mobility versus yoga/pilates

[Lozen]

I don't want to sound like a groupie, but this article is fascinating:

 

http://thefitcast.com/?p=82

[Mal]

I don't want to sound like a groupie, but this article is fascinating:

 

http://thefitcast.com/?p=82

 

Nice article, although I'm not a big fan of weightlifting and I do think there are benefites that you can get from Yoga, espicially astanga. Like Mado said in his response "When properly taught, yoga teaches integration and strengthening equally to flexibility" the key being "taught properly"

 

My bigest problem with yoga was trying to contain my ego. I just couldn't go at my own pace and kept trying to copy poses that my clasmates had take years to learn. I liked the moving astanga postures, but just didn't enjoy the static ones.

 

I find Tai Chi much more enjoyable. And importantly less likley to cause injury for beginers. I tend to teach elderly/less mobile/injured students and you still have to be very carefull. Even Tai Chi is more strenious than it looks.

[Lozen]

I'm not really convinced that yoga actually increases strength. I guess it depends on your definition of strength... mine has to do with work capacity and also lifting heavy things... It seems like a lot of yoga causes ligament strain which is pretty minor but would cause joint laxicity over a long period of time... And some of the poses are obviously detrimental, like when you rotate your hip by placing force near your ankle, obviously causing knee strain. Stuff like that.

 

Another article:

http://www.coreperformance.com/article.php...p;s=1&id=93

[freeform]

Scott Sonnon (your favourite, Lozen ) has a DVD called "Forward Pressure" - he touts it as 'the yang of yoga' - I havent tried it.

 

Also one of his crew put together an ebook with pictures and videos teaching his style of yoga in a progressing manner. Having looked at a preview chapter and tried it out, I'd say it's very much a mixture of stregth and flexibility - although it seems less about stretching...

[zenbrook]

I find Tai Chi much more enjoyable. And importantly less likley to cause injury for beginers. I tend to teach elderly/less mobile/injured students and you still have to be very carefull. Even Tai Chi is more strenious than it looks.

I'd agree with that!

 

Since my late teens I've suffered with Ankylosing Spondylitis - a form of arthritis - and to compound that, I've led a mostly sedentary lifestyle, including years of prolonged sitting meditation. Exercise has always hurt, and coward that I am, I've always found myriad good reasons for not indulging.

 

Now, however, I'm in almost constant pain. I no longer engage in formal seated mediation yet the years of (physical) denial are catching up with me. I take anti-inflammatories and strong pain-killers daily and find myself having more time off work.

 

So......... I decided enough was enough and have this week!! this week......! started Tai Chi lessons. And boy, do I feel it!

 

The instructor seems friendly and competent, and seems to take great pains (if only!) to make sure I'm okay. For the record books, however, it still fucking hurts.

 

I'm hoping to start up a personal practice mcthingumy to chronicle my exploits. Until then, this is just to confirm - Tai Chi is strenuous (though to be honest, it looks bloody strunuous to me also ) Any advice will be most warmly received.

 

Peace,

ZenB

[freeform]

Hey ZenB

 

I think it's great that you took up Tai Chi - I hope it really helps.

 

You can also support that with some smart nutrition. I would highly recommend "X Factor Butter Oil" combined with high quality "Cod Liver Oil" - it's very good for all kinds of things (especially mineral absorbtion), but it's proven to be very good for arthiritis...

 

I got my grand dad on the butter oil and the cod liver oil along with some natural multi-mineral compound and Glucosamine and MSM - and his artheritis started reversing - after just a week he was completely pain free - I'm not suggesting this will be the case with you, but it's certainly worth a try... I must also say that the Butter Oil is quite expensive...

 

You should also get some good multivitamin/mineral compound - I've personally really enjoyed Dr Schultz's "SuperFood"

 

Here are some links to places that sell X Factor Butter Oil and high quality Cod Liver Oil:

 

http://www.greenpasture.org/products

 

http://www.drrons.com/

 

http://www.htnetwork.org/superfoods.html

 

http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/

 

or if you're in the UK:

 

http://www.red23.co.uk/

[gendao]

I was pretty surprised to hear that Kadour Ziani's "secret" to his AMAZING 56" vertical...is STRETCHING! In fact, this dunking madman stretches 4 HOURS per day and I don't think does any conventional "strength" training.

Actually I know kadour ziani personally and have dunked with him. Flying 101 is actually based in Bloomington, IN and I go to college there. And plus Kadour is staying there, and has been there since october. He's kinda hard to understand, but you can tell he's really passionate. I most got the info from the guy who he's living with who told me he's crazy and like goes on walks to stretch on natural objects and like playgrounds for like a few hours a day.

