Yoga...

Hi A., I am a yoga instructor. I would like to say that yoga is wonderful and can help you with just about anything that is ailing you, but ...I think that it is important to use an instructor to learn yoga, then you can go to DVD's at home for your own personal practice. I don't reccommend videos to start off with, because you cannot be corrected, or kept safe in the postures from a video. You need a good instructor to show you, help you, adjust you, tell you what you need to change and keep you safe in a class or private lesson setting. Once you begin yoga, you will never want to let it go from your life. But you want to learn it correctly and stay safe! It is important to learn when and how to breathe in the postures, and the postures are so precise, that w/o an instructor it would be impossible to learn all that you could learn from an instructor who gives verbal commands andwatches over you, and adjusts you when neccessary. PLEASE, start with an instructor, once you are comfortable, you can just do DVD's at home. Best of luck!

2 moms found this helpful

Hi A.,

I think you're going to love yoga! It's so fantastic!
Starting at home is great, but I also want to encourage you to take a class. (Btw, I have no affliation with any yoga studios and I'm not a teacher myself or anything!)
I started like you did, with a dvd at home. And I practiced yoga that way for years. When I actually went to a class with a live teacher, I wished I'd done it sooner. It's great having an actual yoga teacher right there to guide you.

Then after you've been with a teacher a few times, you can bring all that new knowledge back to your at home yoga practice. The place I go even has a class where they do child care in the room next door. It's Kula Yoga down in Tarrytown. It's great. (Though I'm sure there are lots of great places all around.)

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Hi. Yoga does NOT have to be hot. Bikram yoga is hot, but that does not mean all yoga is & I would suggest never doing hot yoga (or thinking that you can)do it in your home. Is there a studio/gym that you can join or practice yoga? It's something that should be done with an instructor so that you can get comfortable with & learn the positions. There are many different types of yoga so educate yourself before trying it alone. There are many studios that are a pay per class. Try them out. Have fun!

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Hi A.,

Yoga is going to be awesome for you!

I've been a yoga instructor for 14 years now and it does me wonders as I know it will do for you also.

Yoga does not have to be done in 100 degree temperature room. Please set your room/house temp to what your comfortable with.

For resources, even Walmart & Target sell yoga DVDs & VHSs. A good resource on-line is www.yogajournal.com. Yoga Journal also has a magazine to view.

The main thing with yoga is to do it at your body's comfort-level. Never force a pose or posture. If you feel pain during a pose or posture, back out of it slightly. If pain persists, stop the pose all-together. Pain is not good. Stay well hydrated always. Drink water before, during and after your yoga sessions.

I wish you well with your yoga journey A..

Namaste,

D. P., LMT, CPT
Licensed Massage Therapist
Certified Personal Trainer
Physical Therapy Rehab Tech
Birth Doula

2 moms found this helpful

Yoga booty ballet is good and it you have a Wii, My Fitness Coach has some good yoga, but I find they go almost too fast for beginners. I find temp is not an issue for me. I keep my house warmer than most since I am too cheap to pay a super high electric bill :)

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Very good advice that you have been given so far. I might just add that there are many different types of yoga and you may have to try several different videos or classes before you find a style and/or teacher you like. Also all teachers bring something different to yoga, so if you don't like the first video you get or like the first class you go to, try another type. I have been doing yoga for 12 years and a teacher for 3 years. Yoga really has helped me not only physically but also mentally. Yoga as many benefits as you will find out. I currently do a home practice, but do miss going to classes at a studio, I hope to find some classes in the new town/area I just moved too. So if anyone can recommend any yoga classes in Bellville area, please let me know. I do plan on starting to teach here soon, just getting use to my new surroundings. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, otherwise search out yoga in video's and books.

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Yes, you don't need a high temp. A good series to start off with is Nameste Yoga that's featured on FitTV. You can download online, or if you have that channel, record it. Some moves are for advanced people, but you just tone it down for your level.
Good luck!
CJR

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You have been given some great advice on yoga already but, when I started, I found the 'You Can Do Yoga' by Leslie Sansone was an excellent one for beginners. You should also consider checking with your local library as they might have a variety of yoga DVDs or video tapes you can try before you buy.

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Congratulations on taking on a great practice. You can do yoga at home very easily with your home at the temperature it is. Only one type of hatha yoga (Bikram) is done in a heated environment. The other types of hatha yoga are done without any added heat. I recommend Iyengar yoga (Yoga Journal on the web), as it is accomplished at home with common props to assist you, such as a chair for balance, your wall for support, a rolled-up towel or blanket to lift you up when sitting, a belt or sash---so you can accomplish the poses supported and assisted. The Patricia Walden and Rodney Yee yoga videos can be picked up on craigslist or ebay....

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The yoga portion of the P90X set is an amazing workout and very relaxing. It comes highly suggested!!

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High temperature Yoga is a very advanced form of yoga, and I do not beleive you should try that without an instructor. You definitly don't want it cold. Turning of fthe AC for awhile should suffice. Yoga is very hard to learn from books and video, and you do need to be careful.

Only one form of yoga requires a hot room. You can use normal room temperature for almost all forms of yoga. I would go by Yoga Yoga anywhere in Austin and ask anyone at the desk what they recommend for beginners. Consider taking a few classes to get started (they have wonderful mom and baby postnatal classes). If you're not in Austin, go by any reputable studio and get suggestions for a cd. Good luck. I'm off to yoga class now!

If you happen to have Time Warner Cable, they lots of On Demand channels. One of them is Exercise On Demand. Is has lots of short videos including yoga. I can never remember the channel but is like 1430 or something. Best wishes!

that is only certian types of yoga that need to be heated room. try starter videos yoga is much harder than it looks!

A.,

Start with a reputable yoga DVD, perhaps one from Giam or Yoga Journal. Be careful with some that are not certified yoga teachers as you can really hurt yourself.

There is actually only one style of yoga, Bikram Yoga, that requires a hot room. So to get started with yoga you just need a sticky mat, along with some props if you want to be extra safe. Often beginners kits come with a strap and a block that you should use to modify your poses when you first start out.

Good Luck and namaste!

Hi A.!

I have practiced yoga for many years, and first let me say, that you don't need the room to be 100 degrees or even close to that to enjoy yoga. Just make sure the room is comfortable and that you are wearing comfortable stretchy clothes. Next, the videos are a good start, but there are so many yoga studios around that offer postpartum/baby and mommy classes and even drop baby off and enjoy a yoga class for yourself. It's also a wonderful place to meet first time moms like yourself and maybe even get a play group going for you and the kids. If you need some advice on studios around Austin, let me know. Hope this helps.