How is everyone's training going?

[crimsonfloyd]

If it's so great why has it only caught in the last ~5 years? And only for rich white people? Fad.

It's become more popular in the US over the last few decades but it's been part of Indian culture for thousands of years. So perhaps it's a trend in parts of the US, but looked at as a whole, it's one of the oldest sustained traditions on the planet.

I actually read one article, http://www.kripalu.org/article/512/ , and it pretty much states that blood flow is increased when you breathe and do yoga(which is crazy since ALL WORKING OUT DOES THAT)

"Each time you take a yogic breath while in a posture, you do two things: you increase blood flow and pressure on one part of the body and you decrease it on another."

"This massaging, flushing, and cleansing action stimulates endocrine functions to more optimal levels. Anyone who practices yoga regularly can verify that this process is actually tangible, and that increasing levels of confidence and a more positive mental outlook are natural results."

So you're saying doing Yoga is a stress reliever? Wow, working out and running have that same exact effect, insane!

"Yoga reduces cortisol and adrenalin levels in the body by returning it to a physically stress-free state, making it less susceptible to illness and more prone to resiliency and vitality."

Again, nothing different from yoga and lifting.

I never denied that lifting can effect these aspects of the body. I'm someone who does both practices and finds them both beneficial. All I'm saying is that they are most definitely not the same in the way they affect the body. A few key differences:

-Yogadecreases heart rate while lifting increases heart rate. Both are beneficial, but they are not the same. In fact, many practitioners of yoga don't consider it to be exercise for this very reason.

-the primary purpose of lifting is to effect muscles and the primary purpose of yoga is to affect the aforementioned systems. Therefore the degree to which one feels relaxed, relieved of stress, etc. is much greater from yoga than it is from other forms of exercise because the main purpose of those postures is to achieve that affect.

-I think one of the reasons some people are confused is because a lot of modern yoga classes (i.e. "power yoga" classes) are essentially cardio classes focused on burning calories, which is not the original purpose of the practice.

Doing squats supposedly releases more Testosterone in the body, which is fantastic for males, but I do go around and acting like i'm better or more in touch with my body than people who don't? Hell no.

What does that have to do with anything? There are plenty of douche bag weight lifters who boast about how much testosterone they have from lifting. Does that have any bearing on the scientific effects of the practice? Nope, not at all.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

The only personal benefit I saw in yoga is specifically the stretching, recovering the flexibility lost in lifting and day to day living. The portions of yoga directed at building strength or relieving stress don't seem to really have anything on other forms of physical training.

Could be a bad teacher or maybe it's just not for you. You definitely don't build as much strength as lifting, but I've found it's increased my lower body strength quite a bit. As for stress-relief, I find it's more effective than other excises, but I'm sure this depends on the individual.

 

[rms]

The only personal benefit I saw in yoga is specifically the stretching, recovering the flexibility lost in lifting and day to day living. The portions of yoga directed at building strength or relieving stress don't seem to really have anything on other forms of physical training.

I'm all about yoga for the stretching capabilities, or just raising your own strength levels based on body weight, but i'm not buying it as some life altering exercise that is somehow majestically achieved while laying down/standing in weird positions for periods of time

It's become more popular in the US over the last few decades but it's been part of Indian culture for thousands of years. So perhaps it's a trend in parts of the US, but looked at as a whole, it's one of the oldest sustained traditions on the planet.

I know it's been around in India forever, but i'm sure the practice of yoga there has more to do with religious practices than it does for anything else, something only rich white wanna be Buddhists are succumbing to now--it definitely has not been huge for decades, 5 years is probably when it started to spread like wildfire and now everyone just had to do yoga

How can you seriously not deny it's a trend? Lifting is a trend probably for a majority of people, so there's no way that Yoga isn't more of a trend right now, when it's easily more popular

-Yogadecreases heart rate while lifting increases heart rate. Both are beneficial, but they are not the same. In fact, many practitioners of yoga don't consider it to be exercise for this very reason.

Come on man, this doesn't make sense. How can your heart rate decrease while your contorting your body in different ways? Nothing is lower than a resting heart beat, and especially if you are controlling your breathing i'm sure the lack of strength in your muscles as well as irregular breathing has your heart going bananas.

-the primary purpose of lifting is to effect muscles and the primary purpose of yoga is to affect the aforementioned systems. Therefore the degree to which one feels relaxed, relieved of stress, etc. is much greater from yoga than it is from other forms of exercise because the main purpose of those postures is to achieve that affect.

That's cool, how? You and the article just say this, but doesn't seem to have any evidence behind it

-I think one of the reasons some people are confused is because a lot of modern yoga classes (i.e. "power yoga" classes) are essentially cardio classes focused on burning calories, which is not the original purpose of the practice.

You just said you used yoga to gain more strength, how is that different from burning calories? It's two different styles of getting in shape.

