Yoga

[PaulaO]

I started doing yoga at a local studio about 5 years ago. It was my substitute for dressage after Bob transitioned. I stopped doing it when Miss A. came into my life. I decided that I really miss it. There is a Sunday morning Hatha class with my favorite teacher so I'll be back in the studio the 29th. Anyone else like yoga?

[PhoenixRising]

I've wanted to try getting into yoga for a couple years now, but I don't really have time to take a class and don't have the self discipline to wake up early and do it at home as I'd like to. Maybe someday... I know it would be good for me.

[Flight]

I didn't do well in a class because I started laughing with a friend and then couldn't stop. I can't do the serious breathing and waiting around.
But, I do really like the stretching/strength so I did the Dressage Rider training online. She has some good yoga stuff.

[Tanga]

I did the hot box yoga for awhile. I transitioned into pilates because yoga hurts my joints. Apparently other people can put their weight on their knees, wrists or elbows and not hurt. Pilates is the same idea, but doesn't do that.

I love it. I have a 24 hour fitness membership and there are plenty of pilates type classes. I just go to one three times a week with a woman who is a chiropractor and does I think 8 classes a week and has a huge following. She does a little of everything and always changes it up, but one day is always pilates focused.

As a rider, I think it is one of the most beneficial focuses. You have no clue how crooked and uneven you are into you do yoga/pilates and one way is perfectly fine and the other impossible. And then you see who strong or weak you are compared to other people in different ways, and really become body aware. I think it has immensely improved my symmetry and awareness as well as strength. And the older we get, the harder we need to work to keep that.

[piedmontfields]

Yeah, I love yoga, pilates and now barre (which I call, affectionately, "stupid yoga"). I agree with Tanga that it is very useful for developing more even tone and capability across the body. A good teacher makes all the difference to me. I am quite happy to switch movement modalities pending the right teacher/environment. Otherwise, I practice at home.

[blob]

I used to do yoga regularly and really enjoyed it. But I'm not self disciplined enough to do it at home without a class (though I frequently try to tell myself "THIS time will be different!"). Sadly, with the barn being as far away as it is, I don't really have time for an extra activity--if I have time do something after work, i pick the barn and then there's not really any time left after.

There is a stupidly over priced gym in my work building, however, that has yoga and Pilates classes and I've considered joining and doing it during my lunch break.

[VBOpie]

I do hot yoga and pilates. Get different benefits from each of them. Tanga, I bought cushions with a jelly like texture (link below) to ease the pressure on my wrists, etc. Pilates, especially, has made such a difference in my riding. Sometimes I have to drag myself to the session, but I always feel great when it's over.

https://www.amazon.com/LYSB00CA83B7E-SP ... 7980&psc=1

[piedmontfields]

To me, convenience + excellent teaching are very important for going to classes on a regular basis.Blob, maybe it is worth a try at mid-day? I am not that far from a gym with classes, but the instruction is less than stellar (if I'm honest, so is the gym---"skuzzy" is my working phrase for it). I would love to pay more and get more, but that is not going to happen anytime soon in E TN. I miss working out at a university gym (which had great classes and great facilities).

[Rosie B]

I love yoga!!

I use Asana rebel. It’s an app that has an amazing assortment of high quality yoga videos along with many other great features. Anyone who likes yoga and has trouble doing it regularly should check it out.

[Tanga]

I do hot yoga and pilates. Get different benefits from each of them. Tanga, I bought cushions with a jelly like texture (link below) to ease the pressure on my wrists, etc. Pilates, especially, has made such a difference in my riding. Sometimes I have to drag myself to the session, but I always feel great when it's over.

https://www.amazon.com/LYSB00CA83B7E-SP ... 7980&psc=1

Thanks VBO, but I've tried things. I've got some issue. I assumed my joints were deteriorated from being on prednisone for two years as a kid. I can't kneel or crouch, either. Good thing for pilates!

I agree that access and a class is necessary for some of us. I would never do it on my own. It costs me $35 a month for 24 hour fitness and there are 5 gyms pretty close by. I get to usually three classes a week, so am getting my money's worth.

