Have you ever wanted to do some yoga?
January 8, 2014 4:40 PM Subscribe
DoYogaWithMe.com is a free, constantly expanding resource of online yoga videos created by a passionate group of experienced instructors. Our yoga videos include classes, poses, breathing techniques and anatomy videos. Search their entire collection by difficulty, length, style, and teacher or start in the Beginner's Studio. Yoga has a unique way of strengthening and toning your body, improving flexibility and enhancing your sense of well being.
Clear some of your floor, put on some comfy clothes, turn off your other electronics and turn on a video. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of that great journey for you!
Beware! Practicing yoga will turn you into a heathen! [previously]
posted by zakur at 5:37 PM on January 8, 2014
posted by zakur at 5:37 PM on January 8, 2014
Hurray! I've been wanting to get back into some kind of yoga moving but DO NOT want to attend yoga classes, both because of cost and not wanting to deal with the distractions of a bunch of noodlegirls and a mirror.
Thank you!
posted by pomegranate at 5:41 PM on January 8, 2014
Thank you!
posted by pomegranate at 5:41 PM on January 8, 2014
I've been visiting this site since late last year. Absolutely invaluable for me on a student budget, but I would reckon it'd be helpful for absolute novices to at least attend a real life class or two to get the basics down with some coaching.
posted by cendawanita at 5:55 PM on January 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by cendawanita at 5:55 PM on January 8, 2014 [1 favorite]
I have always wanted to take a yoga class, but... the other people in the yoga class. The yoga people. I can't.
I also tend to crack up laughing when doing yoga, and in my limited experience this is frowned upon.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:19 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
I also tend to crack up laughing when doing yoga, and in my limited experience this is frowned upon.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:19 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
You know those water-bears? Imagine a water-bear doing yoga.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 6:34 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 6:34 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
See this sobering piece from the NYT.
I read William J. Broad's (the author of that piece) "The Science of Yoga" and it has a lot of really interesting discussion on the history of yoga as practiced in America, and how that discipline has inherited and adapted the ancient Indian tradition. But a lot of the warnings about injury in that book and in his pieces in NYT, of which there are several, are really hyperbolic and extreme. In one case he warns about nerve damage because of the case of one woman who was in the pigeon position for 5 hours who had permanent nerve damage. She fell asleep in the pose. Usually in my yoga classes we stay in pigeon for no more than a minute at a time, and that's on the outside.
Consider, from the article:
Unfortunately, yoga teachers too often encourage students to “push through the pain.” That’s not smart. Pain is nature’s warning system. It’s telling you that something has gone awry.
Avoid any yoga teacher that asks you to push through pain. Or won't let you laugh in class, or whatever.
posted by sweetkid at 6:37 PM on January 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
I read William J. Broad's (the author of that piece) "The Science of Yoga" and it has a lot of really interesting discussion on the history of yoga as practiced in America, and how that discipline has inherited and adapted the ancient Indian tradition. But a lot of the warnings about injury in that book and in his pieces in NYT, of which there are several, are really hyperbolic and extreme. In one case he warns about nerve damage because of the case of one woman who was in the pigeon position for 5 hours who had permanent nerve damage. She fell asleep in the pose. Usually in my yoga classes we stay in pigeon for no more than a minute at a time, and that's on the outside.
Consider, from the article:
Unfortunately, yoga teachers too often encourage students to “push through the pain.” That’s not smart. Pain is nature’s warning system. It’s telling you that something has gone awry.
Avoid any yoga teacher that asks you to push through pain. Or won't let you laugh in class, or whatever.
posted by sweetkid at 6:37 PM on January 8, 2014 [7 favorites]
DoYogaWithMe is a wonderful site/service. I'm really impressed with the quality of the videos. For some great yoga/physiology geekery, including commentary on cautionary tales like the NYT piece, be sure to check out http://www.dailybandha.com.
posted by ReginaHart at 7:08 PM on January 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by ReginaHart at 7:08 PM on January 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't really know if "some people pushed themselves too hard doing exercise" is omg sobering.
posted by threeants at 7:34 PM on January 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by threeants at 7:34 PM on January 8, 2014 [3 favorites]
Imagine a water bear doing yoga
You are not helping with my yoga laughing problem.
YOGA IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE
posted by louche mustachio at 8:21 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
You are not helping with my yoga laughing problem.