I'd sure like to know his specific training philosophy and stretching methodology though...!

 

But point is, I'm not sure stretching CAN'T increase explosive power. There may just be a very specific way you have to do it properly to get such results? Similar to how Bob Cooley realized you have try contracting the muscles you are stretching to stretch them more.

[zenbrook]

Hey ZenB

I think it's great that you took up Tai Chi - I hope it really helps.

So do I, freeform - and thanks for the links. Oil be checking them out posthaste.

 

Which has got to be a new humour low not even worthy of a smilie.

 

Peace,

ZenB

[Lozen]

Scott Sonnon (your favourite, Lozen ) has a DVD called "Forward Pressure" - he touts it as 'the yang of yoga' - I havent tried it.

 

Also one of his crew put together an ebook with pictures and videos teaching his style of yoga in a progressing manner. Having looked at a preview chapter and tried it out, I'd say it's very much a mixture of stregth and flexibility - although it seems less about stretching...

 

Scott and I are buddies now!! He even unbanned me from his board!

 

I miss yoga even though I don't do it for the reasons mentioned... I wish they had mobility classes instead.

[freeform]

Oil be checking them out posthaste.

 

Which has got to be a new humour low not even worthy of a smilie.

 

[dwai]

Nice article, although I'm not a big fan of weightlifting and I do think there are benefites that you can get from Yoga, espicially astanga. Like Mado said in his response "When properly taught, yoga teaches integration and strengthening equally to flexibility" the key being "taught properly"

 

My bigest problem with yoga was trying to contain my ego. I just couldn't go at my own pace and kept trying to copy poses that my clasmates had take years to learn. I liked the moving astanga postures, but just didn't enjoy the static ones.

 

I believe one of the aims of both Tai Chi and Yoga is to overcome Ego. I had written a small piece on the similarities between Tai Chi and Yoga (http://medhajournal.com/columns/articles/tai-chi----a-path-to-samadhi.html). I currently practice both Tai Chi and Yoga. Each of these practices are helping me with the other (Tai Chi increases Chi awareness, Yoga enhances and vice versa).

 

 

I find Tai Chi much more enjoyable. And importantly less likley to cause injury for beginers. I tend to teach elderly/less mobile/injured students and you still have to be very carefull. Even Tai Chi is more strenious than it looks.

 

I think it's very important to understand one's limitations (physically at least) before embarking on any practice (of course I don't know much about anything, so perhaps it doesn't matter what I think). Yoga books and teachers (see BKS Iyengar's Light on Yoga) will tell you to always "Listen to your body" and "don't over-exert". Similarly, my Tai Chi master tells me to always follow the Tai Chi Classics rule - "Not too much, not too little". I guess that's the most important thing.

 

Both these practices should be done for personal improvements, not to compete. So if I see someone do a intense backbend in a yoga studio, it shouldn't mean I should try and emulate the same -- instead, wisdom prevails when we work within our limitations and try to grow our horizons slowly.

 

Regards,

 

Dwai

[mYTHmAKER]

Scott Sonnon has a DVD called "Forward Pressure" -

 

Also one of his crew put together an ebook with pictures and videos teaching his style of yoga in a progressing manner. Having looked at a preview chapter and tried it out, I'd say it's very much a mixture of stregth and flexibility - although it seems less about stretching...

 

Do you have a link to the e book

Thanks

[Mal]

My bigest problem with yoga was trying to contain my ego. I just couldn't go at my own pace and kept trying to copy poses that my clasmates had take years to learn. I liked the moving astanga postures, but just didn't enjoy the static ones.

 

I find Tai Chi much more enjoyable. And importantly less likley to cause injury for beginers. I tend to teach elderly/less mobile/injured students and you still have to be very carefull. Even Tai Chi is more strenious than it looks.

 

From the past into the present I'm taking Astanga yoga classes again.

 

Tai Chi freed me from back pain when I couldn't even stand on one leg, now I want to improve my strength and flexibility further and I'm enjoying how yoga makes my body feel. A more "yang" feeling than the "yin" of practicing tai chi form. Even though I'm capable of much less that I was in the "past" aging has helped with the ego and I don't even try to "achieve" but rather to "enjoy".

 

Put in the time and stuff like this just happens

 

 

 

Thinking of writing on the top of my mat

"Do less - more often"

Edited June 1, 2012 by Mal Stainkey