The only reason I did hot yoga for a year or so was I got an amazing deal when they opened, and I cant stand to waste money. Otherwise, sweating like a pig for an hour and a half in a 110 room is not something I would do. I did learn how relaxed and stretchy it made you! I think it's been there ten years and is still going strong.

[VBOpie]

Tanga
I totally get the sweating like a pig part

[chantal]

I do it on my own at home but don't do it enough. I did for almost 1 1/2 years then slowed down. I had done yoga previously with an instructor.

I don't feel like I have the time or $$ to take a class but that could be me. And I love looking for what I need to work on and doing a session designed for that.

I love Yoga with Adriene. Love it!!

[PaulaO]

Went back to the studio this morning for Hatha with my favorite teacher. Of course we did the 2 poses I hate because I find them difficult—downward dog and chair. I was surprised how easier chair has become. My sinuses drained during downward dog and I had to take an emergency break and ran into the hall with a wad of Kleenex.

[Hayburner]

How do you girls find the time to,go to these classes?

Between work, my house, and my horse I don't have spare time until around 8 pm! i spend the weekends cleaning and doing my laundry.

Flight I've thought about trying the DRT program, is it worth it? Did you gain a lot of strength and flexibility?

[Chisamba]

I understand Hayburner most in this. My husband got me a fitness tracking watch for Christmas. Tracking my week apparently the thing I need most is sleep. So maybe I'll try Sleep yoga. Lmao

[PaulaO]

As far as time goes, here is my life. I work full time and have a fairly flexible schedule. I am always in the office between 8:00 and 3:30 though. I am single and live in a 2 bedroom townhouse so I have no lawn, etc to deal with. I see/ride Miss A on Tuesdays and Thursdays, going straight from work. The barn is a 20 minute drive from work and 10 from home. I lesson on Saturdays. Two or three times a week I go to the gym, which is on the same campus as work. Yoga will be Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. I don’t have much of a social life, just 2 good friends. I’m not a competitive rider so I spend less time riding than those who show or who are serious about moving up the levels,

[piedmontfields]

Hayburner, I do feel that. I work a lot and have a long commute. It is ridiculous how much of my life that eats up!

-When I get home from work (or work + barn), I do not sit down until I am done with all tasks of the evening (whether exercise, my turn to cook dinner, cleaning, dog walking, etc.).
-If I find a class I like, I try to do it 1/wk / 3x per month. That is usually a day that I do not ride (I ride 5 x per week on average).
-I do exercise at home at least 3 other days (spin cycle, barre, yoga, hiking, kayaking or walking). Even just 45 minutes helps.
-Unless I'm traveling, I ride both weekend days and also exercise those days to get a head start on the week.
-We have a 20 acre property and there is always work to be done---which is why I board!
-I have a housecleaner but we do property work ourselves. It is less crazy in winter than summer (mowing).
-I do laundry at night through the week so that it does not pile up.
-I have a very hardworking partner who shares home duties with me (cooking, dog care, etc.).
-I live way out in the country, so routine shopping requires a strategy to limit the time it takes. I both combine trips and use mail order to save time.

p.s. By the time I wrote this out, I realized that there is a reason for the saying "if you want something done, ask a busy person!"

[Hayburner]

Piedmont - OMG - when do you sleep ???

One of my big issues is that I am a morning person. I get up at 5:30 on the week-end and get busy - then at 2:00 I get cleaned up to be at the barn by 4:00. I do go to the barn 5 days a week. Wednesday and Sundays I go to my dads and take him his groceries or out to eat. Since my mothers passing last Feb I do have more to do by taking him for haircuts, drs appts, etc. Luckily, my job hours are very flexible and I try to take Fridays off to get a start on house work or maybe to have a little me time - shopping.

I cannot get motivated to do ANYTHING at the end of the day. Even if I get home from the barn at 6:30 - I eat and sit on my butt and watch tv, unless I need to clean my tack or other horse related things and that does get done. Since I don't do anything during the week to clean up by the week-end my house is a wreck!

