PiYo versus Bikram Style Hot Yoga

It’s all in the title!  We’re talking about how PiYo compares to Bikram style hot yoga.  I’m going to tell you a little story about why this is on my mind though!

Before I was pregnant, I took 5-6 hot yoga classes a week, mostly Bikram style.  This was usually on top of whatever workouts I was doing at the time.  I prioritized those first, and then if I could make it to yoga, I went.  What can I say…I loved it, and I had time!  I started leading a student-run early morning class once a week as well.  My yoga instructor was the second to know i was pregnant after my husband.  Do you know how you’re not supposed to hot tub while pregnant?  Yoga in a room heated to 105 degrees isn’t recommended either!

After having a baby, the timing/scheduling made it difficult to fit in.  There’s no childcare at yoga!  I believe I made it to my 8th class in almost 23 months yesterday.  But I have done a lot of yoga in that time.  I take it at the gym sometimes, where there is childcare if I need it, but someone seems to really like to fall asleep when we’re supposed to go!

See that little girl asleep in the back? We were supposed to go to yoga!

I have also done a lot of PiYo – both from the dvd program and in the instructor videos as I’m certified to teach it.  So how does it compare?  That’s what popped into my head while at yoga yesterday.

First, for convenience, the PiYo dvds are awesome.  Flexibility in my living room?  Hiya!  And it moves quickly enough that it doesn’t make me think about turning it off 5000 times a second.  Next is sweat.  You will sweat doing both…likely a little more with the 105 degrees, but still dripping from PiYo.  For class feel, hot yoga at a studio definitely wins, but of course it does.

One of the things I love about the Bikram style is that the poses are athletic and there’s too much to think about to get into your own head and drift off.  You need to remain present in the poses.  With PiYo, it moves faster, with also very athletic poses.  This was the point that clicked with me yesterday.  The poses are different, but both have the athletic side which is something I love.

So while the two are immensely different, the feeling I have after the workout is extremely similar.  It took a long time to figure that out (I was certified in PiYo in January 2013, have had the home program since it was released in July 2014) but now that I have it’s like angels singing.  I won’t lie, it’s always been hard for me to press play on yoga at home…even if i like the workout.  But remembering that this feeling is waiting on the other side should be the key that has me doing it more often!

Post yoga glow!

If you have a love for the challenge of a hot yoga class but can’t make it like me, this might be something to check out for you!  What keeps you away from your practice?

June Challenge and X3 Yoga

Continuing on the P90X3 posts, we have X3 Yoga!

So, I’ve talked before about how I have a hard time with home yoga programs.  It’s hard to be at home, alone, doing yoga.  This one moves fast, which helps to not let you think about it too much!  I have nothing bad to say about this workout.  For yoga, that’s saying a lot!

My favorite part is that it includes a shoulder stand.  I love shoulder stands and you don’t get them much in home workouts.   Coming out of it was always one of my favorite parts of my Ashtanga practice.  We also do camel here.  I do hot yoga (now occasionally, used to be 5x a week) and camel is a part of that practice.  I had forgotten how much easier camel is in a non-heated room!  In the heat, it’s really tough to put your head back.  A lot of people feel nauseous after that pose.  Without the heat though, you get less of a flight response.  That was lovely, and I called on that when I took a hot class on Monday.

The star of this show is Ted and his amazing yoga abilities.  You don’t expect it and then you can’t look away.  Watch the video to be amazed and then do the video yourself and try to maintain his focus!

So, onto June!  June is arms,  and I’m staying with the pattern we tried out last month with one base exercise and one that changes daily.  Contact me to join in the fun!

 

Yoga Day!

On my workout schedule today is P90X3 – X3 Yoga!  I went through some of my feelings on home yoga videos when I was doing the 21 Day Fix so I was a little nervous about this one.

