Can anyone tell me about Yoga?

[Aries]

****Mods please move if need be, I wasnt sure if this should have been in Diet, Weightloss & Exercise or not..****

Hi ladies

Just wondered if anyone has tried Yoga as a relaxation techinque? There is a class on tomorrow night which I thought I might try out. I dont really know what to expect but I am looking for techniques to deal with stress and anxiety. Do you find it useful, helpful, fun etc?

TIA xx

[LuluHB]

I did hatha yoga 10 odd years ago. There are different types and some are more physical than others - hatha is one of the most gentle. At the time I had a very stressful job and found it brilliant for dealing with that. It was kind of a weird feeling, but I would come out of a class feeling completely envigorated, wired, but completely restful at the same time - makes no sense but that's how it was. I really enjoyed it, and wish there was somewhere closer to where I live now so I could keep doing it.

[LionsandBears]

Yes. In fact I need to start again for those same reasons. Similar to LuluHB, I used to feel both relaxed and energised at the same time. I need grounding and yoga is one of the best ways for me to centre & ground myself. I prefer a gentle type yoga to something like Bikram yoga which I dont find as nurturing.

Give it a go and go easy with yourself. Yoga is about breathing and letting go. Others may seem fitter, more felxible or whatever when you first start but go at your own pace. It's about giving back to you.

Btw, I recommend doing yoga through a yoga studio rather than a gym.

[RhiChiChi]

Yes, I do yoga once a week and it certainly has helped with my anxiety levels. Like the OP, I find it gives me all that they said and an inner peace if you like afterwards. I do hatha and their are thousands of different types you can do and at different levels. Go into the class with no expectations and do it in a yoga studio, the experience will be so much better

[Sopdet]

Was a daily yoga (sometimes twice a day), now I'm a couple of times a week building back up to daily.

Love the buzzy feeling I get from it. Also love what it does for my body.

[Aries]

Thanks! The one I have decided to give a try is in a studio, I did look around at gyms but I had to get a gym membership etc and my poor dog would miss out on our twice a day walks!!
Thanks again for your advice, I am keen to deal with these feelings naturally, and figured this might be a good start

[Sopdet]

Go through a studio, they've been properly trained. Do the beginners program (usually about 10 weeks), that will give you a good start.

[Aries]

Just thought I would update on my yoga class last night.. I LOVED IT!!

I was surprised I kept up with the positions but I couldnt quite do the combination of breathing and stretching at the same time lol but will work on that next week. Im taking Mum next week I think she will love it!

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated