Yoga

yomchi

Hi all,
I was away last week at a training camp in Slovenia, I was travelling with a few lads from Ireland. One of them is a man very well known in Taekwon-Do circles, he was one of the first TKD black belts in Ireland. Anyways, one thing that struck me was how supple and flexible he was. He was doing certain cool down exercises I wasn't familiar with and had a perfect handstand and at 60 years of age could do several hand stand push ups.
He accredits his core strength and suppleness to Yoga, so I have to have some!

I've looked around a few places and have come across different types. Does anyone have any ideas about where to start? I've heard Ashtanga is very tough and probably not great to start, he also told me run from any Yoga that concentrates too much on meditation -fine for some, but not exactly what I'm after.
I've seen Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga advertised anyone have any idea which is best? Seen both at the Elbow Room in Stonybatter, any opinions on this place?

Thanks all

amazingemmet

Personally I'm against yoga for atheltes as it teaches too much relax. That said bikram would be close to what you're looking for. Also you can find ashtanga courses for beginners, I think ashtanga is only too advanced for people who have no prior training

yomchi

Cheers Emmet, I reckoned Yoga might be good for core strength?
Also if anyone has trained with Nicholas Cruz the Cuban boxing coach, they'll see what type of shape he's in, again he's Yoga guru!

amazingemmet

I done yoga for about 8+ years when I was younger as well as gymnastics intensively and never got a massively strong core. When my core strength really ballooned was when I took up weightlifting. It depends on what you want to get out of the yoga for most people I know who do it the one hour class they do is the only stretching they do in the week so they get benefit from it. The only way to see is try it if it works for you then stick with it if you feel you're getting no benefit then try something else.

yomchi

I was meeting up with a mate of mine to work on core drills during the week. Working on the swiss ball and using kettle bells - do you reckon that would be time better spent?

Tan Princess

Bikram yoga is pretty intense and amazing for flexibility www.bikramyoga.ie or else Ashtanga. Check out Yoga Dublin if you are on the southside or the Elbow Room on the northside.

amazingemmet

Jon wrote: »

I was meeting up with a mate of mine to work on core drills during the week. Working on the swiss ball and using kettle bells - do you reckon that would be time better spent?

Swiss balls are only good in a rehab situation imo for serious core training there's better.

Kettle bells are good in some situations but not a complete system as they are made out to be.

yomchi

Tan Princess wrote: »

Bikram yoga is pretty intense and amazing for flexibility www.bikramyoga.ie or else Ashtanga. Check out Yoga Dublin if you are on the southside or the Elbow Room on the northside.

Was down at the elbow room, had a look at there schedule and some of it suits me, so I was going to give it a lash. Have you any opinions on this place?

Thanks Emmet for the info, much obliged

Mikel

amazingemmet wrote: »

Personally I'm against yoga for atheltes as it teaches too much relax.

Do you mean too much relaxation? Are you serious?

Yoga is great for people in the martial arts. Not so much for core strength but for flexibility, dexterity, recovery and injury prevention. I have this http://www.grapplearts.com/Yoga-For-Martial-Arts-info.php?sid= and have found it immensely useful

amazingemmet

Mikel wrote: »

Do you mean too much relaxation? Are you serious?

No I mean that it teaches you to relax your muscles too much, where as in a martial art or other sport you want to be able to hold your muscles under full tension at the extremes of their ranges. If that makes sense?

siochain

amazingemmet wrote: »

No I mean that it teaches you to relax your muscles too much, where as in a martial art or other sport you want to be able to hold your muscles under full tension at the extremes of their ranges. If that makes sense?

Its good to mix the hard with soft, gives muscles to to repair and relax.

Jon, I did a lunch time yoga class for a year about 3 years ago and it was a great year injury wise. Sorted out a back problem and hips were really well aligned after about 3 months. Don't know about you but I always had a bit of an imbalance between my left and right legs with regards to flexibility after a while of doing yoga they very near to equal.

It was Hatha yoga while there was no meditation in it one thing I also noticed was going back to work and at training that night focus was better that normal.

Mikel

amazingemmet wrote: »

No I mean that it teaches you to relax your muscles too much, where as in a martial art or other sport you want to be able to hold your muscles under full tension at the extremes of their ranges. If that makes sense?

Doesn't make sense tbh. I don't think execution in 'sport' is about maximum tension, think of throwing a punch or a tennis serve or a fast pitch in baseball.
The unifying concept in all of these is relaxed muscles.
Even if it were true, i think something which teaches relaxation, of both body and mind, is hugely helpful to any sportsman.
a lot of yoga is holding your body in tension anyway, eg plank positions

Roper

Don't mean to hijack the thread but you never know Jon it might benefit you in the end!

Is there any out there who'd like a matted area to take a class in? A while back after a few requests from people I tried to get a Yoga instructor into the gym to do a session or two per week, and the only response I got after pretty extensive posting on Yoga websites was from the flightiest, least reliable individual I've ever had the misfortune to meet!

In any case, there seems to be lots of different types, and I'd be looking to get someone in who didn't focus on meditation and instead focussed on the physical aspects. Anyone know of anywhere such a person exists?

Transform

Better off learning asthanga yoga for a few years and taking the class yourself with what you lean - ther are plenty of excellent teachers out there

Orla Punch
Tony Purcell
David Collins

All top of their game to take a class from but would not go to you.

I have taught and do yoga for years (all from the above teachers) and there is plenty of strength involved with the advanced asthanga practice - back bends, shoulders stands, head stands, binding etc

Take the basic jump through which is done at lest 20times in any asthanga class as demonstrated in the video below (note the feet and hands are the only parts that should touch the floor (one jump through is normal)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJOWmcHeX88&NR=1

That took me more than a few goes to get it - see how you get on with that

yomchi

Thanks everyone for the input. Barry it would suit me great! Especially a day time

SUNGOD

to be honest i have no knowledge of yoga and never gave it much thought as a training aid but that video clip from transform is amazing , great stuff
strength, control ,flexibility really opened my eyes

Transform

Thats exactly what a strong asthanga practice offers.

Not the same as what most people associate from yoga i would guess

TKD SC

Jon wrote: »

Hi all,
I was away last week at a training camp in Slovenia,

Read about the camp on your website - sounded great! Is that an annual thing?

yomchi

TKD SC wrote: »

Read about the camp on your website - sounded great! Is that an annual thing?

Yeh every summer Simon, Barada is a legend. You should try get to over to him sometime. I think we might be bringing him back in Sept, i'll keep you posted.:cool:

amazingemmet

Transform here's a challenge for you: Try do the jump through with completely straight legs and straight arms the whole way through. Let me know how you get on

yomchi

Did a class today at the elbow room place in Stonybatter.
Thumbs up all round, it was physically demanding, more so than I thought and highlighted a few weakness I have.
I'll keep it up for a while and see how I get on.

Transform

been working on that for a while but hamstring flexibility letting me down. Was easier when i was lighter but some of the yoga is much harder as you put on muscle.

amazingemmet

Transform wrote: »

been working on that for a while but hamstring flexibility letting me down. Was easier when i was lighter but some of the yoga is much harder as you put on muscle.

I'm guessing you can roughly get your head above your knee/shin area? If so it might be a case of yoga teaching too much relaxation. Try these type exercises to develop a nice tight pike which will help immensely with the go through with straight arms and legs.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-SBLkYMWCNeU/acrobatic_training_8_stretching/

atilladehun

I think the yoga teacher is often more important than the style. If they are giving you corrections regarding your alignment and posture you're onto a winner. If you're in a big room and struggling to get the poses without being offered progressive levels then reconsider.

I've done Iyengar, Hatha, Bikram and Hot from what I recall. They're all helpful but the teacher was more important.