FeelingLonely98 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I'm a 40-something man in decent shape. I had knee surgery a few years ago so high impact exercise is not for me. I took a few yoga classes in the past few months and really enjoyed it. I'm going to start going more frequently now. I want to get even healthier (body and mind) and am going to start going to group classes next. I'm thinking once a week would be a good frequency? Will I be able to see and feel results like this or do I need to go more often. I appreciate any tips from my fellow LS folks who are experienced with yoga. Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Well, I got no responses. But I took my 1st class today. Kicked my BUTT - damn that's hard. I've run marathons, biked long distances, lifted wts for the past 20+ yrs, ... and this is as hard as it gets. I probably shouldn't have started in an intermediate vinyassa class. Anyway, the soreness is a great sign. I have a 10 class / 90 day pass. I'll probably go 1 to 2 times a week for a while and see what happens. Added benefit --> mostly women in the class. Link to post Share on other sites
betterdeal Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Late 30s male, pretty good shape, bit overweight, arthritis in my big toe. I started with 1 class a week and that was right for me, for the first 3 months. Then I really got the bug and bought an unlimited membership and started going 3 times a week. All depends on how you feel, where your edge is I haven't been for a few weeks now Will get back on the trail tomorrow tho Link to post Share on other sites
TaraMaiden Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 for a really disciplined workout you could also try T'ai Chi... Works on physical posture, balance, and definitely improves the mind connection.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 You can do yoga every day! Even 10 minutes makes such a difference if you don't feel like doing an hour or going to a class more than once a week. Link to post Share on other sites
mercy Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Listen to your yogi. Feel a comfortable stretch, don't do too much too soon. Long lean muscle and the body becomes so flexible and balance is wonderful. It is a soul healing workout. I just love it! I do it everyday. Sometimes twice. Namaste Link to post Share on other sites
Emilia Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I'm a 40-something man in decent shape. I had knee surgery a few years ago so high impact exercise is not for me. [...] I want to get even healthier (body and mind) Take up swimming 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Take up swimming I've tried - I just can't swim well. I can save my life if I had to - but swim for exercise. CAN'T. Thanks though!;) Link to post Share on other sites
joniyy Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Your yoga practice is very personal. Each person is working with his/her own mind, body, finances and schedules. People practice for different reasons too: some practice to lose weight, some to calm their mind, while others want to build greater strength or flexibility. The wonderful thing about yoga is that you can do it anywhere, with just yourself! The tricky part is getting yourself to do it, to do it safely, and in a way that allows you to feel some sense of progress. I think it’s important to attend classes when you can, so an instructor can do adjustments with you, to build your awareness of how you move, how to practice safely, and how to use your breathe in a pose. These are things you can work on at home too. This is a question I often get asked. Mostly, new students are wondering if one hour a week of yoga is going to make any difference to them. The answer to that is of course yes, but it is, in my opinion, the absolute minimum. If you are attending a class then you need to come at least once a week and if you can’t make it then you need to put in an hour of yoga to make up for it on another day. Otherwise the gap between practices is just too long and no gains of any kind will be achieved. Having said that, if yoga is just a pastime for you that you truly enjoy without having any goals, then doing it whenever you want is just fine! However, if you do have goals then one practice a week is the starting point. Once you have completed a course of six or eight weeks, practicing the same routine each time, then it should be possible to practice one day at home and one day in class. Two practices a week will (obviously) double your practice and you will begin to notice positive change coming more easily and with more regularity. With just two hours a week then you can being to ‘progress’ in flexibility, strength and concentration Link to post Share on other sites
pttraining Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Yoga should be done at regular basis for at least for a hour daily.This will surely keeps your body healthy and fit. Link to post Share on other sites
