Do you practice yoga, what does this consist of for you, and why do you do it?
What other exercise do you do?
Signed,
Newbie looking to soak up as much knowledge and wisdom as I can 
I do yoga everyday. I do it before bed to relax and help me get a good nights sleep. I do gentle movements along with some mobility exercises and meditation. Once a week, I do a long, deep yoga/stretch/mobility routine. to get a good recovery day from the hard week. I personally don’t really like or practice the spiritual side of yoga, It doesn’t make any sense to me, or do anything what so ever, and life is too short to waste on stuff that does nothing for me… but that’s just me.
I love kettlebells. I use them everyday, and I’ve never gotten in shape so fast, or know that it was possible to get in shape so fast. Kettlebell practice is THE perfect marriage of cardio and strength training. I can’t get by without kettlebells.
I do short runs 3km, regularly. This helps with recovery, cardio, and getting the blood around the body, and it’s a good time to focus on my goals.
I do a bit of powerlifting. Deadlifts, Bench press, and squats, to develop the best possible strength and power.
I do Mixed Martial Arts. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and wrestling. I love fighting sports.
If I had to limit my workouts, I would stick to kettebells and mobility training. There THE best of the best for me.
Oh my goodness YogiAdam you must be fit!!
I’m not in the worst shape, but I was a lot more fit when I was in my teens, early 20’s.
I’ve decided I can be super fit again, but it comes second to spirituality for me. I feel the more fit I am (to an extent) the better person I’ll be. Ie. more energy, more self-control, more peaceful, more mindful etc.
Interestingly that’s what attracted me to yoga, and the studio I go to. While the teachers are of a different faith than me (most seem to be into Eastern Religions) I see yoga as a vessel for my own faith.
What is mobility training?
“Do you practice yoga”
Yes.
“what does this consist of for you”
Every moment.
“and why do you do it?”
It is not a means to an end, but a process in itself. Once one is absolutely involved in the process without any clinging to whatsoever may arise from it, then one has awakened the proper spirit flowing through the practice.
“What other exercise do you do?”
Tantra, Zazen, anapanasati, vipassana, and certain occult methods.
@amirmourad
"what does this consist of for you"
Every moment.
Thanks for this! This is how I see my faith, as an every moment thing, so this is a good reminder to see how yoga integrates with this. So far it’s been a wonderful marriage.
And I’ll think about your “why do you do it” more! I guess right now I’m ok with “attachment” but it does give me food for thought.
Very few newbies want to know the whole curriculum, that’s a good start.
You are also aware of spirituality bringing greater ‘fitness’ than its limited version of physical fitness. You will be pleasantly surprised when physical fitness will be a byproduct of your spiritual fitness.
Yoga is hands-on and not a faith system. Our “personal” reality that we construct every moment and love unquestionably, becomes the greatest obstacle between us and the truth. Yoga is a systematic de-construction of that personal reality to discover the universal reality that we really are. So, yoga is also called, self-realization.
If yoga means spirituality, you don’t “do” yoga; you live yoga, you be yoga. What you do is preparation - asana, pranayama, and adhere to yama-niyama and then you live yoga in the states of pratyahara, dharna, dhyana and samadhi. So, I do preparation for 1 to 1.5 hours every morning. But try to be in yoga every time I think of it during the wakeful hours. Yoga is a ‘no-mind’ state and can occur without affecting the action of the moment. It’s joy without boundaries.
Thanks Suhas - that is a big compliment. I can just tell there is so much to it - and I feel pretty confident it will be a part of the rest of my life. So I want to be careful not to get over zealous and injure myself trying to keep up with everyone! Trying to take it slow and ease in, with my first priorities as breathing and having peace.
I agree whole-heartedly re: self-realization. I have been meditating/praying for about 12 years now, and I think the types of things you speak of have brought the biggest/most important changes in my life.
What do you mean by a ‘no-mind’ state?
[QUOTE=iheartyoga;49335]Oh my goodness YogiAdam you must be fit!!
I’m not in the worst shape, but I was a lot more fit when I was in my teens, early 20’s.
I’ve decided I can be super fit again.
What is mobility training?[/QUOTE]
Yeah, there’s no reason why you can’t be in the best shape of your life. I’m getting there slowly. The reason I’m less ‘spiritual’, is because I like things that are very tangent and definitive. When I do kettlebells, I SEE results, and other people see results, and I DEFINITELY feel incredible! When I did yoga only and no other exercise, at first I got all motivated and excited, but after a while, I couldn’t see or feel any difference. I was like… '“yeah, I think I feel better, maybe a bit more relaxed perhaps”… now I’m like… “I feel like dynamite! I feel awesome!” and other people notice. I like results that are definite and obvious… if that makes sense.
Mobility training is a bit like stretching or yoga in a way… it’s increasing and maintaining the mobility of the joints and limbs. It could include simple things like ‘hoola hooping’ or shoulder circles. You should check out Steve Maxwell. He’s 57 and has a 6 pack and is in far better shape than people half his age. I borrowed a spine mobility routine from him, as part of my daily ‘MUST DOs’. He refers to mobility exercises as the fountain of youth, when you see him, you’ll know why. I think the downward dog into cobra could be considered mobility exercises. Also that Sun Salutation routine… that’s a good mobility routine.
I go to 2 90 minute asana classes per week and occasionally do asana work at home. I struggle to get my home asana practice established. I do pranayama exercises before bed (it helps me sleep) and I do various meditations through-out the day - at the minimum, I do a 30 minutes yoga nidra in the late afternoon.