Am I lazy, tired, burnt out, in a rut or just un-motivated? How do you create the habit of doing some chores before hitting the couch. I don't even cook anymore - living alone I have developed bad eating habits.

[MaryC]

I'm a big Yoga with Adriene fan, she's got a bazillion videos on YouTube. Most instructors make me cringe, but she's a perfect blend of intelligent, supportive and fun. The vids are anywhere from 5-45 minutes long, and every January she does a 30-day series.

https://yogawithadriene.com/

[piedmontfields]

Trust me, I am not a super human and I need my sleep!

I think you're right that it is about habits. 10 minutes of focused chores can help a lot (whether cleaning, laundry, starting dinner, prepping lunches, etc.). Maybe you can knock some stuff out early in the AM, since you are a morning person? Exercise in the AM might also work well for you.

There are these various blogs about home/life efficiencies. Maybe one of those will resonant with you for ideas.

[PaulaO]

Hayburner, you are tired and burnt out. You are taking care of your dad along with working and taking care of yourself. Can you hire someone (like Visiting Angels) to help your dad one day a week? Truthfully, once I get home during the week, between 6 and 6:30, I just sit and veg, watch tv, read. I'm tired at the end of the day and have no motivation. You are not alone.

[piedmontfields]

PaulaO is right. Care of elders is huge, even if your description didn't seem like that much time. There is a lot of uncertainty plus emotional care in that work.

I have elected not to care for my elders (there are other options and there are good reasons for my decision), and that has saved me in this life.

[LeoApp]

I do a Vinyasa flow yoga class every Saturday morning at 7:30. I have been doing this class for 10 years and everyone in the class pretty much has also been coming for that long. It's the only yoga I do all week, but I also do Pilates once/week, and two times/week I do a body sculpting class with weights. It is hard to come home from work and then go back out again, but I force myself and am always glad that I did. I come home, eat a light dinner then go to the gym and take my class. It helps that the other people in these classes will miss you if you're gone and ask where you were. I sit all day at a computer so I really do need to get out and move after a day of work. I love yoga and the way it highlights how uneven you can be in your body. I love it for the core strength, balance, flexibility and evenness it promotes in my body. I think these are essential as we age. By the same token, the positions should be done correctly. You will not get the full benefit if you don't do them correctly, and you run the risk of hurting yourself. I see many people doing things incorrectly. I like classes because the teacher can come around and correct you. Plus there are mirrors.

[StraightForward]

How do you girls find the time to,go to these classes?

Between work, my house, and my horse I don't have spare time until around 8 pm! i spend the weekends cleaning and doing my laundry.

Flight I've thought about trying the DRT program, is it worth it? Did you gain a lot of strength and flexibility?

I don't really do yoga, but as far as working out, I make it a timed thing, which reduces my tendency to use time as an excuse. Sunday night, I do 60 minutes at the gym, then 30 minutes on Wednesday night. 30 minutes is fast enough that I can put dinner on, then get my workout in while it cooks - my gym is 1 mile from my house. Saturday morning I go for a 4 mile run before I start chores or go to the barn. I want to add a shorter run during the week, but haven't been able to since I'm at the barn 7 days a week attending to Annabelle's rehab. On weeknights I sometimes take the dog out for a 2 mile walk around 8 pm if I feel like I'm short on activity for the day.

[Hayburner]

Paula. I wish my dad was open to Visiting Angels but he's not! Luckily, his neighbors do stop in for a short period to check on him and chat a bit. I also wish he would move to an apartment in the senior facility that is very close to my house, but he is t ready to even think about moving so I really don't bring it up. I have warned him that being winter there may be times I can't get there due to the weather and he seems ok with that.

I think with his macular degeneration eventually he will have to move but for now he exists in his home.

If I wasn't doing all this running around I probably still wouldn't do the gym or yoga classes, I'd go back to going to the barn 7 days a week It's my happy place!

I've never been one to enjoy exercise. I did just buy a bike so I hope I sit on it rather than the couch !