abdo Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I'm a 40-something man in decent shape. I had knee surgery a few years ago so high impact exercise is not for me. I took a few yoga classes in the past few months and really enjoyed it. I'm going to start going more frequently now. I want to get even healthier (body and mind) and am going to start going to group classes next. I'm thinking once a week would be a good frequency? Will I be able to see and feel results like this or do I need to go more often. I appreciate any tips from my fellow LS folks who are experienced with yoga. Yogo is good I do it once a week only for exercise reason. (I don't enjoy as much as you do though) However, there are lots of yoga postures requiring bending your knees... you will have to be very careful. Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 Your yoga practice is very personal. Each person is working with his/her own mind, body, finances and schedules. People practice for different reasons too: some practice to lose weight, some to calm their mind, while others want to build greater strength or flexibility. The wonderful thing about yoga is that you can do it anywhere, with just yourself! The tricky part is getting yourself to do it, to do it safely, and in a way that allows you to feel some sense of progress. I think it’s important to attend classes when you can, so an instructor can do adjustments with you, to build your awareness of how you move, how to practice safely, and how to use your breathe in a pose. These are things you can work on at home too. This is a question I often get asked. Mostly, new students are wondering if one hour a week of yoga is going to make any difference to them. The answer to that is of course yes, but it is, in my opinion, the absolute minimum. If you are attending a class then you need to come at least once a week and if you can’t make it then you need to put in an hour of yoga to make up for it on another day. Otherwise the gap between practices is just too long and no gains of any kind will be achieved. Having said that, if yoga is just a pastime for you that you truly enjoy without having any goals, then doing it whenever you want is just fine! However, if you do have goals then one practice a week is the starting point. Once you have completed a course of six or eight weeks, practicing the same routine each time, then it should be possible to practice one day at home and one day in class. Two practices a week will (obviously) double your practice and you will begin to notice positive change coming more easily and with more regularity. With just two hours a week then you can being to ‘progress’ in flexibility, strength and concentration Thanks for all the input everyone. Very good points. I bought a 10-class session and I'm going twice a week to a warm vinyasa routine. It's really tough - works me out big time. Sore muscles = . I've run marathons, long distance bike riding, lifted weights, ... but Yoga seems to be the best balanced exercise routine I've come across. The balance poses are a killer though. All these women doing them easily and me wobbling, lol. I know some of them are easier for women because they have a greater percentage of lower body weight than men do. I may buy a 6 month pass or more at the end of it. I am much better in the class setting with an instructor. Link to post Share on other sites
snug.bunny Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 I used to do Yoga + Pilates 3-4 x's a week a few years back, loved it, but I stopped. I recently started doing Yoga again (regular and Vinyasa), finally! But I can see it's going to take some time to build back up to it and be able to manage the poses/stretch out completely without (a) falling over; (b) pulling a muscle. I have to say, even without doing the Pilates/Yoga for those few years, I can still feel/see some of the muscle tone in my arms and my stomach from when I did it regularly and I'm still able to do a lot of the poses/positions with no problem. Certain positions though I have to build back up to. I really like the added flexibility that comes from it and the meditation, focus on breathing, balancement, etc. So, I tend to view in terms of that versus what it can do for my "exterior". The only concern I have, is my class is entirely glass/see-through and it's directly in front of where all the buff dudes lift weights. So, it's a wee bit embarrassing going down into the downward dog position directly in front of them. I know some of them are easier for women because they have a greater percentage of lower body weight than men do. Not in my class. There are a few men in there (a couple who are even pretty built) and they are just as good, if not better in terms of flexibility. Naturally I presume they've been doing it for quite some time. Link to post Share on other sites
betterdeal Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 warm vinyasa I love vinyasa and have never tried it heated. Must be pretty intense! How does it compare to hot bikram? The class setting is much better for me too. Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 I love vinyasa and have never tried it heated. Must be pretty intense! How does it compare to hot bikram? The class setting is much better for me too. Not sure about "hot bikram". This is the description of temps on the website of the place where I go: WarmVinyasa: This class is a 60 to 90min class in a room that is purposely heated to85-90 degrees. There is also this HOT yoga class that I've never been to: HotYoga Detox:Room is purposely heated to 95-100 degrees. :o:o Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 I recently started doing Yoga again (regular and Vinyasa), finally! But I can see it's going to take some time to build back up to it and be able to manage the poses/stretch out completely without (a) falling over; (b) pulling a muscle. I have to say, even without doing the Pilates/Yoga for those few years, I can still feel/see some of the muscle tone in my arms and my stomach from when I did it regularly and I'm still able to do a lot of the poses/positions with no problem. Certain positions though I have to build back up to. How long before a beginner who is going twice a week can start to feel changes? Strength, balance, ease of routine, ... Not in my class. There are a few men in there (a couple who are even pretty built) and they are just as good, if not better in terms of flexibility. Naturally I presume they've been doing it for quite some time. I meant balance wise. Some of they guys balance ok. Many don't. Most women do balance easier than guys. Link to post Share on other sites
