New To Yoga, Looking For Tips & Advice

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello Everyone,

First I would like to tell everyone a bit about myself. Im a young male, who is a professional golfer and thought adding a yoga routine into my everyday schedule would be very beneficital to my golf game. I have a tall, thin, lanky build ( 6’3, 165 lbs) and would really like to become more flexable and improve my core and my balance. I have done various workout routines that my trainer has put me through but never really done any yoga. So I decided to come to you guys for some tips and advice hoping you guys can give me informaiton on where to start, routines to try, and give me some basic knowledge on yoga itself. So if anyone has any routines or videos of routines that can be found on the internet and would like to share it with me that would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You
Mike

#2

could somebody please give me some advice!

Thanks
Mike

#3

[quote=gligster;8872]could somebody please give me some advice!

Thanks
Mike[/quote]

Mike it has been 4 hours since your initial request, or perhaps it was a demand since you’ve followed with this.
My advice would be to decide if you want to work more closely with your current trainer to address your concerns or if you really want to do Yoga. Yoga is not going to meet your 4-hour demands and Yoga practice will instead likely provoke you more. If you are not interested in being provoked and exposing yourself, my loving advice to you it to do Pilates; this will very tidily address your physical flexibility, core strength and physical balance. Pilates also works with breath which I suspect will be helpful to you during times of stress, like waiting patiently and tournament play.

Kind wishes,

#4

actually it was 16 hours so dont make me look demanding. Whats the difference between yoga and pilates? Why would you suggest Pilates rather then yoga? doesnt yoga improve your flexability?

#5

Hello Mike,
Ah yes, I see my mistake around thinking it was 4 hours and not realizing it was actually closer[I] 16 [/I]hours; my apology for that. As to what or whom is making you appear demanding, that is still yet unacknowledged. My clients are not usually young men, so I have offered you what I can. Perhaps others will share something helpful with you. Another member here, Gordon (aka InnerAthlete) has worked with other professional athletes and he has exceptional Yoga training. He may have some recommendations for you that would help you with your goals. You can PM him or email him through his profile if you want to contact him directly.

Kind wishes in your search,

#6

Hi Mike,

Please remeber that we all live in different countries on different times zones, perhaps the lack of responses to your satisfaction.

If you want to pursue yoga for flexibility, best advice is get a teacher, you have the money to afford a golf teacher and I am sure you recognise and realise the importance of a teacher/trainer. I am not one who will easily advice people to attempt yoga on their own, we see too many people with problems resulting from self taught practice here on this forum.

There have been so many discussions on pilates versus yoga, please use the search function and you will find a wealth of info on that.

To help your golf, basically all the yoga asanas will help. Yoga asanas have one very important function and that is to strenghten the back muscles, I am no golfer, but I suspect you need a strong back to pack a swing in golf. All asanas associated with the shoulders, as a swing originates from your shoulder, will also help you.

Good luck and be kind.

#7

Mike, I agree with Pandara’s post and it made me want to caution you too against teaching yourself Yoga through a DVD or book. You are obviously an exceptional golf talent and you do not want to risk hurting yourself by not having an equally exceptional Yoga teacher or therapist. Many of the people that I see for Yoga therapy have injured themselves during Yoga practice for a variety of reasons. I would even go so far as to recommend avoiding medium to larger classes (more than 5 people) where a teacher may not be able to guide you and watch your alignment very carefully. Most teachers can offer you private lessons where you can address your goals very specifically, rather than you going into a class where the teacher is leading all of the students through the same routine regardless of the individuals. Classes are great, but for your level of play, you may want to seek out a local teacher/therapist for private sessions.

Best,

#8

Thank you very much for the advice, I have sent a message to Innerathlete so i will get his opinion as well and then decide what the best thing to do would be.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Thanks Again
Mike

#9

Four hours, 16 hours, it’s all good:-)
Point is we’re not hanging on the site all day and occasionally have lives away from the forum to keep tidy. It takes some time sometimes.

I’ll reply to you in a PM off the board Mike.
Hope that will be helpful.

#10

Yes and I apologize for that, I guess Im just used to bigger forums where you get replies very quickly, not realizing this forum is alot smaller with less members. Once again sorry for rushing.

#11

Mike,
Your apology is appreciated. Thank you for acknowledging that and for explaining your frame of reference of larger forums too.
I know how much pressure there can be on professional athletes and how urgent getting the right care for your body can be. My husband is a pro skier who is also healing a grade II MCL tear right now (into the third week and it is healing very well). As with you, treating and working with this level of athlete must be very precise because of the demands on the body by the sport and by the sponsors to have their athletes out filming and in competition. An appropriate, well-suited Yoga practice will support you with all of those demands…truly.

Take your time to find what will serve you and your golf game at the highest level. Perhaps you and InnerAthlete will share some of strategies with the rest of us here on the forum?
Kind wishes,

#12

Mike,
If I can add my two cents as a newbie to yoga ( have been practicing Ashtanga Primary Series for a year) and someone who took Pilates twice weekly for 6 year…if flexibility is what your after than I feel that Yoga is best suited for you. Pilates helps with core strength and yes stretching, especially if you have access to a Reformer, but yoga with much practice has given me flexibility that I didn’t think was within my physical ability. There are simply some poses not within my reach at this time but with a truly amazing teacher I have been able to use my breath and concentration of the breath to realize poses that are simply beautiful.
Depending on who is there to guide you however, yoga is not just a physical exercise but one much more profound.
Hope this was of some help and good luck in whatever you do!