I'm thinking of having a go at Yoga to improve flexibility and help prevent inhjuries I suffered with last year.

Investigating further have found that there's several types of Yoga. Which does what ? Most of the discriptions are the same.

Any Yoga master out theres to advise ?

You need a Yogi!

I have done yoga after having sporting injuries, I'm no expert as to what sort it was, just the run of the mill one I think (not power yoga or anything like that). It is good, and most of us don't do anywhere near enough stretching.

You feel surpisingly good afterwards as well.

Don't do Bikram - it's the one where you do normal yoga poses in a very, very hot room. It loosens up your muscles and ligaments, leaving you vulnerable to injury.

There is, in fact a vast variety of yoga class and types. But I suppose you could try out Hatha Yoga. They really improve flexibility, provide healing and relaxation towards the muscle in a mld and rthymic way.

Yoga is a simple science. Focus on finding a teacher that you are comfortable with and not so much on th style of yoga. They all end up doing the same with slightly different focus.

Look for a class that consistantly teaches a the same set of yoga postures, so you can consistantly do it at your own home, at some point. Look at the teacher's experience. Some of them have 10 to 20 years experience and may have been doing yoga since childhood. Avoid those teachers that try to impress their students on how good they can do their postures.

They should be able to guide you, as every body is different. Someone mentioned Hatha yoga. That is fine.

I see in todays Times that Indias trainee soldiers are doing 50 minutes of yoga a day.

Did my first ever pilates class yesterday, really enjoyed it. Strange feeling doing everything slow and controlled unlike the macho high energy classses I normally do. Managed to do all the moves, not bad considering I'm only 7 weeks in recovering from a multiple hip break (sorry self gratification there).

Having a go at Hatha yoga this Saturday, will let you know how it goes.

Pilates is hard work!

It's harder than it seems, but without the sweating which is a strange experience.

I'll be interested to hear how you get on. I'm 50, knee injuries over the years and new to this losing weight business. I do like the sound of yoga though as I'm clearly getting less and less flexible.

I've never done pilates but really fancy doing it. Does it burn many calories? Or just tone you up? I'm just desperate to tone up my tummy now!

I actually struggled with Pilates as it does work on your core strength a lot. I found yoga easier, although they do share a lot of the same moves.

It doesn't burn a huge amount of calories but it is good for flexibility and toning.

And relaxation.

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to try Yoga this weekend, the instructor won't let me attend the class until I've had a few more weeks recovery. He made that decision without even seeing me.

Shame, but I'm off to swim in a lake instead.

The instructor allowed me to do it in the end. I really enjoyed it, great stretching and very relaxing. It made a change to my usual high energy exercises, no grunting.

Even though I'm still limited with movement due to my injury, the instructor was very good, guideing me with slighty changes to the moves which I could manage and develop.

I would recommend everyone to try it once

It can be hard work and I find you can actually get quite warm (even work up a sweat) during the class, but afterwards I always feel really relaxed too.

Are you going to do it again?

I really agree with Ravi on this. The right teacher for you makes all the difference. I have stop/started various yoga classes over the years and it was only when I found the right one for me that I stuck at it. You need someone you can trust and who is interested in you and not how fabulous they are. There should be no school masterly telling of how stiff you are etc, but much more encouragement in doing what feels right for you at a certain point and listening to your body. For anybody in the south London area I can warmly recommend Harriet, don't know her second name, small, blond and just a lovely, helpful - and experienced - person. I can't attend her classes any more as I have moved too far away.



This point was important for me too and I think will help all beginners. It helps beginners to gain in confidence and move into the postures correctly. At least some of the class should be in a fixed order of postures, then the body remembers what the brain doesn't. The rest of the class can then be a wider range to challenge the body.

Barbara

Oh yes, plan to be there next Saturday.

I need to go to be honest to make my muscles more flexible and less prone to injury. I suffered to pulled hamstrings and 1 calf last year which prevented me racing.