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chrisparedes
Jan 19, 2006, 5:20 PM
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After practicing Yoga for about a month now, I feel great. You do not have to endure all the back, joint and muscle pain that we normally associate with hard climbing. All that back pain I've realized is not a fact of climbing life. Even a few minutes of simple poses in morning and evening will stretch your body and make you feel rejuvenated. My flexibility (especailly in my hips) and balance have improved noticeably and also my core strength has increased. Yoga is very difficult but with practice it becomes easier and I love it and even incorporate the poses for warming up even just to go to lift weights or run. It will make you a better climber guaranteed; those hard balancy moves, high steps, and moves that require lots of body tension already feel easier to me. Just thought I would spray a little bit on the wonders of Yoga.
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sanven4
Jan 19, 2006, 5:29 PM
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Was just curious, but which form of Yoga are you now practicing? I am interested in taking some classes to try and improve my climbing.
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lostdog
Jan 19, 2006, 5:31 PM
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:boring:
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justthemaid
Jan 19, 2006, 5:31 PM
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sshhhh..
Back away slowly..
Don't make eye contact..
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lostdog
Jan 19, 2006, 5:32 PM
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:boring:
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paganmonkeyboy
Jan 19, 2006, 6:15 PM
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You might get the same results with a month or three of tai chi as well - kinetic meditation and all that sort of thing...
ymmv...
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phaedrus
Jan 19, 2006, 6:20 PM
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phaedrus moved this thread from General to Technique & Training.
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phaedrus
Jan 19, 2006, 6:24 PM
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Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. In addition to the physical benefits one gains from practicing yoga (regardless of school of yoga), other gains include increased focus and concentration, ability to control emotions, and a greater understanding for how one's body works and moves.
Do the research, it's out there. I can also provide a great deal of anecdotal evidence since the high school team I coach practices yoga at least once a week (many of the students now do daily yoga at home in addition to what we do in practice), and have reported the many positive impacts the discipline has had on them as climbers, as students, and as people.
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granite_grrl
Jan 19, 2006, 6:30 PM
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In reply to: Was just curious, but which form of Yoga are you now practicing? I am interested in taking some classes to try and improve my climbing.
If you attend a studio with drop in classes at a variety of level you should find sometime right for you. It isn't a bad idea to start at one of the easier classes to learn the basics, which really won't take too long. Then you can start dropping into the more vigorous classes. Drop in schedules are nice too because if you miss your regular class you can make it up later.
Hard to say how vigerous a class would be, because the terms used for classes are often assigned by the studio. Hatha yoga is the physical yoga that we generally refer to. Ashtanga is a structed series of poses that you flow through, and is a sort of Hatha class, but your studio might offer both Ashtanga and Hatha. Another common name is Vinyasa, meaning flow, based off the Ashtanga series but isn't as structured. This is also sometimes called Power yoga.
The best way to figure out what classes are best for you is to talk to someone at the studio about the different intensites of the classes, and to try a number of them out. The teachers also make a big difference. I've had very spiritual classes, and very physical (just there for the burn classes), so try a few out if you can.
Note - all my info has been gathered from the teachers at the studios I've attended, and I really know nothing about Bikram or Iyengar yoga. I did just find this site which is interesting though: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/...guide/yogastyles.asp
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roy_hinkley_jr
Jan 19, 2006, 6:44 PM
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In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability.
Citations please. Where are these published? For the most part, yoga is just stretching with religion thrown on top. You can get the same results without all the philosophy.
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jt512
Jan 19, 2006, 6:59 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. Citations please.
Ditto that request.
Jay
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granite_grrl
Jan 19, 2006, 7:00 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. Citations please. Where are these published? For the most part, yoga is just stretching with religion thrown on top. You can get the same results without all the philosophy.
Just streching, eh? You can get tons of strength benifits for yoga. I really enjoy the meditation aspect of it now, but I originally started it for injury pervention. It can be a great full body workout, my muscles are still recovering from a session two days ago.
I don't have measurable gains from anything other than strength and flexability, but I do feel that my breathing and balance has also improved.
I also know that I could get the same results with out the meditation, but I think the meditation and ujjayi (sp?) breathing is what brings me into the "zone" and allows me to have an hour+ long session and keeps bringing me back for more.
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phaedrus
Jan 19, 2006, 7:24 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. Citations please. Ditto that request. Jay
No problem... I'll dig up the articles I've found... in the meantime, here is a link to a series of articles discussing the various benefits of yoga: general benefits as well as articles discussing system-specific benefits (musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, etc.). That will get things started at any rate:
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/home.asp
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phaedrus
Jan 19, 2006, 7:26 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. Citations please. Where are these published? For the most part, yoga is just stretching with religion thrown on top. You can get the same results without all the philosophy.
Actually, there isn't any sort of religion thrown into yoga at all (a common misperception), and it's a good bit more than "just stretching," as well. I posted a link to a series of articles discussing the benefits of yoga that go far beyond "just stretching." :)
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robdotcalm
Jan 19, 2006, 7:34 PM
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I don’t doubt that Yoga can be healthy and maybe even beneficial to climbing. However, any exercise that’s helpful almost inevitably has a down side. Some 30 years ago, I took a yoga class and tore my left medial meniscus (I think it was the bow position) eventually needing surgery for its removal. More recently talking to an orthopedist at a part, she mentioned seeing a few yoga injuries every year and said it was nice people kept thinking up new ways to keep her busy. Also, about a year ago I was going through the checkout stand at a local organic grocer and glanced through a yoga magazine. It had an article on how to avoid and deal with yoga related injuries.
