Yoga Challenge: Day 3

Tina

I started my morning with 20 minutes of Morning Flow yoga from YogaDownload.com. When I started, I was still in my PJs and feeling groggy, but by the end, I was wide awake and ready to start the day. The relaxation poses mixed with the “flow” of this session were great for someone who is just starting their day (or even rolling out of bed). The backbends woke me up and the down dogs and forward bends stretched my very tight hamstrings. I liked the “wheel” pose a lot, too- even though, I couldn’t hold it for very long. It requires a very different type of strength than lifting free weights! It was fun, though, feeling like I was in 4th grade at recess again!

coco

I did 30 yoga for buns and 20 core yoga. but are quite challenging! the chair pose made my butt work so hard. And the core class was the most challenging core class I’ve ever had. Really good way to begin the day!

Lauren

It sounds like you’re really getting into yoga-that’s great! I took up the practice a few years ago, and now consider it an integral part of my life. “Wheel” is one of my favorite poses, too!

Christina

I did 20 minutes of Gentle Hatha # 1 again this morning. While its relaxing physically, I’m still having problems relaxing my mind. This morning my mind kept wandering to what I was going to wear today!

brandi

I didn’t get up early enough to do an actual download, but I did do something! I was taking a yoga class with a lady for a few months, and she would always start out with the same sequence. I remember most of it, so I did that on my own this morning and it was great. It didn’t get my heart rate up – mostly easier and gentle stretching, but I’m glad I did something even though I couldn’t do a whole download!

strawberry

Day 3 challenge for me was finding motivation! I had a super long day teaching and then ran errands all afternoon and didn’t make it home until after 8PM. I wanted to just call it a night, but I talked myself out of it and told myself to (wo)man-up and do 20 minutes from my yoga dvd…and then I ended up doing 30 minutes! I’m so glad I didn’t give into my lazy feeling.

Amanda

I tried a new yoga today…did not like it, but I think it’s because I’m not used to ones that are super repetitive.

Kelly

I definitely agree with your statement that certain yoga poses require a different kind of strength than weight training. I definitely get sore in different places and I love it. It’s a great feeling especially to have a pose go from being tricky to doable. I’ve finally gotten good at wheel and I’m hoping crow will be next.

erinbee

i did the morning flow today too! so refreshing for sure.
i love going into wheel because it feels so great once im
done and go into supta baddha konasana [yeah. i definitely
had to google that one. haha.] and i cant always get into
plow but it sure is fun to try. yay for starting the day off right!

Maggie

I love wheel. It IS hard to hold though! Today I plan on doing 2 or 3 20-minute yogadownload sessions again. I’m thinking a power flow & morning flow, then maybe gentle hatha #1 this afternoon. So far my challenge has been to do yoga sometime other than in the morning yesterday I managed to do it in the afternoon, but the day before I had planned on doing that but it never happened. So I’m going to keep trying to do a session in the afternoon or evening!

bobbi

My yoga yesterday was splended, I did 2o minutes of Detox Flow Yoga. I too was kinda pissy to have to get out of relaxation pose and take on the day, o well at least I got a freat stretch in:)

HangryPants

Wheel is also a wonderful chest opener! I did 2 20 minute yoga downloads yesterday, which were a great stretch. I was a little distracted because Mark was home because of the snow and I just wanted to play!

Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter)

Oh gosh Tina, I was so sore from my yoga class yesterday as I hadn’t done any yoga in several weeks. I tend to jump right back into things, and it’s always all or nothing with me. Fortunately, today’s class focused more on balance rather than strength. We did do crow, but I used that as a water break as my arms just weren’t up for it after yesterday’s countless Chaturangas. I feel confidant that my hamstring is okay enough to continue with my workshop, but I’m still taking it easy on my left leg.

Rachel

I tried yoga for buns and had some difficulties with the poses. I have only tried gentle hatha yoga and I think I was taken off guard by the fast pace of the yoga for buns. Now that I know what to expect, I will be a little more prepared. I definitely feel different muscles working when I do yoga versus strengthening and toning exercises.

