aim :)

Some q's that I would love some feedback on from any Yoga practitioners out there - particularly those people who have tried several different styles, are what are the main differences in the pranayama & asanas for each style - especially for a beginner :P

* Astanga : Salutations to the Sun, Primary then Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth & Sixth service etc : how stressful is this compared to say Bikram & Iyengar styles, is this suitable for a beginner if you are committed to it ?

* Bikram : yoga in a heated room - sounds a bit full on for a beginner, ie 26 poses in 90 to 100 min, plus it seems there's more emphasis on physical performance than meditation or deep relaxation ?

* Iyengar : - this sounds intense - use of props, more standing than seated poses, less poses but those performed are held for longer etc - but is listed as more moderate practice than astanga or bikram ?

* Hatha & also Dynamic Hatha (combo of Iyengar & Hatha) : a clear definition of these oft discussed trems.

* Vinigoya : anyone out there done this style, sounds interesting with study, counseling, imagery, prayer & chanting as well as asanas & pranayamas ?

Also feel free to provide feedback on any studions you attend in in Sydney which rock or suck, & reaons why, or if you don't want to post in public replying to this, then a PM would be cool.

Plus all the material I have read is sooo overwhelmingly positive it makes a natural sceptic like me a little suspicious - so would be very interested in feedback from people on proces & cons as you seem them

Thanks heaps, looking forward to the responses on this...

Cheers,

Dj funkaholic

[littleblonde]

I would recommend Iyengar, Hatha or Ashtanga yoga to start off with.. most gyms offer something that is a combination of styles..

If you find somewhere close, just give whatever style they offer there a go and see how you find it. Yoga is so good for relaxation and strengthening/improving flexibility.. can't recommend it highly enough :)

If you are anywhere near Macquarie Uni, the guy who offers it there is absolutely phenomenal. To date, he is the best teacher I've ever had.

[djfunkaholic]

Originally posted by littleblonde
I would recommend Iyengar, Hatha or Ashtanga yoga to start off with.. most gyms offer something that is a combination of styles..

I am thinking of Hatha or Ashtanga to start with

If you find somewhere close, just give whatever style they offer there a go and see how you find it. Yoga is so good for relaxation and strengthening/improving flexibility.. can't recommend it highly enough :)

If you are anywhere near Macquarie Uni, the guy who offers it there is absolutely phenomenal. To date, he is the best teacher
I've ever had.

I work in the CBD, live on the North side so am looking for a studio near one of these areas.

Thanks for the reply LB, much appreciated.

[littleblonde]

There is a Yoga studio on King Street (I think) in the city, just near Red Eye Records. They are meant to be excellent, and if you are in the CBD then it's easy for lunchtime/after/before work etc.. otherwise northside, try one of the Fitness First gyms (although they cost a shiteload) and some community centres offer it too.

I do it at my gym at the moment near work, it's not the best but it will do for now (it's about all I can fit into my timetable) :lol:

Good luck, you'll love it. It's one of those things that once you try it, you understand why everyone raves about it ;)

[forgedmc]

You're too late

it isn't cool to do yoga anymore

[littleblonde]

yogilates then :p

(Cross between Yoga and Pilates)

[Tarz]

ive been doing one called Body Balance which is a mix of Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates and then relaxation at the end. i like it.

I want to try the:

* Bikram : yoga in a heated room - sounds a bit full on for a beginner, ie 26 poses in 90 to 100 min, plus it seems there's more emphasis on physical performance than meditation or deep relaxation ?

suppose to get rid of toxin because you sweat so much, my friend did it and said it really drains you and she had to go home and have a sleep, i suppose you would get used to it?

[feeble]

Um. Not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, but I wouldn't recommend doing yoga in a gym. If you want to get the most of of yoga, you should consider checking out a proper yoga school. Yoga, when done properly, can do absolute wonders for your stress levels and general feeling of wellbeing, as well as improving your posture.

Yoga isn't just trendy exercise... its a spiritual as well as physical practice. Ashtanga is fucking hardcore, its like the yoga equivalent of lifting heavy weights. Iyengar is what I've mainly practiced... the props used are actually just to help your body into the harder poses, so eventually its strong enough to manage without them, a bit like training wheels. There's a brilliant school on Station Street in Enmore. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Alex Reid]

Sounds like you know a lot more about yoga than me. I occasionally do it at the gym, but as someone mentioned - you're probably better off going to an actual yoga school because the gym teachers are more like personal trainers and not specialists in yoga - although there is one guy that teaches it at the gym, his names 'hayden', and he is fullay into it and teaches hatha yoga.

[Chookie]

I go to yoga west in Paramatta. It's great for beginners.

[bumba]

i go to yoga at the gym, im already paying gym fees and i cant really afford to pay extra for yoga

they have proper yoga instructors come in tho, so its all good

have only been to a few classes so i cant really give u any advice....just if ur a beginner, and ur really unflexible to start with, make sure u dont have anything too hardcore to do the next day :lol:

[Sistah Blue]

Thought it best to recycle this thread rather than write a new one.

