Lost 108lbs Now Trying Yoga (Routine Help)

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Ok Im new to Yoga but not too working out. Ive recently lost 108lbs in the last 13 months. I went from 310lbs to 202lbs. Im 6’1 just so you can put that in persepecitve. Im not overweight anymore but still want to slim down too 185lbs by mid Jan as I leave for Air Force Basic Training Feb 8th.

Anyways I plan on doing a weight lifting routine Mon/Wed/Fri and a spin class Tue/Thurs/ and running routine Mon/Wed/Fri Ive also decided to start Yoga. Im looking to benifit from both the Physical and Spiritual sides of it, just finding balance and what not.

Anyways I made this sequence and would love some thoughts on it. I dont want to spend money on classes or dvds so any advice is appreciated.

Lotus Pose
Tree Pose
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Reverse Warrior
Downward Facing Dog
Crescent
Dolphin Pose
Upward Facing Dog
Locust
Child’s Pose
Rabbit Pose
Boat
L-Seat
Double Pigeon
Cobbler
Seated Half Twist
Fish
Bridge
Extended Fish
Lotus Pose

#2

“just finding balance and what not” . . . I definitely hope you find it. And I have a few questions.
You’ve mentioned that you don’t want to spend money on classes or dvds – what are you trusting to tell you what each of these poses are?
Do you believe that your weightlifting, running, and spinning will leave you the energy and attention it will take to study yourself on the mat – which will help keep you from doing yourself a mischief and is one of the starting points to the ‘spiritual side’?

And, in the spirit of making no assumptions, have you heard about the yamas and niyamas yet?

Specifically looking at your sequence, if I’ve identified your poses correctly, I believe you should be suspicious of whether you are doing your lotus pose correctly (I’ve seen padmasana go by that name; you should feel nothing exciting in your knees in this pose, and American beginners rarely have hips that can maneuver themselves this way), and you have many more back bends than you have forward bends. Now, I respect that you might have specific purpose in doing this, but my body – after doing running and cycling – would need a bit more help and attention in keeping the hamstrings and lower back long and nourished.

One last bit of advice – come back for lots of conversation.
And thank you for your service, that you are entering Basic Training.

#3

[QUOTE=Techne;25400]
You’ve mentioned that you don’t want to spend money on classes or dvds – what are you trusting to tell you what each of these poses are? [/quote]

I have a picture and video for each pose.

[QUOTE=Techne;25400]
Do you believe that your weightlifting, running, and spinning will leave you the energy and attention it will take to study yourself on the mat – which will help keep you from doing yourself a mischief and is one of the starting points to the 'spiritual side[/quote]

Yes I will have enough energy and time, exercise is all I will be focused on hours at the gym for the next few months.

Specifically looking at your sequence, if I’ve identified your poses correctly, I believe you should be suspicious of whether you are doing your lotus pose correctly (I’ve seen padmasana go by that name; you should feel nothing exciting in your knees in this pose, and American beginners rarely have hips that can maneuver themselves this way), and you have many more back bends than you have forward bends. Now, I respect that you might have specific purpose in doing this, but my body – after doing running and cycling – would need a bit more help and attention in keeping the hamstrings and lower back long and nourished.

I have fine hips. I just have the lotus pose there to start by calming myself and to end by calming myself. Its just a relaxing pose. My body can handle anything. More or less :wink:

So thanks for posting and I have answered the replies you made. If you think I have to many back bends and not enought forward bends feel free to arrangee it alittle differently. Just tweak it how you see fit

And if anyone else has anymore advice feel free to share. Thanks

#4

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on this routine? :confused:

#5

Hello Traveler.

I hesitate to contribute to posts like there (in general) for several reasons.
The first is that it gives some the idea that yoga is a sequence of exercises. Second it can convey that sequencing is basically an activity one does in “any old way” however they see fit in the moment. And third, usually the poster is already attached to their sequence when posting it and isn’t really looking for much in the way of direction. Thus I spend time probing it and they get torqued.

In this case however I’d be curious to know why you place what you place where you place it?

For example, why are there no inversions in your practice? Why would one choose padmasana (lotus) over Sukhasana or virasana as a beginning when the mission is calming (as padmasana mandates external rotation in the hips that most do not have and those that do often do not find it BEFORE the physical practice begins).

Why is Vrksasana (Tree) before the Warrior postures?
Why is there only one twist?
Why does Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s pose) fall 3/4 of the way into the sequence?

I can’t say whether the sequence “works” for you or others. It simply needs to be expounded upon so that your intention for it is correlated. If you are just trying to “exercise” then it’s fine to place things wherever you would like. Likewise, if you’ve tested this in your own body and clearly see it as beneficial (for you) then there’s nothing more to say:-)

gordon

#6

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;25446]Hello Traveler.

I hesitate to contribute to posts like there (in general) for several reasons.
The first is that it gives some the idea that yoga is a sequence of exercises. Second it can convey that sequencing is basically an activity one does in “any old way” however they see fit in the moment. And third, usually the poster is already attached to their sequence when posting it and isn’t really looking for much in the way of direction. Thus I spend time probing it and they get torqued.

In this case however I’d be curious to know why you place what you place where you place it?

For example, why are there no inversions in your practice? Why would one choose padmasana (lotus) over Sukhasana or virasana as a beginning when the mission is calming (as padmasana mandates external rotation in the hips that most do not have and those that do often do not find it BEFORE the physical practice begins).

