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Abdominal Work
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samtoshaom
Posted 2006-06-07 8:03 PM (#55148)
Subject: Abdominal Work


Now that I am getting back into a fitness routine, I am finding myself VERY much resistant to the idea of doing abdominal work [1 zillion crunches, followed by a bajillion jack-knifes, etc - I am SO burned out on that stuff] and the weight/circuit training at the gym......I don't know, I did the ab work, the machines for so many years before my illness/injury, that my brain and heart are just plain burned out on them. I never "enjoyed" doing them [imagine that...Enjoy ones exercise of choice!!!]. However, I loved doing cardio and I loved doing Yoga! Pick up a magazine on fitness and it is drilled into ones head that one must do this and this and this and this.....by the time all of that stuff is incorporated, the workout is 5 hours long! LOL.

What I am getting at, wouldn't cardio and Bikram be enough!?!?!?!? Why not, for once, do exercises I ENJOY rather than doing ones I feel dictated into doing "or else"!?!?! I mean, I know I would not have abs or arms of steel, but I would think the strenghtening, stabilizing, stretching of Bikram would be enough. I would be willing to toss in a few sets of push-ups [will have to build back up to those too....I'm a weakling! ]

Any insights???

Thanky Thanky,
Amy
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aussiepearl
Posted 2006-06-07 8:44 PM (#55150 - in reply to #55148)
Subject: RE: Abdominal Work


I have been doing Bikram Yoga (2-4 times a week) for nearly a year with no other form of fitness regime apart from the occasional brisk walk for a mile or so. Then I decided my body needed a bit of a jolt with something different so I started Tai Bo classes. I think this is kind of like a cardio workout? Lots of jumping, kicking, punching the air type stuff. Well to my astonishment my fitness level was pretty good. No huffing or puffing and I kept up all the way through the first class from just doing Bikram!

So yes I would say doing Bikram Yoga with the cardio would be the perfect combination.
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tourist
Posted 2006-06-08 10:15 AM (#55205 - in reply to #55148)
Subject: RE: Abdominal Work



Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
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Amy - I don't know about Bikram, but most yoga systems seem to support good abdominal tone without crunches. When I started practicing Iyengar yoga I could not do paripurna navasana (boat pose) and 3 months later I could do it easily without a single crunch or "ab work" specific practice at all. Crunches suck

http://www.yogadancer.com/Pages/Navasana.shtml#Paripurna
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samtoshaom
Posted 2006-06-08 7:18 PM (#55246 - in reply to #55148)
Subject: RE: Abdominal Work


Thank you for your responses. Yes, when I was able to practice Ashtanga yoga, for example, that DEFINATELY gave my weak ol arms and abs a workout. Because of wrist problems, however, I have navigated over to Bikram [plus all those vinyasanas between the poses made me feel like a fish flopping around on the beach! Forward, back, up, down flip flop flip flop...LOL] .

Guess I am finding now that I just don't want to DRIVE myself to do things that bring me so much dis-ease [i.e weights and/or bunches of sets and reps of endless exercises ...boooorrrring!] For years I pushed myself to do things not because I enjoyed them, but because I felt obligated to do them. YOGA is such a JOY for me ...my soul sings and flows...and I feel inner peace regardless of the crap going on life. What a gift.

SO, that is why I am seriously considering, now that I have the green light to get back into regular exercise again, to do only what brings me joy. Yes, I definately want and crave challenge....but why do something I totally hate?

WIth that, I have decided that I will do my cardio....which I love; I will do my yoga practice....which I love; and to give the abs and arms a bit more of a boost since Bikram does not really hit those areas like, say, Ashtanga [however!....its a no brainer FACT that just moving into, out of, and holding poses requires AWESOME abdominal work....wooohoooo!], I will add in a few sets of push ups and few sets of abdominal work....Just none of that 100 reps of 6 different exercises [geez! I absolutely go MaD!!!! ]

Any other comments, experiences, etc others have to share, Please bring em on!!!

Namaste,
Amy
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