New to yoga, once per week, p90x

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I started doing the p90x workout a while back. I’m about halfway through the 90 days right now, but I really struggle on yoga day with some things and was hoping to find some advice or tips.

I’m having a lot of difficulty with flexibility and strength in my hips and knees. For instance, there is one move when you stand on one foot and extend your other one straight in front of you. I can’t get my leg very high and I can’t keep it straight. I also have the same difficulty with any leg scissor moves, anything where I’m laying on my back with my legs straight up - basically anything that requires my legs be extended and straight without laying flat on the ground.

I also have difficulty with stretches like “frog” (I don’t know how well the p90x yoga terminology translates to the real yoga world), and other stretches where I need to separate my hips.

I also have a really hard time with the “warrior four” pose (standing with one foot on the ground, bent at the waist with arms forward or backward and the second leg parallel to the ground). Off the warrior four, you’re also supposed to do some twisting stretches that I have a really hard time doing. I can’t keep that leg in the air or parallel to the ground, and the leg that I’m standing on kind of starts to get that feeling that it’s falling asleep.

I understand that yoga is very difficult. I was never under any assumption that it would be easy and that I should have no problems with it. I also understand some things may take a while to get good at doing - but I’d like some tips on what to do so that I can execute the moves properly and get more strength/flexibility. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

#2

The intensity of the 90 day program you are doing doesn’t allow space for any additional doing on the part of the participant. So to even entertain the idea of “more” of something physical, well you get the point.

Assuming you survive the next 45 days or are simlpy looking for an answer to have an answer…

It sounds as though your hamstrings are not open enough (read: very tight) and any attention to opening them up safely would help with the things you mention. Frankly Warrior 3 (the pose you’ve described a “4”) is not appropriate for beginning level students. However Mr. Horton and I do not see the world in the same way when it comes to the practice of asana.

Some things in life have to be approached gradually in order for them to be approached safely. Ninety days isn’t “gradual”.

#3

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;74715]The intensity of the 90 day program you are doing doesn’t allow space for any additional doing on the part of the participant. So to even entertain the idea of “more” of something physical, well you get the point.

Assuming you survive the next 45 days or are simlpy looking for an answer to have an answer…

It sounds as though your hamstrings are not open enough (read: very tight) and any attention to opening them up safely would help with the things you mention. Frankly Warrior 3 (the pose you’ve described a “4”) is not appropriate for beginning level students. However Mr. Horton and I do not see the world in the same way when it comes to the practice of asana.

Some things in life have to be approached gradually in order for them to be approached safely. Ninety days isn’t “gradual”.[/QUOTE]

Of course I want to do things safely, and I understand that it’s going to be gradual. I just don’t know stuff like this very well, and wanted to know what I need to do to be more flexible for that stuff. I’ll research hamstrings and learn how to open them up. I didn’t expect to be able to find a way to move exactly like the people in the dvd in the next couple weeks.

And yes… Warrior 3, sorry. My mind labeled it 4 because it’s the fourth “warrior” pose in that sequence, because he doesn’t number “reverse warrior”.

My goal with p90x was to get in better shape, but not to build huge size. I plan on finishing the 90 days, but after that I want to use this experience as a guide to coming up with my own routine. I want yoga to be included in my routine, so I want to learn more about it, and get good at it. I plan on making this a long-term project.

Thank you very much for your response. It’s very much appreciated.

#4

The program itself is not a facilitator of flexibility. So while you are doing the series it would be nearly impossible to grow any flexibility.

But if you have the time and urge and sanity to add…

Supta Padangusthasana, every day, twice per day, with the three requisite alignments and the three requisite actions.

gordon

#5

I don’t know which requisite alignments and actions you mean. In fact, I don’t even know what “alignments” and “actions” refer to in yoga. The p90x is the first experience I’ve ever had with yoga, but it has been one of the most difficult workouts I’ve ever done, and when I get a pose right it feels very satisfying and rewarding.

I did a search on youtube for Supta Padangusthasana. I found a few videos, they all show the basic stretch, but one has a bit more to it. watch?v=syp7HZ5jdCM (The site won’t let me post a link unless I have a post count of 15+).
Does that include everything you want? If so, I believe that I can do this a couple times per day.

#6

I’ve been doing yoga several times a week for over a year and I still find that P90X yoga video difficult. Most of the moves there would be classified as intermediate-advanced level IMO. I’m fine with Warrior 3, but half moon and twisting half moon just kills me every time. The video being 1.5 hours long doesn’t help. This is way too long for a workout of this intensity.

Also, have you noticed that Tony H. has the most atrocious posture? He should try following what he preaches. He keeps reminding us to keep our back legs straight in Warrior 1/2 and runner’s lunges but his legs are always really bent. That annoys me to no end.

#7

[QUOTE=Tony;74728]I’ve been doing yoga several times a week for over a year and I still find that P90X yoga video difficult. Most of the moves there would be classified as intermediate-advanced level IMO. I’m fine with Warrior 3, but half moon and twisting half moon just kills me every time. The video being 1.5 hours long doesn’t help. This is way too long for a workout of this intensity.

Also, have you noticed that Tony H. has the most atrocious posture? He should try following what he preaches. He keeps reminding us to keep our back legs straight in Warrior 1/2 and runner’s lunges but his legs are always really bent. That annoys me to no end.[/QUOTE]

I did notice that about his legs. Part of me thinks he’s not really all that into yoga and just put it in this program to round it out… but then I also think it might be because he isn’t focusing properly throughout the entire video because he’s trying to be the instructor and run around during the whole thing. I’ve noticed some flaws in his form on a lot of the videos, but I can’t imagine he’s actually that flawed after doing some of these workouts for decades.

The half moon and twisting half moon are pretty much impossible for me… but the fact that it’s so difficult for someone that been doing so much yoga for more than a year makes me feel a bit better in one way, but also makes me feel kind of like I’m wasting my time with much of this yoga video. I’m going to finish the 90 days, but then I’ll look for a beginner video.

#8

To quote a well known yogi sharath jois “to work on the more advanced postures, perfect the ones you already have”

I recommend going to YouTube and finding some beginner videos on yoga. Plenty 30-60min “workouts” on yoga there.