What does that have to do with anything? There are plenty of douche bag weight lifters who boast about how much testosterone they have from lifting. Does that have any bearing on the scientific effects of the practice? Nope, not at all.

Isn't the release of testosterone part of the endocrine system, just one example of what lifting does to release stress and gain mass? The article i linked also stated how it releases cortisol and adrenalin, which basically are done by exerting yourself physically -according to wikipedia

 

[crimsonfloyd]

I know it's been around in India forever, but i'm sure the practice of yoga there has more to do with religious practices than it does for anything else, something only rich white wanna be Buddhists are succumbing to now--it definitely has not been huge for decades, 5 years is probably when it started to spread like wildfire and now everyone just had to do yoga

How can you seriously not deny it's a trend? Lifting is a trend probably for a majority of people, so there's no way that Yoga isn't more of a trend right now, when it's easily more popular

It has definitely increased in popularity over the past 5 years, but it has been pretty big in the US for at least the last two decades. I guess that makes it a trend. But if it ends up becoming ingrained in people's lifestyles is it really a trend? Whether or not it's a trend or a sustained change can only be proven with time. Right now we're all just postulating.

And as for the "rich white wanna be Buddhists" well that's just a stereotype, like saying weightlifting is just for brain-dead frat boys.

Come on man, this doesn't make sense. How can your heart rate decrease while your contorting your body in different ways? Nothing is lower than a resting heart beat, and especially if you are controlling your breathing i'm sure the lack of strength in your muscles as well as irregular breathing has your heart going bananas.

Breathing slowly and repetitively decreases heart rate. That's also why traditional yoga classes begin with meditation and end with dead man's pose. It's really not that hard to comprehend. And the breathing isn't necessarily irregular (though some of it can be).

That's cool, how? You and the article just say this, but doesn't seem to have any evidence behind it

I couldn't explain the actual process without having the text in front of me. I have a decent understanding of bio but I wasn't a bio major or anything. I would rather reference the text than explain it incorrectly.

If you're interested in some studies you can check them out here:
http://cchronicle.com/2010/10/scientific-evidence-for-yoga/

Finally, Alyson Ross and Sue Thomas of the University of Maryland School of Nursing reviewed 81 studies that compared the health effects of yoga to other forms of exercise. Ross and Thomas note in their literature review that yoga has been shown to decrease levels of the stress hormones cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, to decrease blood glucose levels, and to lower heart rate and blood pressure. When they examined studies that directly compared other forms of exercise to yoga, yoga achieved comparable, or even greater, positive results to exercise on all measures except overall physical fitness. The authors attribute the benefits of yoga to decreases in the stress-linked overactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), key influences on stress reactivity and well-being.

You just said you used yoga to gain more strength, how is that different from burning calories? It's two different styles of getting in shape.

Gaining strength and burning calories are not the same thing and are not necessarily concurrent. For example, you can run miles and lose strength (decrease muscle mass) and burn a ton of calories.

Isn't the release of testosterone part of the endocrine system, just one example of what lifting does to release stress and gain mass? The article i linked also stated how it releases cortisol and adrenalin, which basically are done by exerting yourself physically -according to wikipedia

Yup it definitely is. Again, I never denied that lifting or other forms of exercise have an affect of the endocrine system.

 

[rms]

It has definitely increased in popularity over the past 5 years, but it has been pretty big in the US for at least the last two decades. I guess that makes it a trend. But if it ends up becoming ingrained in people's lifestyles is it really a trend? Whether or not it's a trend or a sustained change can only be proven with time. Right now we're all just postulating.

And as for the "rich white wanna be Buddhists" well that's just a stereotype, like saying weightlifting is just for brain-dead frat boys.

Maybe in california, but honestly I never heard anyone talk about yoga until about 3 years ago..thing is buffalo still doesn't have smoothie places or frozen yogurt, so maybe we are behind the times a tad..haha

It is a stereotypical fad, you gotta see these people. I mean everyone wears lulemon or some overpriced spandex that are considered yoga pants and their fancy mats and most yogi's are considered vegan or some cleanse diet is offered regularly..it's like a cult following. Lifting definitely has the same thing, I don't know if i'm a purist or anything like that, but I see dudes doing improper workouts and checking themselves out way too damn often, I don't feel like that is what it should be about, but maybe that is just me.

Breathing slowly and repetitively decreases heart rate. That's also why traditional yoga classes begin with meditation and end with dead man's pose. It's really not that hard to comprehend. And the breathing isn't necessarily irregular (though some of it can be).

Yes but you totally ignored the fact that your muscles are being used and depended on for large periods of time, and everytime people tell me about yoga or ask me to do it, they tell me how sore they are from doing it. Even lifting 5 pounds for me is going to get my heart accelerated somewhat, it's just unbiologically possible, no?

I couldn't explain the actual process without having the text in front of me. I have a decent understanding of bio but I wasn't a bio major or anything. I would rather reference the text than explain it incorrectly.