Why is Vrksasana (Tree) before the Warrior postures?
Why is there only one twist?
Why does Baddha Konasana (Cobbler’s pose) fall 3/4 of the way into the sequence?

I can’t say whether the sequence “works” for you or others. It simply needs to be expounded upon so that your intention for it is correlated. If you are just trying to “exercise” then it’s fine to place things wherever you would like. Likewise, if you’ve tested this in your own body and clearly see it as beneficial (for you) then there’s nothing more to say:-)

gordon[/QUOTE]

Well I picked the order I did because I wanted to start with standing then work my way down, basically. I thought it was a good idea, but obviously its not.

I dont know what you mean by inversions. I also dont know how many twists, fowardbends, backbends, ect should be in a sequence. Thats why I posted here.

I posted here to get advice, on the routine. If its bad we could scratch it and start over, or if you could just tell me the order of how many of what I should have that would be great, Ive looked around online but not found much.

#7

80 views and only 2 posts from other members? Comeon people, lol, I really need some adivce on a sequence.

#8

Traveler,

I’d like to mention that asking a yoga teacher about a home-brewed sequence is sort of like asking a surgeon what to do after the initial incision. Or me asking you to explain how to disassemble an M1 Carbine (though that would likely be easier than what you’ve asked) :slight_smile:

Standing poses ARE a good beginning. However I find vrksasana to be more fruitful after trikonasana, parsvakonasana, vira I, and vira II and prasarita padotanasana.

My reference to inversions is to those poses which bring the pelvis above the heart (or take you upside down, to one degree or another). Specifically, sirsasana (head stand) and sarvangasana (shoulder stand). However these pose a double-edged sword issue. These poses should not be done without specific preparatory instruction, alignment, and the view of a well trained teacher as “mis-doing” them can result in other “problems”.

My preference for students, when learning ANY power tool, is to learn the operation from a skilled professional - be that plumbing, woodwork, dentistry, et al. So in this case I prefer students actually attend classes (either in a group or individual setting) and soak up a sequence. I don’t particularly care that they come to me or go to another qualified teacher but I do feel that “go they must”.

Relative to twists, it is not a matter of how many there “should” be just as there’s no hard and fast “rule” as to the inclusion or exclusion of backbends or forward bends. For me, teaching yoga is a comprehensive craft, it is not choreographing some moves.

The sequence I teach, and the one(s) I practice are rarely, if ever, identical. They are based upon the intention for that practice. And this is why I asked your intention - which you’ve craftily withheld. <grin>

#9

I apologize I didnt mean to with hold anything. My intentions are just finding balance yoga looks so relaxing a nd like a good way to center ones self. I wanted something that would help with felxibility and whatnot also.

I would like a routine that stays more or less the same each time I do it until I can progress to harder poses.

Any help with a sequence would be apprecaited. Like what type of pose should I start with and end with if this routine I posted is so bad I should just scrap it…

#10

Can someone help me make a routine with any of these poses? I want to focus on increasing endruance, centering myself, and flexibility.

[B]Standing Poses
-----------------------------[/B]
Tree
Lunge
Dolphin
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Downward Facing Dog
Standing Foward Bend
Wide Legged Foward Bend

[B]Forward Bends
------------------------[/B]
Cobbler
Childs Pose
Happy Baby Pose
Downward Facing Dog
Standing Foward Bend
Wide Legged Foward Bend

[B]Back Bends
---------------------[/B]
Bow
Fish
Cobra
Locust
Camel
Bridge
Sphinx
Upward Facing Dog

[B]Twists
-------------------[/B]
Seated Half Twist

[B]Restorative
-------------[/B]
Childs Pose
Corpse Pose

[B]Core
----------[/B]
Boat
Plank
Dolphin

#11

Caveat: I am not a yoga instructor. You are getting what you paid for.

I’ve added one pose, and did not use several.

Mountain (stand tall, push the floor away from your head); warrior 1; warrior 2 (1st side); Wide legged forward bend; (2nd side) Warrior 2; Warrior 1; Mountain; Standing forward Bend; Plank; Locust; Up Dog; Down Dog. (2 rounds, switch which side is “1st side” the second time.) Tree (each side.)
Child’s Pose; Boat; Cobbler; Boat; Bridge; Happy Baby; Seated Half Twist (each side; inhale as you come forward); Happy Baby.
Corpse Pose.

Check out ‘eagle’ (on your back, imitate the arms and legs) for a different direction in your hips. Replace the first Happy Baby with it when you find it.

#12

Dear Traveler,

This link below will take you to a website where there are sequences worked out already. I think the problem really is that very few of the teachers who contribute here on this Forum would actually give you a sequence, because we do not know you, we cannot see you to assertain what you might doing right or wrong or what you might need or not.

As InnerAthlete has pointed out in many other posts on the forum and hinted at this in a subtle way in his replies to you, sequencing is an art that involves many variables. You are new to yoga with no experience in a class situation which can serve as a reference point, this makes it more risky to just look at your sequence and suggest anything.

You want to benefit both physically as well as spiritually. For the spiritual benefit you’ll need a teacher that can impart the subtle spirituality of yoga to you, on your own it will be so much more difficult to reach.

#13

Hi Traveler

I would like to congratulate you on losing over 100 lbs, that is awesome work!