YOGA IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE
posted by louche mustachio at 8:21 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
YOGA IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE
No, really, try a different studio.
posted by sweetkid at 8:42 PM on January 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE
No, really, try a different studio.
posted by sweetkid at 8:42 PM on January 8, 2014 [2 favorites]
Yeah, seriously, where are these yoga studios that are against laughing? Actually, I think I can imagine - it's the super-yuppie places full of people wearing lululemon and talking about juice cleanses, yes? I find it's better to stay away from places like that. Go to a community-oriented place in a less-chi-chi neighborhood, or take a class at the Y! Nothing like doing yoga next to a grandma.
posted by lunasol at 9:33 PM on January 8, 2014
posted by lunasol at 9:33 PM on January 8, 2014
My favorite yoga instructors make the whole class laugh... Its a jolly, happy, laid back vibe.
posted by Freen at 9:55 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by Freen at 9:55 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]
Yes! I've been looking for a site like this. I go to yoga class semi-regularly and would like to practice at home. I haven't found any videos I've liked, though, and when I try to do sequences from memory I can't focus on the poses because I'm always anticipating what's next.
And nthing sweetkid: every yoga instructor I've had (including the conventionally-attractive trixies in Lululemon) has heavily emphasized only going as far as you are personally comfortable with, and modifying any poses that don't feel right to you. It's one of the most beginner-friendly and injury-friendly workouts around. You want to bust your tendons, try CrossFit or something.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:00 AM on January 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
And nthing sweetkid: every yoga instructor I've had (including the conventionally-attractive trixies in Lululemon) has heavily emphasized only going as far as you are personally comfortable with, and modifying any poses that don't feel right to you. It's one of the most beginner-friendly and injury-friendly workouts around. You want to bust your tendons, try CrossFit or something.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:00 AM on January 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
It's one of the most beginner-friendly and injury-friendly workouts around.
Indeed. In fact, my problem is trying to find an intermediate step between pleasant-but-not-challenging-and-now-kinda-boring beginners classes and my-body-doesn't-move-that-way-and-everything-either-hurts-or-tickles advanced yogi training classes.
I like DoYogaWithMe, though sometimes I miss the laughter that comes with looking silly with other people.
posted by dumdidumdum at 4:52 AM on January 9, 2014
Indeed. In fact, my problem is trying to find an intermediate step between pleasant-but-not-challenging-and-now-kinda-boring beginners classes and my-body-doesn't-move-that-way-and-everything-either-hurts-or-tickles advanced yogi training classes.
I like DoYogaWithMe, though sometimes I miss the laughter that comes with looking silly with other people.
posted by dumdidumdum at 4:52 AM on January 9, 2014
Laughter Yoga, anyone?
I had a session of this at church a few years ago. It was great, but triggered an asthma attack.
posted by lysdexic at 6:29 AM on January 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I had a session of this at church a few years ago. It was great, but triggered an asthma attack.
posted by lysdexic at 6:29 AM on January 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I love meeting folks in yoga classes myself, but it's always lovely seeing more online resources that'll save folks some money too. :)
posted by jeffburdges at 6:31 AM on January 9, 2014
posted by jeffburdges at 6:31 AM on January 9, 2014
Those of you who like to laugh during yoga should check out self-proclaimed Bad Yogi, Erin Motz. Here's her free 30 Day Yoga Challenge video collection. In one of her 10 Day Ab Challenge videos, she actually reference the buttcrack... and laughed. I love her.
posted by geeky at 7:26 AM on January 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by geeky at 7:26 AM on January 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
I don't really know if "some people pushed themselves too hard doing exercise" is omg sobering.
I think it's the 'disproportionately represented among those getting hip replacement surgery' that I find "omg sobering."
posted by yoink at 7:34 AM on January 9, 2014
I think it's the 'disproportionately represented among those getting hip replacement surgery' that I find "omg sobering."
posted by yoink at 7:34 AM on January 9, 2014
I have always wanted to take a yoga class, but... the other people in the yoga class.
How do you know what they're like if you've never been?
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 10:04 AM on January 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
How do you know what they're like if you've never been?
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 10:04 AM on January 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I don't really know if "some people pushed themselves too hard doing exercise" is omg sobering.