If you're interested in some studies you can check them out here:
http://cchronicle.com/2010/10/scientific-evidence-for-yoga/

I'll check it out when I gots da time, thanks though

Gaining strength and burning calories are not the same thing and are not necessarily concurrent. For example, you can run miles and lose strength (decrease muscle mass) and burn a ton of calories.

But you're also gaining strength cardiovascularly(spelled wrong but I don't care!) and in your legs. I mean there's different ways to get into shape, in my opinion it has many different definitions. Yoga to me is one of those of those styles, flexible and body strength dependant--not necessarily life altering hormonal release crapamundo

 

[damnromulans]

The only personal benefit I saw in yoga is specifically the stretching, recovering the flexibility lost in lifting and day to day living. The portions of yoga directed at building strength or relieving stress don't seem to really have anything on other forms of physical training.

I'm a total noob but the stretching aspect seems to be wonderful. I also like that being in a yoga class forces me to be quiet and stay still. I am pretty unaware of my breathing and whatnot normally so it's nice. Not sure I'll ever get into chakras and the like though, too atheist.

People who make it a lifestyle aren't just investing in expensive pants - they apply their yoga gains to their life off the mat and use it as a tool for self-improvement. I don't get why people are personally offended/aggressively skeptic about it - if you don't like it don't do it!

 

[Funerary_Doom]

^ seriously.

why shouldn't someone try something that has had positive feedback from both scientific evidence and personal stories? He's definitely naysaying just for the sake of it.

If there's a way to naturally cure my arthritis and move my shoulder bone back in place fuck yes i will take it!

 

[rms]

I don't think you're understanding my argument, but whatevz

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Tried my first kundalini class the other night. Quite different from hatha. A lot more rhythmic, fast paced and repetitive. The teacher was really good and actually gave a really thoughtful lecture on unifiying the various parts of our personality. It ended with a gong soundbath that was basically like something from early Pink Floyd. Insanely trippy. It's a pretty rad studio and they've a 25 days for $25 deal, so I'll probably give that a shot. Unfortunately, it's super expensive after that.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Man i need to get on some sort of cardio plan/program. I'm almost 230 .... a bad 230. Nagging old injuries have basically stopped me from any sort of weightlifting for the past year+ and it's caught up to me.

 

[damnromulans]

24:48 5K. Would have been faster if the starting line wasn't so crowded.

 

[wandering_taco]

So I now work at a moving company and don't go to the gym anymore. My work schedule is kind of sporadic right now because I'm still the new guy and work really depends on how many moves they get scheduled. But when its busy I'm running around carrying stuff in and out and up and down stairs for 6+ hours a day, longest day so far was about 11 hours. I've lost 10 pounds and not even been working a full month. Once I get more adjusted to the job I might try going to the gym again if I know I have the next day off. I get really sore.

 

[Dak]

24:48 5K. Would have been faster if the starting line wasn't so crowded.

Pretty respectable time.


Im unable to lift again thanks to schedule crunch between finals and moving prep, plus all the idiots around me shedding from flu shots. ugh.

 

[damnromulans]

I am experimenting with bulking. So far I feel like a fatass but I am pushing and pulling more weight already. The goal with this is to pose in "King" magazine.

 

[Matt]

Thought I'd post a pic of my gains. Sorry for the large picture. Decent progress so far but a lot of work to do.

 

[Dak]

Creatine?

 

[MetalAges]

I started P90X3 a couple weeks ago.

I've been in and out of "trying to lose weight" for longer than I care to say. I finally hit a point in my life (I'm getting old man!) where I'm sick of being fat and there's no excuse for it. Many reasons, no excuses.

That said, I actually have a site up where I am posting my daily journey. I don't dare post it here (yet) as I'm "letting it all hang out" on there and there would surely be some folks here grabbing my pics and having a ball with Photoshop haha.

Nutrition wise I'm essentially eating 85%+ paleo (clean meats, veggies, nuts, seeds, fruit, "good" carbs, etc.). I find that I don't fret eating because I like all that stuff anyways. I did go through the "carb flu" for 3-5 days which was weird. But, after that lifted it was quite euphoric.

Workouts as I said are P90X3. As soon as it warms up I'll be back to hitting the bike trails as well.

I started at a lovely 268lbs. and the goal weight is 185lbs. Yes, got to be quite the fat ass the last few years. That's what a desk job, married, kids, working at a desk at home, too much BF3/4, etc. will do to ya.

I'd be curious if there is anyone who's story is similar to mine that's starting/currently engaged in a weight loss transformation?

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

Wow, you have a long ways to go!
Eat well/less and move. It's that simple.... well it's not really simple.

As far as my body goes, eating less means eating very little. And it SUCKS!

Just get out there and kick some ass. Kinda have to take a "take no prisoners!" attitude.

and yes! screw this weather, I want to get on my bike!

 

[MetalAges]

Yeah I'll get there, sooner than later

Here's a typical breakfast/lunch/dinner for me these days:

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

nice, looks good