Cheers,
Rob.calm
_______________________________________________________
‘Tis better to have trad and failed then not to have trad at all.
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kimgraves
Jan 19, 2006, 7:38 PM
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I agree that a regular yoga practice can lead to gains in strength, flexibility and focus. But it's important to be careful. I got injured (compressed nerve in my neck) by doing shoulder stands before I was ready. You need a good teacher who will tailor your practice to where you are and you need to be careful. I have to say that the breathing techniques I learned in Ashtanga are something I use in my day-to-day, minute-to-minute life.
Best, Kim
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camhead
Jan 19, 2006, 7:46 PM
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I did yoga for a while, and it really helped me for climbing. especially the part where we got all charged up on esresso, and did 75 pushups in our hanes briefs while the drill sergeant was pacing around kicking our faces and yelling "YOU CALL THAT YOGA JESUS CHRIST MY DEAD GRANDMOTHER CAN DO A DOWNWARD DOG BETTER THAN THAT YOU ARE A DISGRACE MR. SHITHEAD!!!!!!!" And I was like "THANK-YOU YOGA MASTER MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!!!!"
yeah, yoga rules.
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theman
Jan 19, 2006, 7:56 PM
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whats better yoga or a coffee enema?
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outdoorsie
Jan 19, 2006, 8:21 PM
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:lol:
This thread cracks me up. I've been practicing every winter for years, and I love yoga. Yes, it can lead to injuries if you're not careful, but it can prevent plenty of injuries too.
I was having a conversation with somebody about yoga and they were saying that they didn't think you could build much strength simply by stretching. I responded with something like "Yoga is not just stretching. It's more like contorting your body into a posture that is painfully hard to maintain and holding it for 10, 15, 30 seconds at a go."
The person I was talking to asked "Well, how does that help with lifting or football or any other sport?" And the only place I could think that it really seems specifically great for is climbing. Where often you have to hold your body in some sort of contorted and painful position for 10, 15, 30 seconds while you fiddle with gear or figure out where to go next.
What other sports require this kind of static strength? I still haven't come up with any. My personal theory right now is that ancient yogis would actually travel around India and regularly send 5.13 while nobody was looking.
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outdoorsie
Jan 19, 2006, 8:25 PM
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In reply to: And I was like "THANK-YOU YOGA MASTER MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!!!!" yeah, yoga rules.
Ok camhead, I just read your sig and about blew soda out my nose I was laughing so hard. In honor of this post and that sig, I am now going to make the above quote my own sig.... ah the virus is transmitted again...
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krusher4
Jan 19, 2006, 8:37 PM
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My two cents: I'm just too lazy and tired.
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fracture
Jan 19, 2006, 11:06 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: For the most part, yoga is just stretching with religion thrown on top. You can get the same results without all the philosophy. Actually, there isn't any sort of religion thrown into yoga at all (a common misperception), and it's a good bit more than "just stretching," as well.
Religion or retarded new agey "philosophy"---same thing.
How do you feel about this stuff:
In reply to: Q. IS THE "YOGA" TAUGHT IN GYMS, HEALTH CLUBS, ETC. TRUE YOGA? No. Again, all of Yoga is spiritual/religious and basically Hinduism. When "Yoga" is taught by basically anyone as just another exercise routine for money, not only are the "teacher" and student misled but also this is a grave insult to all devout Hindus--indeed to all who understand the wisdom of following a spiritual/religious path.
An article there called the disease of modern yoga. Including:
In reply to: Real Yoga is all about the properly labeled religious practices of Hinduism; i.e., Karma Yoga (Hindu ethics), Bhakti Yoga (Hindu devotions), Hatha Yoga (Hindu worshipful postures), Raja Yoga (Hindu meditations) and Jnana Yoga (the Hindu understanding of Enlightenment), to name a few. Naturally (as in any other religion), authentic Yoga practices are taught only by qualified Hindus. Similarly (as in any true spiritual/religious intimate teaching), there is never a fee attached to genuine Yoga.
Also check out http://www.comparativereligion.com/Yoga.html.
As far as I'm concerned, if I want to stretch, I'd rather do it without all the religious hogwash (which is at least historically relevant to yoga).
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fracture
Jan 19, 2006, 11:07 PM
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Heh, I thought this was funny:
In reply to: According to Tantric philosophy and Yoga, a chakra is a points of energy in the astral body. There are seven primary chakras, which are associated with various parts of the body, emotions, desires, thoughts, powers, and health.* New Age gurus think chakras have colors and give rise to auras, which reveal one's spiritual and physical health, as well as one's karma. The alleged energy of the chakras is not scientifically measurable, however, and is at best a metaphysical chimera and at worst an anatomical falsehood. |
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rock_junkie
Jan 19, 2006, 11:17 PM
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I totally agree, I cant tell you how many times my ability to crush a beer can between my ass checks has helped my ability to send 5.12s, and its all thanks to yoga. Also, it gives people outside of the climbing community a chance to see how big my bulge is in my tights.
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miavzero
Jan 19, 2006, 11:22 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: Those of you who are scoffing can do so all you want, but studies have shown that yoga does, indeed, directly benefit climbing ability. Citations please. Ditto that request. Jay No problem... I'll dig up the articles I've found... in the meantime, here is a link to a series of articles discussing the various benefits of yoga: general benefits as well as articles discussing system-specific benefits (musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, etc.). That will get things started at any rate: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/health/home.asp |
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