Yoga that Kicks your Butt?????

[eastkygal]

I have been practicing yoga off and on for 10 years. For the past year I have had a regular practice (at least 5 days a week). Lately I have been enjoying Vinyasa, and I have been doing Baron Baptiste VHS. My VCR tore up, and I bought a Shiva Rea DVD - Sun Salutations. I used Shiva's prenatal DVD and loved it. This one however is totally kicking my butt.... I don't think yoga should do that. What's up? The Baron Baptiste is always challenging and leaves you feeling like you've worked your whole body - in a good way. With Shiva's DVD there are so many chaturanga dandasana's and up dogs that my arms start having spasms after just 30 minutes. I like to practice an hour or an hour and a half. When shavasana comes up, my heart is still thumping so hard that I can't relax, and my arms are in pain - not just burning - pain. That's not what yoga is supposed to do. I modify the movements, but if I want to practice an hour there are so many of the asanas that require strong arms so quickly it seems like modifying isn't enough. Also, the breath cues seem to be off. I'm either holding my breath or breathing too quickly.
I'm missing my balancing poses, twists, and backbends. I'd like to love this DVD. Do you have any suggestions on how I can make this work for me until I can get another DVD? It just isn't feeling like a yoga practice to me.

[eastkygal]

[herbalshakti]

I too have been doing yoga for 10+ years. though, I was certified many years back I still love to take a class with a good instructor whenever I can and I know how it feels to rest assured that you can just be led, nothing beats a teacher that knows how to perfectly cue breathwork and movement its an important aspect of prompting someone in their practice
with that said I also really enjoy spending solo time doing poses that I really connect with or need for as long or as little as I like. I find that I can breathe in sync with my movement without putting much thought into it and I can also add poses in between more strenous flows that provide me some downtime, I encourage you to branch out on your lonesome...it sounds like you already know what you need and like me you enjoy being led but if your current dvd is not serving you try out your own thing. I must say that in a way it takes more commitment because unlike a video you won't know when your 1.5 is up..but you can always have a watch by your mat or have a clock within eyesight.

[eastkygal]

Originally Posted by herbalshakti

I too have been doing yoga for 10+ years. though, I was certified many years back I still love to take a class with a good instructor whenever I can and I know how it feels to rest assured that you can just be led, nothing beats a teacher that knows how to perfectly cue breathwork and movement its an important aspect of prompting someone in their practice
with that said I also really enjoy spending solo time doing poses that I really connect with or need for as long or as little as I like. I find that I can breathe in sync with my movement without putting much thought into it and I can also add poses in between more strenous flows that provide me some downtime, I encourage you to branch out on your lonesome...it sounds like you already know what you need and like me you enjoy being led but if your current dvd is not serving you try out your own thing. I must say that in a way it takes more commitment because unlike a video you won't know when your 1.5 is up..but you can always have a watch by your mat or have a clock within eyesight.

This week is a bit better with the arms. I think I am getting too excited about the breath cues and it is causing me to tense through the chest, shoulders, and neck, instead of opening. However, I'm still not liking the DVD. I do take a class in the next county when I can find childcare. That is the closest one to me. About 30 minutes away. I am certified to teach prenatal yoga too, but for some reason, I can't find the courage to just do it on my own - for myself. It's almost like I'm not convinced I'm "practicing" without that teacher. But, I think I might take the plunge... soon.