Other exercise…I was a gym junkie (for the last 3 years) up until about 3 months ago when I bought my first kettlebell. Like YogiAdam, I think I’m now getting both my strength work and my cardio work in a fun manner with the kettlebells. Unlike YogiAdam, I’m NOT incredibly fit. I’m a middle-aged woman who has abused my body through obesity for over 30 years. In spite of releasing considerable fat over the last 3 years, there are many times I’m the largest yogini in the room.
The funny thing that I notice though is that I am more stiff after my yoga classes (hatha) than I am after my kettlebell workouts. The asana classes don’t seem that difficult - but the next day, I really feel it in my muscles and joints.
@yogiadam - i think i’ll be in the best shape of my life within the year, but it’ll be different than my track and field/basketball days a more holistic fitness.
took a peek at steve maxwell’s site, that guy is intense!
@krisr you sound super dedicated… i have a feeling i’m going to get inspired by the people on these boards.
so far i’m going to 2-3 classes a week (mainly beginner, hatha and vinyasa) and then i want to do very light cardio 3 other days, like walking for instance. when i’ve gotten over the initial shock of all this exercise (really was very sedentary for the last few months) i want to develop an at home practice too.
i work at a computer and it’s really starting to take it’s toll on my body - it doesn’t seem natural for us to be just sitting all day… lunch time yoga has been so energizing!
YogiAdam,
“When I did yoga only and no other exercise, at first I got all motivated and excited, but after a while, I couldn’t see or feel any difference. I was like… '“yeah, I think I feel better, maybe a bit more relaxed perhaps”.”
Either you were not practicing consistently, or you were using the garbage which has been given by the West, which at the most is only capable of bringing you to a state of physical health, but cannot do anything more as far as transformation is concerned.
I started of yoga for physical fitness long time ago but eventually the path took me elsewhere altogether. I do yoga vinyasa flow about 3-4 times weekly, i have recently started pranayama, i do 8 km walks 3-4 times weekly and keep switching to other forms like step aerobics or weights every now and then and have been doing a lot of meditation. The energy i get because of this routine is amazing. Once you start yoga asanas and stick on to it for a while, i see that the progress into other areas of yoga happen automatically. So, all the best!
thanks yogamudra - your experience is really encouraging. i feel 5x better than i did just 3 weeks ago, from the yoga and trying to drink lots of water, and lots of fruits and veggies daily (before there was a lot of takeout food in my life)!
it’s helping me manage stress and to be more mindful - which is what i know that i needed
i like your idea of switching things up every once in a while!
Once or twice daily. Lots of sun salute with vinyasa variations, backbends, twists, inversions, balancing poses. Either follow a dvd or make it up however my body feels. Much prefer the creative side to making my asanas up as I feel the need, rather than following a class (I have a tendency to goof off if I practice in a class so I have to practice alone) or a dvd. I love to follow the breath and let it take my through the postures. Evening practice is usually more gentle, not so many or any sun salutes, but having said that sometimes I have a real hot eveing session…
My background growing up was playing lots of squash, snowboard, skateboard, bmx, bodybuilding then yoga found me. I am now a slave to shakti and trying to find/feel my path daily. I find it helps me dissolving my ego in devotion practice of yoga to cleanse my turbid mind. It’s like remembering something that I already knew, but it was buried. Trying to appreciate the evolution, nature, happening around me.
Another side of my practice I feel is moderation of food intake and eating drinking healthy stuff. The asanas just seem to come so much more joyfully when the breath and everything is all in tune! Don’t need the muscle bulk anymore, dropped about 15lbs, another 10 to reach one ninety.
Om shanti shanti shanti
iheartyoga,
What do you mean by a ‘no-mind’ state?
The concept here is that our individual mind is, in reality, as omnipotent and omniscient as the Universal Mind; but because of indulgent engagement with brain it becomes dwarfed, colored and ego-driven. This also makes it flit all the time from object to object. This inhibits yoga.
Hence, in yoga preparatory exercises, we try to purify the mind and hold it away from the thinking processes as much as possible. Slowly it gives us control over mind and and put it to rest while meditating. So, meditation etc are called yoga’s ‘no-mind’ states.
While teaching 4 classes (including pranayam and meditation) per week plus a new class for inner city employees at a food bank (volunteer) I try to get in one practice a day. I will admit, it is difficult at times, but I’ve learned to say, It’s OK. I do enjoy my home practice early in the morning. I do whatever the spirit guides me to do which is different each day. It’s fun and playful. I don’t go to the mat with a routine in mind. When it’s nice outside, I love to practice under the trees and then meditate in our meditation garden. Meditation is almost every day.
Outside of that, I do walk during the nicer weather and dabble in some weight lifting for upper body and resistance bands.
@suhastambe - thanks so much for the explanation of “no-mind”. can i ask if the most ancient yoga texts have this concept in them, or where you learned about it?
@rechaka - omg there is something about the breathing that is so key for me, kind of like a missing piece in a puzzle that i hadn’t found yet.
@lotusgirl - that is so cool, and i was thinking the other day that if all continues to go well and i sense doors opening i would love to teach yoga and do life coaching (as volunteer work) with folks from our inner city here in yvr… but that would be a few years down the road, b/c i’m a total total newbie at this point.
when you say as “the spirit guides me” what do you mean by this?