Yoga / Tai Chi

[BrendaMarie]

I've been doing Tai Chi for about a month now and feel that it's helped. I'm just wondering if anyone else has ever tried it. Was it helpful to you too?

 

[Cynder]

I haven't tried, but I've been wondering about Yoga, mostly. I need to make the time for it.... would love to hear if it's helped others too.

 

[Janet L]

I haven't tried, but I've been wondering about Yoga, mostly. I need to make the time for it.... would love to hear if it's helped others too.

I'll second this, I've been looking at taking yoga also, but haven't yet. I also was thinking of "hot yoga" which has become popular around my city.

 

[Libragirl67]

Yes I do yoga, and it is amazing. It is a cleansing of your mind. It unclutters your thoughts. And in turn I physically feel better. The way you perceive things is so important to your overall well being. I definetly recomend it. I don not know what "hot" yoga is though.

 

[dcloutier]

I do yoga when I have the time (with a 17 month old and a 1 month old, it's kinda hard lol). But I find that not only does it help my physical pain, it helps my mental and emotional well being too. Just focusing on myself for a little while is nice. Doesn't really happen any other time, so to actually sit and just focus on relaxing yourself is great. My muscles don't cramp up as often and the swelling I get in my body isn't as bad.

I most definitely recommend it for anyone with any sort of chronic pain.

 

[mudrock]

Yoga is amazing to me and very helpful. The people that I know who do yoga on the regular have better bodies than those people in my life who don't do it. Better to take a class where an instructor can adjust your form so that you're doing it right. The last yoga class i took kicked my butt, it was such an intense workout.

 

[1sweed]

I have not done yoga, mainly because if I get down, I will never be able to get back up again without help. If I sat in that position long I would be frozen unable to move my legs, back to normal position. lol Old Age.

I have thought about trying Tai Chi, but I do not know much about it other than it is slow movements. Could you tell us all a bit about what you do in the Tai Chi movements?

 

[SulaBlue]

Oh, Tai Chi is WONDERFUL. Tai Chi as an exercise is actually developed from a martial style, and some of the moves can be used in self defense!

The main focus is breathing and the careful shifting of body weight, is the best I can describe it. The most "strenuous" that it gets is at one point there is a "kick" move, but because the motions are slow it's really more of a lifting your foot and pushing out than a sharp "kick."

 

[mudrock]

I wonder if just simple meditation can be a form of exercise like yoga. Both yoga and tai chi provide good exercises for mobility, balance and a limited amount of strength build up. If you're able to focus on the teacher and the exercises, the slow-paced concentration can be quite soothing.

 

[suadela]

Has anyone found a Yoga program that works best for them? Or do you go to classes?

I am currently researching a Yoga program made for people with Fibro and Chronic Pain, but it doesn't look like there is much, if anything, out there.
If anyone knows of any, please, pass it on!

 

[BrianWolfe]

I believe "hot" yoga refers to hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is the most common form of yoga being taught in the united states nowadays and it is what most Americans think of when you mention "yoga". Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical postures called "asanas" as well as the calming of the mind through meditation.

 

[SulaBlue]

"Hot" yoga is actually Bikram Yoga. It's done in a room that's at a sauna-like temperature. Be prepared to sweat. It grew out of Hatha Yoga, which is a more meditative (and less physically grueling) form of yoga.

 

[mariposa]

I took some Tai Chi lessons a few years ago... took lessons with my husband and we enjoyed it. That was purely for martial arts, though. I didn't know that it would be beneficial for anything else. I'm wondering if there are different kinds/versions, though... some of the things we were put through don't strike me as being good for anyone with pain issues. Are there varying degrees or something?

 

[SulaBlue]

Are you sure it was Tai Chi? The two Tai Chi classes I took were populated by much older folks, like in their 60s+, and would probably be perfect for anyone with pain issues. It was slow, gentle movements.

I did have some "martial arts" forms for Tai Chi, but that was an after-class thing where my instructor showed how it had its roots as a combat art, but I don't think you usually see that very much.

 

[mariposa]

I did have some "martial arts" forms for Tai Chi, but that was an after-class thing where my instructor showed how it had its roots as a combat art, but I don't think you usually see that very much.

Yes, that's what it was... hubby was really into martial arts at the time and I wanted to learn. I hadn't realize there was a more "gentle" kind, so when it was mentioned in relation to Fibro, I wasn't able to process how that could possibly help. I'm lucky I didn't throw some vital parts of me out of whack with some of those movements! :roll: I'm very glad to hear there's a mild version.