I'm looking into starting the Yoga thang and not quite sure what to expect. I'm in it for the exercise, flexibility and relaxation / stress management. I did one class in my HSC year for relaxation, but figured the time could be better spent studying.

If anyone could help me on what different styles offer and what they involve, I would greatly appreciate it!

... oh and I'm a complete beginner!

[krafty_x]

Ashtanga yoga is one of the more vigorous and strenuous forms of yoga which is oten not recommended for beginners.

For postural improvement and strength Iyengar is good.

If you want to try yoga out as a relaxation technique more than anything standard Hatha is a good start.

k_x oxo

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

yogilates also sounds like some form of disgusting health food :lol:

[nettsu]

ok quick q

whats the difference between pilates & yoga?

I have a friend who is trying to convince me to do pilates with him on a tuesday night... and I'm not sure if I want to... (going through a lazy stretch really...)

[djfunkaholic]

Hey Sistah Blue,
assuming you are a Sydneysider ..

I have been doing yoga twice a week at a studio since last Oct and can honestly say it's one of - if not the - the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Yoga has been fantastic for stress management and a great tool to think more clearly and not get so aggravated when things aren't going my way.

Plus my fitness & flexibility have gone up big time as well.

I go to Peter Roberts in King St who teaches dynamic hatha - which is a mix of iyengar and astanga.

Small classes, small studio, friendly peeps, not flash but does the job.

For more info. check the following linkage :

http://www.sydneyyoga.com.au/

Definitely recommend doing an intro course to see if you dig it or not - it's one of those things you'll either love or hate.

As per Feebs comment below, a studio rather than a gym is the go & as per Kaaftys LB's comments, probably hatha, iyengar or a cominbation of stuff is the way to go to start with.

Would steer clear from full tilt Astanga to begin with.

Main thing is to find a teacher and studio you're comfortable with.

When I started, I did a white pages serach on yoga studios in Sydney, wrote down some names, spoke to some teachers and visited a couple of places in person to check the vibe..

Good luck with it !!

[Sistah Blue]

Thank you so much for all the input and sharing your experiences everyone!!

Yup I'm in Sydney

I've found a studio I like the look of. I'd love to try the one you suggested DJFunkamoholic but I'm out in Castle Hill and there is a studio called Baulkham Hills Yoga Centre that seems to butter my crumpet. So I'm going to give it a go tonight and see how I go.

[MissKLatina]

ok quick q

whats the difference between pilates & yoga?

I have a friend who is trying to convince me to do pilates with him on a tuesday night... and I'm not sure if I want to... (going through a lazy stretch really...)

"The choice between Yoga and Pilates depends on what you are looking for. If you want an exercise that improves flexibility while toning your muscles - especially those abs - then Pilates is probably your better choice. If you want to concentrate a bit more on flexibility and a little less on toning (perhaps you're getting your strength training elsewhere), and you are also searching for something that helps reduce stress and gives you an opportunity for some quiet time, then you should try Yoga"

That’s what I got from a google search, but from personal experience, Pilates focuses mostly on core strength and toning the lower abs, where as yoga is more all over toning and great for flexibility. If you don't do the exercises properly, I think Pilates can do more damage than good, so make sure you have a good instructor.

If you’re interested, many gyms offer 'Body Balance' classes which is a combination of both Pilates and yoga as well as tai chi.

[nettsu]

my gym offers pilates - and due to the exorbitant amount of money i pay for my fees - I thought I should give pilates a shot ;)

i just didn't quite the see the diff between pilates & yoga

but thanks for that :) may book into the session 2moro and see what its all about

[Mayday]

I have broken my back in two places and I have only pilates to thank for the fact that I can now stand upright and walk in a straight line (no shit). Yoga does help with relieving some of the tension in my back.

I have also tried body balance, and rather than extracting the best out of pilates, yoga & whatever else it does I think it is nothing more than an hour long session of social masturbation aimed at school mothers and those who cant draw themselves away from shows such as sex in the city and reality TV.

*apologises to those who actually get something out of body balance*

[SPOKEYDOKEY]

know any other forms of social masturbation that an almost 30 year old guy who doesn't watch reality tv will feel comfortable at?

[lexah]

Ok - renewing this thread because there's no point starting a new one. I, too am interested in starting Yoga. Firstly let me state that I know I need to get fit and healthy, but I *hate* the gym. Truly, utterly, despise it. I have wasted memberships twice because I sign up, go for a couple of months, get bored and stop going. At home, I used to play hockey and go to boxing which I loved (easier being in a team because I find it easier to let myself down than others, so at least I went every week!).

Here however I don't have a car and so its all about whats available in my location. I considered the gym on my way to work, but that's a 12 month commitment which I am not prepared to undertake.

So there's a Yoga class one street away from my apartment. Its of the "hot" Yoga variety - in a room at a temp of about 37 degrees. What I would like to know is whether the people out there that are doing Yoga do so in combination with other fitness regimes, and if NOT, then do they feel the benefits in a toning/fitness way as well as feeling relaxed/calm.

