Yoga for unfit fat inflexible people
Is the DVD *I* needed Sunday night.
But what I had was "Yoga for Beginners". It *sounded* like the right DVD to start out with and it certainly had good reviews, but the sad reality is that I am not fit enough even for a beginner yoga session.
In my usual headlong fashion, I stuck the DVD in the player, quick vacuumed the cat fuzz off the living room floor and shoved assorted furniture around until I had a nice clean space for my yoga mat. Which was then promptly occupied by a cat!
Once Tablet was persuaded not to take his evening nap on my mat, there were several workouts to choose from. The first one on the menu only lasted 10 minutes but I wanted a longer session of activity. So I chose a 20 minute workout for "Strength and Balance" and then I figured I'd do another 20 minute workout of "Sun Salutations". Besides, 10 minutes of "Backbends" did not sound promising.
Sounds good, right?
40 minutes of yoga featuring a slim and very flexible instructor was a great plenty. My "cobra" pose has my nose only about two inches off my mat. My arms couldn't push me up into that position and my back just wasn't going there. "Downward dog" was possible... but not very comfortable.
Focused breathing? Forget about it, I was starting to breathe pretty heavy trying to do any of this stuff. Some poses actually expected me to support my body on my arms, imagine! They think my back can bend, ah, backwards! I guess the instructor never had to instruct someone like me! And the truth was, there really weren't much in the way of modifications given, which was a definite lack in a DVD for yoga beginners, IMO. Still, I did what I could do.
That said, the voice of the instructor was soothing and the scenery restful. She moved from position to position smoothly... I floundered about. She bent her back like a pretzel... I spent a lot of time replacing impossible poses with the one pose I could easily manage, "child's pose".
My shoulders and back aren't too happy right now. I'm not planning to give up just yet... I watched the 10 minutes of "Backbends" and perhaps I should start there and try to increase my flexibility a little. Slowly. Over time.
Meanwhile, if you know of a good yoga DVD for the unfit, fat and inflexible, feel free to let me know!
Hi, I've never used it, but I've heard a couple of people say good things about - Yoga: Just My Size With Megan Garcia
http://www.yogahub.com/Videos/Yoga-Just-My-Size.html
I think it sends you to amazon.com to purchase it.
That looks pretty good! I'll investigate further and maybe put this one on my birthday list. Thanks, Anne!
I'd encourage you to hang in there with the yoga! I know it's not very enjoyable or encouraging trying to stretch your body where it's not used to being stretched, or supporting itself in unfamiliar positions, but the thing I love about yoga is that you can really notice the improvements if you stick to it! Each time you can hold the pose longer, reach a bit further, etc.
I do yoga about once a week and it's a great stretching and strengthening complement to my gym work - doing weights and running etc.
Good luck.
I do plan to keep trying, though I've not managed another session this week and I feel hesitant to try the DVD again tomorrow since I had a pretty hard weight workout with my TRX trainer today.
I will try some of the other segments of the DVD I have soon. I took a yoga class with my mother a long time ago, and really did enjoy it! I was thinner and a little more flexible then though!
I have Megan's DVD and can wholly recommend it. It's a relatively doable workout for the full figured beginner. Megan has a believable sincerity about her. She's a pleasure to observe. The instructor (narrator) is clear. I also have Yoga for Inflexible People...which is an excellent DVD. (Even my DH uses it--he's fit and thin and has been practicing Yoga for a couple of years.)I'm struggling with some of the moves...and also with the disparity between my reflection in the mirror and the vision-of-fitness-person on the DVD. I will keep trying however. Best wishes to you, too.
I need to do an Amazon order soon for assorted stuff, so I may as well add a new yoga DVD. I do plan to explore some of the other sessions of the DVD I already have, perhaps it isn't all as hard as the first stuff I tried.
Don't worry about the differences between you and the fitness person on the DVD though! You can only be the best you you can be and that's what we are all trying for!
Really appreciate the mini DVD review, I'm definitely keen to get this one now. Not that what I have is bad, just a mite advanced for me currently.