I think it's the 'disproportionately represented among those getting hip replacement surgery' that I find "omg sobering
That's not the fault of yoga itself, it's the fault of any kind of "pushing through the pain" and ignoring limits of your own body. William J. Broad is really fond of writing these "yoga kills" type missives which is strange because he also wrote a fairly even handed history/science book about yoga, as I mentioned before. But yoga doesn't need a DANGER sticker on it and is not "OMG sobering." There are many, many health benefits to doing it properly.
posted by sweetkid at 11:26 AM on January 9, 2014
That's not the fault of yoga itself, it's the fault of any kind of "pushing through the pain" and ignoring limits of your own body. William J. Broad is really fond of writing these "yoga kills" type missives which is strange because he also wrote a fairly even handed history/science book about yoga, as I mentioned before. But yoga doesn't need a DANGER sticker on it and is not "OMG sobering." There are many, many health benefits to doing it properly.
And you'll notice that my initial comment was not "don't do yoga, it kills!" but "don't push too hard on the flexibility thing when you're doing it." Which is also the point of Broad's entirely reasonable and even-handed piece.
posted by yoink at 12:25 PM on January 9, 2014
And you'll notice that my initial comment was not "don't do yoga, it kills!" but "don't push too hard on the flexibility thing when you're doing it." Which is also the point of Broad's entirely reasonable and even-handed piece.
posted by yoink at 12:25 PM on January 9, 2014
Holy smokes. This is fantastic. Thank you, Blasdelb!
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 12:33 PM on January 9, 2014
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 12:33 PM on January 9, 2014
Husband and I took a couples' yoga class where we got the giggles and could not stop laughing. I was disappointed that the instructors were annoyed. The best teachers encourage laughing. They also encourage people to find and honor their edge - identify your limit and go as close to it as you would like but not over.
posted by kat518 at 7:04 PM on January 9, 2014
posted by kat518 at 7:04 PM on January 9, 2014
Husband and I took a couples' yoga class where we got the giggles and could not stop laughing. I was disappointed that the instructors were annoyed. The best teachers encourage laughing.
I agree that laughter and yoga go great together and a teacher with humor is preferable to a teacher without. But ongoing, uncontrollable giggling is a distraction to others in the class and indicates the laughing practitioner is not making an effort to join breathing to body and mind. (Not making any judgement about the legitimacy of your disappointment or of their annoyance, of course, since I was not there.)
I have an acquaintance who got into giggling fit with her sister during her first yoga class after somebody near them farted. Yeah, farts are funny and all, but they happen when bodies twist. The instructor asked them to leave the class until they could compose themselves. My acquaintance and her sister never returned to that yoga class or any. To hear her tell it, yoga people are stuck up, but I think the instructor did the right thing.
posted by 0 at 6:36 AM on January 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
I agree that laughter and yoga go great together and a teacher with humor is preferable to a teacher without. But ongoing, uncontrollable giggling is a distraction to others in the class and indicates the laughing practitioner is not making an effort to join breathing to body and mind. (Not making any judgement about the legitimacy of your disappointment or of their annoyance, of course, since I was not there.)
I have an acquaintance who got into giggling fit with her sister during her first yoga class after somebody near them farted. Yeah, farts are funny and all, but they happen when bodies twist. The instructor asked them to leave the class until they could compose themselves. My acquaintance and her sister never returned to that yoga class or any. To hear her tell it, yoga people are stuck up, but I think the instructor did the right thing.
posted by 0 at 6:36 AM on January 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
Thank you SO much for posting this! I'm a belly dancer who has been out of regular practice for far too long because of various constraints in my life. I'm eager to get my muscles back into proper condition for dance practice, but I'm very low income and I can't afford the cost or the travel time to go to local yoga or Pilates classes right now. This is wonderful!
posted by velvet winter at 1:28 PM on January 10, 2014
posted by velvet winter at 1:28 PM on January 10, 2014
Thank you so much! I've just been diagnosed with bone mets (after four bouts of local breast cancer) and I was dreading dreading dreading going to yoga class with all those healthy people in these early days of processing. I'm going to acclimate to my new reality, and maybe go back to class, but this will help keep me limber and breathing through much anxiety. Really, thanks.
posted by thinkpiece at 8:28 AM on January 12, 2014
posted by thinkpiece at 8:28 AM on January 12, 2014
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But women, in particular, should be careful not to overdo that side of it. See this sobering piece from the NYT.
posted by yoink at 4:46 PM on January 8, 2014 [4 favorites]