Yoga

[VictoriaRuns]

Crikey. Have taken up yoga and had no idea how intense it is. There was me thinking it was all breathing and sitting around. A fan though! Feel a difference in my core, legs and arms after just three sessions. Has anyone found doing yoga supplementary to running?

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Yes I do yoga, and Pilates at least once a week when I can. I have found it useful for improving core but also stretching out muscles.

Enjoy!

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Do you follow or a video or use an app? I am using DownDog (app) at the moment

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

I use YouTube on my Smart Tv. But I have had one to one instruction for sometime prior to that from my Yoga Guru son as it’s important to get posture etc correct.

On YouTube there are lots of different classes to choose from. I like Ekhart (Ester Ekhart) as she has a gentle manner. I posted a Pilates link in a previous post on B2 10k forum here:

healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Thank you =)

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

You are welcome, enjoy!

[icklegui Graduate]

Yes, for me the yoga came first. I do Vinyasa flow at a class and it's a very sweaty, active one! I started seriously with gentle restorative yoga for mental health (having done a bit of Hatha yoga as a teen). Yoga has massively underpinned my general fitness - I was useless when I started and doubt I'd have made it into C25K without it.

Are the apps/vids good? Getting in front of a teacher especially early on might be...safer...

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

I can't really afford any classes, but the app is very good. It has a visual to guide you as well as a narrator who slowly talks you through how to get into the poses, with lots of specifics and you can skip back as well. It talks you through breathing as well and has a soundtrack to it. But I can't compare to anything else I guess! No idea what kind it is, didn't know there were different kinds.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

oooh. The app sounds really good. Yeah, a class can be a lot (if you can find one - my rural friends have that issue!). But I'm sure you're being careful, as a C25Ker I know you're on board with safely exercising!

Yep, lots of yoga flavours. I'm not qualified to talk about them! Except that Vinyasa is more 'move with your breath' and others can be more 'hold the pose for ages' type. All great for mental health, flexibility, balance, core strength.

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

Huh, this kind of sounds like a bit of both of those. I guess I'll see as it goes on! Can you do yoga every day or would your recommend rest days as you would C25K?

[icklegui Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

Probably depends on how much/how hard the yoga is? It's not impactful though... probably someone else can explain the sports science beter... I think Oldfloss does a bit of yoga every day? I just do a few poses (less than 10 min) every morning to help me wake up. My yoga class leaves me achey enough that I don't do that and a run on the same day, but (fitter) others in my class do.

Some flavours of yoga are more prescriptive than others. A mix sounds great!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to icklegui]

I do... as do quite a few of the forum family..mine is a short morning routine too...

I have a link somewhere to a YouTube video.. Yoga for runners.. I will try and find it

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The app sessions are half an hour? I am truly fatigued by the end of them but itching to do it daily still

[icklegui Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

That's a good feeling, I think! Half an hour doesn't seem long actually and it seems a good workout if you're tired by the end. You've sold me on the app!

I will see if I can ask a yoga teacher (am currently lucky to know a couple) about how much one can do as a beginner, sort of thing. Can't promise but will try and catch one over a tea break

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

That's so kind, thank you! Yes I discovered extra settings on it yesterday too where you can 'boost' your session to make it more geared towards core strength or make it more aerobic, anything really. You can also change the pace at which the instructions are given and control the level of instruction you receive. As I said, I have nothing to compare it to, but I've no complaints so far.

[icklegui Graduate in reply to VictoriaRuns]

Hello! My yoga teacher colleague is all for online stuff etc, yoga every day is fine and just says as long as you don't go from 0-100 (look up Ashtanga yoga and then put that in the box marked 'not for beginners') straight away you'll be fine. She also recommended someone on youtube called Lesley Fightmaster, all free, lots of different stuff. Apparently she also will answer questions in comments so sounds really great. Go for it!

[VictoriaRuns Graduate in reply to icklegui]

Thanks so much for finding out for me! This is one of those situations where googling can be mystifying and unhelpful. Yes my app very incrementally increases (3 beginner levels and I'm going to stick on the 1st for a while!). I will certainly look up that youtuber. Do thank your friend for the recommendation for me.

[thisfishcan Graduate]

Yes i practise Yoga. I try to do 10 to15 mins each week day morning. I also go to a class once a week, and try to do a yogalates (mixture of pilates and yoga) dvd once a week. I did my first run yesterday, and surprisingly i did not ache this morning. Hope the stretching in yoga has something to do with it, along with going extra slow, and then following the run with an epsom salt bath.