Katerina

I am actually pretty sore today from all the yoga and other stuff.. I wasn’t going to do any but I felt like it was too early in the challenge to skip a day so I did 20 minutes of Gentle Hatha Yoga #1 this morning to help wake me up. I am definetely getting better with the balance postures then I was a few weeks ago. My tree

Becca A

This is actually an update on day two yoga for me. I did the lunar session before bed and for the first time in several nights slept until my alarm woke me up…at 1:40 am, ugh.

junghwa

I did Cardio Yoga from ExerciseTV and then followed it by 30min Sadie Nardini’s Detox yoga. LOVING this challenge even though I do Yoga daily ;]

Shelby

I did 20 minutes of Power Beauty Sweat today (I’m waiting for a new DVD from Netflix haha!)
I think the only challenge I have is getting up early…otherwise I wouldn’t be able to fit it in! I’m hopeing that by the end of this challenge, morning yoga will become a habit.

saraL

Yoga challenge day # 3 I did 60 minutes of power vinyasa Flow #1. It was definitely challenging, maybe a little too advanced for me?? (hello tripod headstand!) but I listened to my body and went as far as I could. I really pushed myself and enjoyed it tremendously after a 3 mile run. I was able to hold crow for like 4 seconds yay and I think I;ve mastered tree pose. I still need to work on my balance, but this class totally helped me improve my flow.

I am loving this challenge. GREAT idea tina!!

Susan

Yoga class today was a 40 minute wonder! Yoga poses for warm up and cool down with 20 minutes of free weights in between. Awesome!!

Leah

I think I really want to start trying out yoga in the mornings. I bet it would really start my day on the right foot. Tonight I tried to do two yoga videos from yogatoday.com. Problem was, they kept on skipping and trying to load that I could barely hear the instructor half the time and it was very choppy. This of course took me out of yoga mode, so finally I just turned them off and practiced some poses on my own. I have to admit, that I ended up having a great 25 minute session even though I didn’t have a video or a yogadownload to go by. I challenged myself with poses that I am not good at but want to be better at and I held them much longer to get a good stretch. I am almost at a point where I can do the splits…. I need to practice more! I haven’t been able to do the splits…. ever. Not even when I was a kid. I also tried the crow pose more, which I want to be able to hold for more than a second lol.. it’s a tough one though. My goal by the end of the month is to be able to do the splits and hold crow pose. There, I said it!

sara

Day #3 was all about motivation – or lack there of, really – for me as well. I squeezed in 20 (of the 25 minutes) of Yoga Download’s Power Yoga #3 (I think…it’s on my work computer. Yes, I did yoga at work. But I was between classes. And I was a more zen-like teacher because of it! ) and I really want to get in a minimum 45 minutes just because I love how it makes me feel. However, I believe it’s all about doing what you can, when you can, so that is exactly what I will do.

Kara

Today in my yoga class, the instructor decided to take us on a “trip” to Africa. She played songs from Africa and we did a lot of themed poses (Gorilla, Lion’s breath, Heron, etc.). It was a really FUN class. Plus, I did crow for the longest that I’ve ever held it! Yay! It felt so good.

Emily

I went to a yin yoga class today which felt SOOO good. It definitely isn’t a workout but it really improves flexibility. Here’s a link about yin yoga from my website. http://www.startinginthebasement.com/2009/03/03/yin-yoga/

Jessica

I did gentle hatha yoga #1 from yogadownload.com. It was wonderful, very refreshing! I felt nicely stretched and limber afterwards.

sue

I did another 20 minutes of power yoga today in the evening. Still trying to figure out if I’m a morning or night yoga-er.

Catherine (FOOD SNOB)

I did 45 minutes of Gaiam’s “Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss” tonight. All I have to say about that is . . . “proud warrior” kicks my ass, er, arms.

My biggest challenge so far has been sore muscles, especially my abs and shoulders. Hopefully this should pass in a few days?

I’m actually surprised how easy it has been to fit into my routine so far! I was really concerned about feeling like I had to “squeeze it in.”

Beth P

Today I had planned to do the new Namaste workout that I taped today – it revolved around legs. After my workout I started my yoga but my brother showed up at my place for dinner 30 minutes early and it distracted me and I wasn’t in the right place to finish. I probably did half of the show and I was enjoying it. I will say that my hand were closer to touching my toes!!! yay!!! I’ll do 2 20-minute sessions tomorrow to make up for the distraction.