Monday, February 13, 2012

Workout Review - Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss

Let's get one thing straight from the start.  This program by itself will not have you dropping pounds.

I'm pretty iffy on yoga workouts.  I'm not all that familiar with yoga, and I would generally be doing something a bit more upbeat.  Oh, also - I'm not so flexible these days, which is kind of a problem with most yoga programs.   This dvd, which is led by Suzanne Deason, was my first foray into yoga.  I've had it for a few years, and it's taken me about that long to get into it.  Because, to tell ya the truth.... it bored me to tears.  If I'm not jumping around and sweating my nuts off, I don't feel like I'm working out.  And if I don't feel like I'm working out, I do feel like I'm wasting my time.

Over the last few months, though, I've gained a new appreciation for yoga.  You know those nights that you just can't make yourself exercise, but you know you should be doing something?  Yoga is a great alternative.   This workout is about 45 minutes, and you have the option of choosing your modifications.  You can choose one modification from the start menu (for you beginners, like me, a modification is a change to a pose to make it a little easier or more challenging, depending on your level), or you can choose to see all three at once, and you can adjust your modifications as you go through the program.

One thing I have particularly come to love, is that after a stressful day at work, this workout takes my shoulders out of my earlobes.  Suzanne walks you through breathing and stretching exercises before getting into the active yoga conditioning.  Just working through the first 10 minutes of the workout takes the knots out of my back and has me feeling relaxed.  The active yoga conditioning requires a bit of strength, but it's more about balance.  Let's be real - had I been attempting yoga for the first time and they told me to do a plank, I'm sure that dvd would have made a great coaster for my wine glass.

In a nutshell, this isn't overly strenuous, and it won't have you shedding pounds in itself, but it is a great way to work on balance, build some strength and work those kinks out of your back and neck.  One other plus - if you close your eyes, Suzanne's calming voice and serene music will have you forgetting you are sitting on your living room floor.

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