Yoga

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Yes, I agree. And I'm glad you pointed out that people turn to Yoga etc. seeking spiritual guidance when they're really running away from something, and that's why Yoga correlates with a lot of bad things, not that the Yoga itself is intrinsically harmful.

Do Yoga if you've got the time, but not at the expense of cutting back on cardio and weights! As for squeezing the thyroid gland, it's better to make sure you're eating enough iodine, selenium, and protein.

Thanks.. I will try and find an exercise program that benefits me. A lot of the difficulty is getting up the willpower. Also I need a more gentle program as I am not well coordinated, and intense exercise makes me feel very bad.

Good thread. I've been doing Yoga by myself for months now and I have notice that I have been developing lean muscle in areas where I have been pasty all my life. I have better energy, more mental stability, and better posture. I would say it's been completely postive for me.

I haven't done much, but a lot of older guys on another forum I frequent swear by it. These are guys who are busted up from powerlifting, Olympic lifting, Judo, you name it.

It has a lot of bodywork benefits. Stuff like myofascial release, trigger point relief, possibly joint adhesion breakup. Stuff that builds up when you train hard and you don't notice until it catches up and sets you back weeks or months of training time.

Lots of "internal" martial arts stuff provide comparable benefits. Qigong, taiji, yoga etc. Regular practice leads to long term physiological effects similar to regular massage/rolfing (from what I understand).

I haven't done enough of this stuff to add my own experiences but some of the testimonials I hear really make me want to get started before I hit 40.

I personally like more active (muscular - sporty) yoga styles such as Bikram, hatha, Hot or power Yoga. And the hotter the room the better it is for me (37C to 42C is my favourite) ! !! Athletes also benefit from yoga as they can build the smaller muscles which are not used as much when doing weight training or repetitive movements, such as in sports like swimming and running. Yoga is really good for core strength and stretching.

I usually stay away form the meditation or chanting yoga styles such as Kundalini, although I can see they can help with relaxation and breathing.

Good to read that others are still enjoying this thread

I still havent started doing yoga yet. I have been trying to do relaxation exercises and breathwork. I am hoping that in a couple of months or so I might be able to start up a yoga routine but right now I am just too tense, my muscles are too tight and when I try and stretch them I feel even tenser! but hopefully I will be able to sort that out soon.

The way I have been eating lately is ok, but certainly not the best. I also have had loads of coffee lately. The lack of practice combined with the coffees may have been a factor.
I am ok with the Bikram postures and I am sure I would be ok if I were to return to a more gentle type of yoga. I think that the heat is what killed me. It also made my breathing really difficult......

I think it is pretty good for weight loss. Although it does not result in a large number of calories being burned compared to running, as you said, it builds muscle, which increases metabolic activity around the clock. It also makes me more aware of my body and less likely to over-eat. The relaxation aspects lead to reduced cortisol, a hormone that encourages fat cells to store up anything they can pull in from the blood, there are endorphins, etc.

Yoga is not a replacement for other types of activity, but it can have some surprising effects. Here's an interesting study that found that for metabolic improvement, yoga was comparable to aerobic exercise in people with diabetes:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articl ... d=18477407

There are studies that show that yogis have lung function and heart capacity similar to trained athletes.



There are types of yoga that are very slow and restorative - good for people that are very tight, low energy, etc. Stick to easy postures, listen to your body!