Whenever you talk about P90X with someone, the first or second thing they mention is ALWAYS how much they hated YogaX.  It is a 90 minute workout, so right there, you lose me.  90 minutes of yoga, at home, alone, is a tough thing to get through.  It is one thing to be in a class environment with others and their energy for 90 minutes.  But for me (and it seems for most!), that’s too long to focus alone.

X3 Yoga is 30 minutes (like all of the videos) and goes through tough but doable poses.  There are also options to make it harder…you can add push ups to your vinyasas but no one’s coming to get you if you don’t.  And you can follow Ted, or stare in awe while he does some amazing poses.  It’s a good watch just for that!

I love that there is shoulder stand in here.  It’s one of my favorite poses that I don’t do enough.  I’m looking forward to the whole workout in a bit!

I would recommend watching this one through if you’re brand new to yoga.  Some things aren’t too difficult, but having your focus on watching instead of doing is a good idea for the first viewing.  Then restart it and hop in!  You’ve got this!

Hope you’re having a great week!  What’s your workout today?

Day 7 of the 21 Day Fix

Still going strong with the 21 Day Fix!  The workouts are fun, challenging, but not scary hard…yoga was today and as I mentioned in the video, I’m picky with yoga!  But I really enjoyed it.  And another day of a great amount of food!  It really has been helping me to make good choices and fill up on the healthy stuff instead of grazing on poorer choices.  I had become so used to eating for convenience!  This is so much better.

Hope you are having a great day!

Mind Over Madness

On Friday, I got to experience yoga in a crazy place for the second time. I had gone to the Times Square Alliance’s solstice yoga event in 2011, rushing over from work with my yoga mat and pretending my yoga clothes were work appropriate for the day. It was an amazing experience to be on the mat in the middle of a busy place, with cars still beeping and the tourists and New Yorkers looking on.

This year, I took a day off from work and did the Bikram class in the middle of a nice hot day. This year, I also didn’t go alone (well, as alone as you could be in Times Square). I had a great time and hope that I can do it again many times.

I had a few days of terrible sleep leading up to Friday. Some days here are better than others, and we had a few rough nights in a row (tonight is looking to be fun as well, though the last two were pretty good ones). I literally fell asleep during the class…for just about a minute. It was a time where I typically would have my eyes open, but since the sun was right overhead, they were closed. And I woke up a bit confused but tried to continue with my practice without dwelling on it.

Also, to bring it fully into the mom + fitness world, I had to bring my breast pump as I was gone for about 6 hours. I pumped in Times Square, under a nursing cover (I rarely use it, but it came in handy for this and for changing into my yoga clothes when done).
So in review…I did yoga, fell asleep, pumped and changed in Times Square on Friday. Now we get pictures!

First Mommy and Baby Yoga workout

I tried the first of the Mommy and Baby workouts I ordered…from Shiva Rea’s Mama & Baby Yoga.  The DVD has three workouts on it.  I had hoped to do all three, or at least two, but we needed a diaper change instead.  I preferred it over the class I had attended for a few reasons – I could go as long or short as Zoe was feeling, I could do it at any time, and no one had their class interrupted when Zoe wasn’t up to continuing.

There was one downside.  It was more mommy focused than mommy and baby focused.  I liked that the class had massage and movement for the baby.  This was more yoga for mom with a little extra to keep the baby watching so you could do it while the baby was there.  One of the poses Zoe loved though.  She was on my knees with me on my back, shins parallel to the floor, like she was flying.  Lots of smiles!

Maybe I will try to find a baby yoga workout.  Then we can mix them…a little for you, a little for me.  We will definitely do this often, it just isn’t exactly what I was looking for.

Workout today – Mama & Baby yoga – Mother’s Body Toning and practicing TurboKick round 49

Yogibaby

First, lots of people have asked me about the ingredients for the lactation cookies. I got anything difficult to find on Amazon – vat of coconut oil, brewers yeast, ground flaxseed and dairy free chocolate chips. The coconut oil and flaxseed were easy to find, but I wanted large amounts and it was cheaper this way!