betterdeal Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Ah, yeah, Hot Yoga is Bikram (normally) style. More about holding the posture than the flow between them than Vinyasa. I generally lose 2lbs in sweat in those classes! I like the flow of Vinyasa. Feels more energetic. Depends on my mood which style I like at any given time. Nothing wrong with a good old Hatha if the mood's right. Link to post Share on other sites
snug.bunny Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 How long before a beginner who is going twice a week can start to feel changes? Strength, balance, ease of routine, ... Well when I did it for the first time a few years back, I'd say about a month after doing it anywhere from 2-4 times per week. Each pose though is different in terms of "building up to it". As an example, I recently starting doing it again after a few years lapse, and I had no trouble with the downward-facing dog and/or into the plank position, Warrior I and II (so okay with some flexibility/and some core strength movements). What I did struggle with, is full forward bends, seated straddles, maintaining some of the balance poses for several minutes (tree pose) and warrior III (which I couldn't fully "flow" into). I meant balance wise. Some of they guys balance ok. Many don't. Most women do balance easier than guys.Balance wise, the men in the classes were pretty on point. I do tend to look around at everyone else including the instructor while in class to see what everyone else is doing:D, some of the guys did far, far better. But, I have no clue how long they have been doing Yoga and/or how long it took for them to reach that point. One of the guys in our class takes it very seriously, I can hear him practicing his breathing from across the room and it sure is loud. Link to post Share on other sites
snug.bunny Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Not sure about "hot bikram". This is the description of temps on the website of the place where I go: WarmVinyasa: This class is a 60 to 90min class in a room that is purposely heated to85-90 degrees. There is also this HOT yoga class that I've never been to: HotYoga Detox:Room is purposely heated to 95-100 degrees. :o:o You should try that with an instructor who burns tons of incense, you might change your mind. ***gasp cough gasp*** Open the window pleaseeeeeee!! Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 You should try that with an instructor who burns tons of incense, you might change your mind. ***gasp cough gasp*** Open the window pleaseeeeeee!! Spoken from experience - huh? :laugh: My instructors burn an incense at the end when we meditate - not during the exercise. Link to post Share on other sites
snug.bunny Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Spoken from experience - huh? :laugh: My instructors burn an incense at the end when we meditate - not during the exercise. Nooooo, I never did the "hot" Yoga. It just felt really hot in one of the classes one day so I can only imagine! I can't get into my zen mode if it's hot and stuffy, I need my air flow to be light and breezy. She must have forgotten to blow it out, that or she's just really really into incense, hmmm... maybe she's freaky deaky. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
thomasmite Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 You just do often which is better for you. you have to keep avoid heavy weight lifting exercise. Join classes of yoga for next few month until you fell perfect his self. I thing you do only yoga instead of heavy exercise. Use high protein foods which are rich for calcium. it help to join broken bone. If you want to do exercise then i recommended that do only simple activities. Link to post Share on other sites
WilliamsTaylor Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Yoga is a suggestive method to a person who have experienced any surgery in past few years. This is safe to practice yoga but make sure you have a good trainer who will provide you information regarding techniques which are preferable to you. Link to post Share on other sites
Author FeelingLonely98 Posted April 14, 2012 Author Share Posted April 14, 2012 Yoga is a suggestive method to a person who have experienced any surgery in past few years. This is safe to practice yoga but make sure you have a good trainer who will provide you information regarding techniques which are preferable to you. Thanks guys... My knee is in good shape and was good when I started yoga. I have no pain from it. The meniscus was shaved down in the surgery so it is not a good idea to do high impact exercise like running or even cycling (because it moves the know constantly for like an hour or so). I'm going twice a week now and doing a pretty intense warm vinyasa class. I can't bend and twist as much as the long timers but I do feel my strength and flexibility improving. At the end of the 1 hr 15 min class I am soaking - so I know I got a good workout. I do not need to lose weight. Just wanting to get healthier - body, mind, spirtit, ... PEACE, FL98 1 Link to post Share on other sites
akhileshneo Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I would like to say that practicing yoga is all depends on what your body needs and what kind of yoga practice you are doing. If it is the first time practicing yoga then, practice at least once a week, absolutely not less. After six or eight weeks, aim to practice twice a week, not less than once. After six months or one year, if you want to see more progress, then practice three or four times a week. If you are planning to teach, then start to aim for six days a week, not less than five. When and if yoga becomes your way of life then its up to you, you will know what is best for you. If your life and your body permits, then why not aim to practice everyday and just rest when your body tells you its time to rest. I hope this helps, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
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