I must confess, I have been an exercise dilletante. I am following my whims and switching between my Iyengar-based Yoga for Scoliosis DVD, cycling outdoors or spinning at Vie, and then rope yoga at the Ann Arbor RussaYog studio. I’ve been attempting balance – the scoliosis yoga once a week, and something else (Russa Yog or spinning) once. And in between, I might binge on stress or food or computer work or volunteer work or all four together.
I talked with Jasprit at RussaYog yesterday. He said that if I was to focus on RussaYog, I should do it three times a week. I recall when I researched the requirements to teach Iyengar Yoga, I read I needed to be in three classes a week to prepare. What’s magic about three? Three seemed impossible to me at the time, but with other life changes, it might be do-able, if I focus and work to eliminate another obligation or two…But it would soak up any time I’d otherwise give to a cardio activity.
I also have the sense that yoga elongates me, stretches my body, and derotates the spine, but spinning is good for my heart and being more vigorous, it releases pent up nervous energy. Spinning does aggravate my neck, tho. I am leaning towards yoga in some form, but I am concerned about missing any cardio. I do walk to work, and I suppose I can go back to walking up the stairs to my 5th Floor office….
I’m doing a little reading online, and the argument is perhaps alternating between the two – so three times a week of EACH yoga and of spinning, but I think jumping from twice a week to six times a week is simply impossible, especially with work and other non-athletic volunteer/service activities. Sigh. Hard to choose.
Edward Vielmetti says
November 6, 2008 at 11:50 AMDunrie –
Have you thought about making a new choice with each change of season? Commit to 13 weeks at 3x/week of something, and when the equinox or solstice hits be prepared to switch to the next thing. (Adjust as needed to the Michigan seasons.)
You know now that February is going to be cold and gray, so plan for what sorts of commitments will make you happiest then, and make enough plans to change so that when it’s spring again that you’ll be ready for the next interlude.
(of course, I don’t do this myself, but it seems like a good idea; to exercise with the seasons just like you eat with the seasons)
mom says
November 6, 2008 at 9:25 PMWhen I was working, I found that going to the gym early in the morning, then showering and heading to my job was the easiest for me. The day seemed longer. Now that I’m retired …
I also use the recumbent bike and the elliptical at the gym. Both are easy on my spine and joints. I wonder if spinning doesn’t encourage people to drop their heads, thus putting pressure on the neck. I have a propensity for a pinched nerve in my upper spine and certain stretches and exercises help me. Perhaps I could show you some.
Dunrie says
November 8, 2008 at 4:42 PMThanks Ed! That is a freeing idea – that I can make several sequential choices :).
Mom, wow. Yup. Spinning probably does encourage me to drop my head and definitely aggravates my neck. Duh. Hmmmmmmmm.