Yesterday, we went to a Yogibaby class…yoga for mom and baby. Baby was not into it. She cried most of the time so we ended up having “calm the baby at the yoga studio” time. She did laugh at the end so maybe she liked it. We will try again! I didn’t really count it as a workout but I feel some soreness from a few things we did!

I’m feeling so close to all better. The only time I’m having sinus pain is when I exercise, and even that is minimal!

Workout yesterday – TurboFire HIIT25 and Stretch10
Workout today – practicing TurboKick

Best Workout Ever!

I was talking to someone last night about fitness who thought his workout was the best ever. He’s not the first person I’ve spoken to that felt this way, and I’m sure he won’t be the last so no need for detail on his workouts.

There are a lot of workout plans out there. And a lot of methods to work your body. Everyone thinks that their way is the best way. Sure, it is the best way…for them.

The best workout for you is the one you will do! I love my Turbo…Jam, Fire, Kick because I find it fun and it is also an excellent workout. I would love it if everyone I knew tried it because I enjoy sharing it. But I realize that not everyone will love it as much as I do. That’s why other workouts exist.

This is part of the reason I became a coach. It makes me happy when I can help someone find a workout that they enjoy as much as I enjoy mine. I don’t only do Turbo type workouts. I also like to lift weights (yes, I actually like it), yoga, sometimes I find running enjoyable and many more. I also like trying new things to see if something surprises me.

I feel similarly about a lot of fitness related topics. The best time to work out is the time you will do it. The best time to drink Shakeology is the time it helps you the most. The best eating plan is the one you can stick with for the long haul.

So there’s my take on it all. To lighten it up and prove that I don’t always wear lounging pants and tank tops here is a belly picture from yesterday…36 weeks and 1 day. Happy Friday!

Workout yesterday – Elliptical, lifting

A Little (pug) Help

This is my pug, trying to workout with me. I did Yoga Booty Ballet – Baby on the Way this morning and until my husband got home he was right there with me. For this picture, I was in a cross-legged position (you can barely see my knee in the left corner). After this was some work in a hands and knees position, with eventually raising one leg. He got under my leg and basically held it up. I wish I had a way to get that in a picture!

;

After the morning workouts, we went to our old local bar to watch football. I realize I am pregnant, but I do go to bars. I don’t drink in them, other than water (oh, and today some Sprite). I do eat in them. There is no smoking allowed, so I’m not sure what the difference is between a bar and a restaurant. Some people look at me strange especially now that I look unmistakably pregnant. I’m just there to hang with friends and I’m a convenient designated driver. It is a lot easier to go to these further away places on a Sunday when we aren’t choosing public transportation!

I had a great time, good food, and more water than I can think of! And came home with time to food shop (ugh) and do some catch up on the internet. Not a bad Sunday. It is past my bedtime though. I need to fold laundry and call it quits on another weekend.

Workout today – Yoga Booty Ballet Baby on the Way and a bit more than 1.5 mile walk

Benefits of exercise during pregnancy

I had a conversation last week about exercising while pregnant…should you do it?  Why?  I learned a lot about it while studying for my group fitness certification but am by no means an expert.  Of course, if your doctor tells you not to or gives you limits, listen to those.   But if your husband, family, friends, etc tell you not to, here is some reading to educate yourself on reasons to exercise!

Benefits for mom –

ACOG (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynocologists) search – they have a lot of information to download
Babycenter
Everyday Health

Some guidelines

Benefits for baby?

I can’t compare my current pregnancy with anything else, but I do think it has gone fairly smoothly.  Of course I have had a decrease in energy, some nausea, and some discomforts but my main issues have been related to allergies.  I have issues with those when not pregnant.  I definitely think that exercise has helped me.

Today, I tried a prenatal yoga at a studio.  I had a great time and wish I had found this class earlier!  It was nice to workout with a bunch of other pregnant women.  I bought an 8 class package, and if I don’t make it to 8 classes can use it on other classes.  I look forward to going back next Saturday.

Workout today – Prenatal Yoga