Yogaworks

In my pursuit of health and fitness, I have recently taken up Yoga. I keep reading about how good it is for the muscles and how it can help prevent injuries from the other stuff you do and how all these really super-hot people, when asked how they acquired their super-hot status, say "Yoga".

Problem #1 - I know nothing about Yoga. Except that you use mats and you stretch a lot. (In hindsight, looks like I knew a lot about Yoga.)

Problem #2 - I hate going to the gym and I hate going to "class".

Problem #3 - I don't have a lot of disposable time for another "hobby".

But despite all my problems, I really wanted to try it. Mostly because of the helping-prevent-injury-thing. I'm not getting any younger, but I am getting a whole lot more active, and while I am healthier than I've ever been, I am more at risk for muscle injury than ever before.

So I did the thing I swore I would never do. I ordered a DVD.

I looked at lots of options, but landed on a company called Yogaworks, and a DVD called Beginner Basics. What attracted me? Good reviews on Amazon and the promise of "10-Minute Workouts". Probably not the best reason to buy a DVD, but it spoke to me.

And I have to say, I like what I got. And here's what that is:

1. Intro to all the poses. "Patti" takes you through all the poses you will do in the other segments, slowly and specifically.

2. Beginner workout. 45 minutes of entry-level Yoga fun. Not a lot of sweating going on, but I am challenged to do about half of the stuff we do, which I figure is good. Patti also leads this workout, but "Jessie" does modifications to the workout (i.e., if you can't do this, do what Jessie is doing - she's going bottom-of-the-barrel easy.)

3. The much-ballyhooed 10-Minute Workouts. One is an AM Wake-up and the other is a PM Relax and Restore. Patti does the PM workout. (I really like Patti - she's cute and tiny and has a great voice for this kind of thing. When we do the deep relaxation pose and she starts up with this "Let your brain sink slowly to the back of your skull" I'm a goner. I should just start doing this one in the bed so I don't have to drag myself off the mat when it's over.) "Billy" does the AM workout. Took some getting used to, sort of like the first time you have a male nurse. But I'm liking Billy now too. Both Billy and Patti end their sessions by saying "From all of us at Yogaworks, Namaste", which makes me feel like I'm doing Yoga with the Dharma Initiative. You can imagine how cool that is for me.

So far, I'm liking the Yoga. I've done the AM and PM workouts everyday for two weeks, and the 45-minute workout three or four times (my goal is twice a week.) I see some improvement in doing the poses, and I do feel really good afterward. I got a mat on sale a DSG, so I'm feeling like an old pro. (An old pro who still only does beginner workouts.) There are two more videos in the series, so when I master this one, maybe I'll move on.

For now, I've got a date with Billy for my AM workout.