I had lower back issues for about 8 years, resulting in surgery and a conversation with the orthopaedic doc who said "You can never jog again, or walk as an exercise. And sports are out of the question."

Despite being overweight even as a teenager, I was physical and very competitive. I liked volleyball, softball, soccer, and I was in a co-ed adult softball league by the time this all happened.

Without any exercise after back surgery, I got fatter and fatter, which led to the band. Now I am 106 lbs lighter and I actually ache to work my muscles. Nothing hurts on me and I feel so happy some days that I jog to my car...and then stop suddenly, hoping I didn't just dislodge a disc...but those few moments of stretching my legs and feeling the wind and feeling stronger and lighter than I EVER have in my life...ahhhh....

I've tried walking, and it feels marvelous and energizing when I'm doing it, but the next day I pay for it.

I decided no more tempting my back for another surgery as I have a degenerative disc, ergo, a wildly unstable lumbar spine which will never revert back to normal.

I just discovered Yoga. I've been doing Vinyasa Flow (Seane Corn) merely to stretch my muscles and make me feel like I'm accomplishing something by at least becoming more flexible. I can do the whole tape without a problem, so I decided to try a class. With humans. And my droopy-skin belly. And my gurgling neck.

Last night I went to a class for the first time :biggrin:

Hot Flow Yoga.

OK so 95 degrees and two buckets of sweat later, I feel unreal today. It was amazing to be there with an instructor, who would push on me during Downward dog and really intensify the stretch...changing my foot positions so slightly and making the whole pose feel immediately better/deeper/challenging.

I could barely keep up with the class, I had to stop from time to time and hang out in child's pose, from about 20 minutes in to the next hour, my muscles shook and trembled in every pose, but I kept my breathing strong and steady. Every time I fell out of a standing pose I just grinned to myself and went right back at it. I kept waiting for my body to give out, quit, have total muscle exhaustion but that time NEVER CAME :wink2:

I cannot believe how amazing I feel today.

Now I want to try every single Yoga out there!!!

Anyone else into this amazing physical and spiritual practice?

Wow...thats amazing. I think I will definitely be trying yoga just as soon as my breasts no longer get in the way! This Indian guy I dated once taught me kriya (sp?) yoga. Its a way of controlling your breathing. It was also quite nice, and even though I remained stationary the whole time, I was exhausted after about 15 minutes. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Aph...my bewbs and my belly get in my way. I feel your pain...I just do it anyway. My child's pose is comical, my giant bewbs slowly cut my air flow off, and my head...omg ... doesn't even touch the mat!!!!!! LMAO!!!!

Ah well. It's actually been a good "gateway" experience in accepting my body. Sure, I plan to get plastic surgery, sure, I'm still 38 lbs heavy, but I figure it's better for me to do this self acceptance in Yoga than trying to do it on a first date. Baby steps :cursing:

Never heard of Kriya...but yeah that Yoga breathing works those lungs. Maybe they should teach that post op instead of that comical little breathing contraption! lol

I've discovered yoga in the last few months and just adore it! I'm currently doing a hatha class that I love. I just love seeing how my body can stretch and contort! And I love how it makes me feel the next day. I wish I'd been doing yoga for years.

Oh, I am SO going to get into yoga or pilates. My lower back problems are getting really debilitating. I love love love my running but boy do I pay for it, I have no feeling in the outer half of my right foot at the moment, I'm in constant discomfort from shoulder to heel.

At least I know I have no degenerative disc disease, i've been thoroughly checked out so I know its a biomechanical/postural problem. But I'm actually getting to the point where I could kick a hole in the wall, I'm so frustrated.

I've been told time and time again to do pilates, I really struggle for time to devote to something like that though, its nearly impossible for me. However youv'e given me new resolve.

Jachut, good for you! I liked Pilates, too. It feels more "competitive" and masculine type energy to me, where as Yoga is very Fluid and feminine. Quiet, introspective, like it's you, the mat, your body, and the instructor's voice. I really like the meditative aspect of it. We watch ourselves in the mirror as we switch through standing poses like Warrior 1 and 2, and it is amost like dancing, all doing the same poses. It's very pretty - beautiful even. I also like that the emphasis is on the breathing and not doing "The Hundred" til you want to cry. :wink2:

She_Smiles - ok what exactly IS Hatha? I've even asked my instructor. I do Flow Yoga (or Vinyasa) which incorporates sun salutes in every pose, like an introduction to the pose you're going for.

Kate - My instructor describes hatha as "steady poses and breath work combined with focused strengthening and stretching exercises". So pretty much you enter into a stretch/pose and hold it for about 30 seconds as you breathe. With each breath you try to stretch into it a bit further. I've also done ashtanga which is more Fluid and dynamic and you do more sequences of movements rather than holding and stretching. I've enjoyed both but hatha is definitely more challenging for me physically.

I've done pilates before and I just didn't enjoy it. It had a lot to do with the instructor (who was sleazy and gross) but I don't think I'd try it again now I've found yoga and I enjoy it so much.

Jacqui - after I sustained my current knee injury which is SERIOUSLY impeding my running right now (as in I can't run 3km without pain), I knew I had to try something much lower impact. Yoga is such a great change from the intensity of running. Don't get me wrong, its definitely challenging, just in a different way. Like you, I have found it hard to commit to classes in the past, and I still struggle to get there some weeks, but once I am there I'm glad I made the effort. Its just good to see the things my body is capable of aside from running all the time.

I have practiced yoga for 2.5 years. I weighed 330 at my first class. The instructor asked if I could get up from the floor by myself! Yoga is one of the major transformative factors in my quest for a healthy life and bodyl It gave me a sense of ownership of my body and made me feel like I had some control over my own body. Today I love my more advanced yoga classes and the new challenges they present my body.

I have been doing Bikram Yoga for about 2 years and love it. I am glad to here that post LB this is still a good thing to do.

Shaun

Funny that I saw your post today. I just came back from my first yoga class! I have been going to the gym and doing aerobics and some weights since Oct but I knew I was not stretching or feeling limber. I too had back surgery years ago but not as severe as yours. I didn't think yoga would be as tough as it was. I fell way behind but really enjoyed the stretch! I asked the instructor if she thought I should continue since I was way behind and she said YES! Give it 6 weeks and I will be very surprised how far I will come. I look forward to my next class on sunday!

Good luck to you!

I've never tried yoga. And I'm actually a bit intimidated by the thought of taking a class. I hear and have read an enormous amount of good things about it. But it seems like you have to have a lot of arm, tummy and leg strength. All of which I do not have much of. How hard is it to get started? Thanks for any feedback!