Yoga types, benefits/drawbacks/feedback - Page 2

Garrett Smith · 05-03-2009, 08:01 AM

Biggest difference between the two is that there is no "flow" in Bikram. None. Half is the standing series, half is the floor series, all of the Bikram poses take short standing or lying "rests" between asanas.

Bikram's is 90 minutes. There is no short version.

As far as I know, there is no DVD of Bikram's series, only audio CDs and the book.

I would highly suggest attending a class or two of Bikram's before purchasing anything, people either love or hate it.

Frank Needham · 05-03-2009, 08:53 AM

Just noticed this thread. Due to a nasty roll-over accident of my own making back in 2000 I found myself on the edge of immobility due to the pain from the whiplash I got. This caused me to seek out anything that I could imagine to deal with it and eventually I decided to try yoga. Within six weeks I was feeling much, much different. Not without pain but at least I could function. This is site of the woman who gives the classes I attended: http://yogawithmilea.com/ She calls the classes power yoga and I've really no idea what style that corresponds to. All I can say is that it worked great for me and I'd recommend doing what I did to anyone who found themselves in the same circumstances. If I recall the cost was like $15.00 for two classes and I did lots and lots of them. The jerk Dr that I was sent to for evaluation wanted to operate within 5-10 minutes of being in his office! I think I made the better choice.

Neill Smith · 05-03-2009, 09:22 AM

This is a great thread.

I’m still in search of the perfect yoga practice. I’ve done mostly Ashtanga and more recently Power Yoga (which is based on Ashtanga). Although now I only average one or two sessions per week, I'm a big fan. If I had to enumerate the potential benefits:

Meditation (not relaxation--they're different)
Active recovery
Alignment
Flexibility
Kinesthetic awareness.

There are also pitfalls. It seems to be pretty easy to become a yoga instructor, and yoga with a bad instructor is a good way to get hurt.

Ashtanga and Power position themselves as your primary workout, which isn't a fit for me. Also, there's not a ton of variety. For the kinesthetic awareness component, having variety in postures would be nice.

Yael Grauer · 05-09-2009, 11:08 PM

I bet Ashtanga is one of the less bad ones. Or Iyengar.

Anybody done Dance of Shiva?

Nicholas Wall · 12-10-2009, 01:28 PM

I try to stretch regularly both after my AM sessions and in the evenings to unwind. I plan looking into purchasing a yoga DVD. My question though, how many of you practice olympic lifting? I am interested in the flexibility to do the lifts and not sure if more is better or worse. I think I am lacking some flexibility in that I cannot sit back in the squat very well. Appreciate any and all help. First post also! Thanks.

Garrett Smith · 12-10-2009, 03:24 PM

Nicholas,
There is specific flexibility that you should focus on for the OLs that will work faster than yoga.

If you want yoga for some relaxation, go for it. If you have focused goals you want from your flexibility regimen, go after those.

Greg Everett wrote some great articles on flexibility in the earlier PMenu issue, you might want to look them up.

I have plenty of flexibility for the OLs, I'm hoping to get in one yoga class a week now, mainly for the relaxation (and I can always use more hamstring stretching!).

Nicholas Wall · 12-10-2009, 05:09 PM

Thanks Garrett. I was banking on getting a response from you. From going through all the forum topics you seem to be the know all! I do have that issue of the PM and I will go back and take a look at it again. I don't remember but I will find it. Do you stretch following your lifts or do you consider your warm ups (DROM, etc.) plus the movements of the lifts them selves enough stretching? Thanks. I work out in my garage and don't have any other athletes to get feedback from. Just trying to see what others do.

Garrett Smith · 12-10-2009, 06:20 PM

I've found I do best with scheduled stretching in between my heavy sets of 5/3/1, doing lower body stretches on upper body days, and vice versa. I've also started adding a complete day (easy day) of some stretching muscles while training the opposite muscle groups (reciprocal inhibition kind of idea).

I don't think doing the OLs or warm-ups are enough stretching in and of themselves...or else I wouldn't be stretching separately!

Lawrence "Bo" Boland III · 01-21-2010, 07:57 AM

This is a great thread. One of my goals for this year is to improve flexibility. I'm a freakin' 2x4 plank when it comes to being limber. I can't touch my toes, I have a hard time reaching my upper back, and I'm positive that it effects my performance.

I'm starting up a 1x week yoga class with my wife, and have been doing these thoracic mobility drills to help out my posture and front rack position (I can't properly do it, and indications lead to lack of thoracic mobility)

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-improv...acic-mobility/

Kyle Collins · 08-31-2010, 09:44 AM

Most of the Yoga I have done/found involves lots of movement into different poses. It seems to me like it would be better to hold certain poses and focus on getting everything lined up right. The DVDs and classes I have used moved into the next pose too quickly to even have time to explain how to be in the pose properly, let alone make sure you are there. Am I overly worried about doing the positions properly?