Gym stresses me out I find myself getting all worked up during the day about the fact that I have to go that evening and I hate it the whole way through. I am thinking Yoga might be a nice alternative because of the psychological as well as physical benefits - apparently this type of Yoga is a good cardio workout as well.

So is there anyone who only practices Yoga, and if so, how often do you do it to really benefit from it?

[NIK-O-LAKI]

I want to start doing yoga too, mainly for the effect it supposedly has on the mind. I still will go to the gym and all for weights and cardio to keep me fit, but I feel yoga could do me good to teach me discipline.

I've thought of some form of martial arts as well (instead of) but don't know if this will be as good for the mind or not.

[bubsta]

I also hate the gym and refuse to get a membership. I still wanted to get toned and a little more fit, so I started going to a basic pilates mat class once a week for an hour. It's not yoga, but the breathing, stretching & toning principles are similar.

Even after one term I have seen a difference in my muscle tone and definition. I feel a lot better afterwards and my flexibility has increased.

Now I am going twice a week leading up to summer.

[krafty_x]

I actually disgree with LB. Sorry babe but I wouldn't recommend iyengar or ashtanga for a beginner who's purpose was more relaxation and flexibility.

Ashtanga is one of the more full on physical disciplines that works on stamina.

For your purposes I would recommend standard Hatha. This will teach you the breathing and relaxation side of yoga as well as increasing your flexibility.

Once you've got a feel for it then you'll know a bit more about whether you want to move on to one of the more intense practices.

Also if you don't like you teacher try out different schools. I've had dreadful yoga reachers and some truely inspirational ones too.

k_x oxo

[Flying747]

I actually disgree with LB. Sorry babe but I wouldn't recommend iyengar or ashtanga for a beginner who's purpose was more relaxation and flexibility.
k_x oxo

i disagree with you re iyengar yoga

if iyengar yoga is taught properly it is the most careful of schools

the use of props and straps is intended to compensate for inability to reach postures naturally thereby reducing the risk of injury

the biggest danger to safe yoga is ego, either the ego of the teacher or the student

avoid yoga teachers who like to demonstrate how much more flexible they are then you - avoid shiny tanned teachers with smug looks and superior attitudes

avoid classes in gyms

avoid large classes

avoid gimmick yoga like bikram and ashtanga

avoid classes that try to cram 50 postures in every session - less poses for longer is better

avoid classes that focus on forward bends - this is a western preference because they are easier for us - due to the nature of our lives we all suffer from tight iliopsoas, hip and stomach muscles - backward bends rule

look for classes where you will get individual attention in each pose - i've watched classes in gyms and the lack of correct technique (risking injury) is scary

when practicing yoga it's all about exploring the posture and exploring yourself - do not focus on how far you can strain and stretch, focus on how much you can relax, breathe and open up. one of the hardest things for us westerners is to let go of ego, competitiveness (with ourselves and others) and the tendency to goal set - yoga is a journey not a destination

same goes for a lot of pilates classes - pilates has been so bastardised much of it is just damned expensive stretching

[lexah]

Thanks for the tips :) I am looking forward to giving it a go this weekend. It sounds like it would be more my thing because you can get a lot more out of it than just excercising. Being toned and fit isn't really a big enough motivation for me (unfortunately) which is why I need to do something that gives me something more to reach toward.

[high_flyin_chik]

I'm not looking for a practitioner, rather can anyone recommend a good yoga Video/DVD??? Have tried a number of Yoga placed where i live and just not happy with them.

So has anyone found a Vid/DVD they really like and would recommend???
Thanks

[djfunkaholic]

Agree strongly with everything flying 747 said above - excluding the remark about ashtanga being trendy exercise ;)

Some useful net related resources for accessing teachers, for those interested in checking out yoga.

http://www.iyengaryoga.asn.au/

* Official Australian web site for Iyengar in Australia, which includes contact details for all current 'certified' Iyengar teachers in Oz according to standards laid down by BKS Iyengar himself.


http://www.iyta.org.au/classes_nsw_1.html/

* International Yoga Teachers Association, Australian members.

IYTA aims to promote the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of Yoga for everybody (regardless of age, sex, ability or disability, ethnicity or religion), to provide Yoga teacher training and professional development of the highest standard and to establish and uphold the highest ethics of Yoga teaching and professional conduct for its members.


http://www.yogaindailylife.org.au/

* Australian yoga in daily life. Non profit organisation staffed by volunteers kicked off by Paramhana Swami Maheshwaranandaji

[djfunkaholic]

High flyin chik : the good people at Iyogaprops should be able to sort you out, something like the following linkage..

http://www.iyogaprops.com.au/index2.html/

I'm not looking for a practitioner, rather can anyone recommend a good yoga Video/DVD??? Have tried a number of Yoga placed where i live and just not happy with them.

So has anyone found a Vid/DVD they really like and would recommend???
Thanks

[lexah]

So I went to my first Yoga class yesterday and I LOVED it! (Except for feeling a little faint at one point as I'm not yet used to the temperature). I am feeling it in my muscles today though. Looks like something I will definitely be keen to keep on with.