Is yoga bad for you?

[Obesity Discussion]

Is yoga bad for you?

A new article came out called "can yoga wreck your body?" The author cites the following injuries as possible yoga related injuries.....nerve damage, strokes, never damage, torn cartilage and cracked ribs.....wow. Most of us think of Yoga as being easy on the body, good for muscles and helping injuries heal, etc.

Now, the caveat which isn't really covered, is that these are worst case scenarios, and can occur for a number of reasons, including improper technique, or pushing yourself too hard in a pose.

But again, improper form and pushing oneself too hard can cause injury in just about any activity.

To avoid injury, especially for you yoga noobies, it's key to find qualified yoga instructors...and don't just take their claims of being certified as gospel. It's too easy to get certified these days in some cases...you can get certified as a yoga instructor either online, or one company even offers yoga instructor certification training out of a box. Literally.

David Pasion, Physical Therapist from the Emory Spine Clinic agrees with the assessment, above, but says to be smart, and do your due diligence.

[Bren]

I just saw them talking about this on one of the news shows. I don't really do Yoga, so can't say.

[Obesity Discussion]

I just saw them talking about this on one of the news shows. I don't really do Yoga, so can't say.

I've done it a few times, and it actually aggravated some of the injuries I already had. It wasn't a form issue, I just had a toe injury, which made many of the poses impossible to do pain free.

I was also stupid for doing an advanced yoga class for my first ever class that instructors took for fun! I was trying to impress a girl.

Many others swore by yoga to help the healing of their injuries.

[MichaelB]

I can totally see people injuring themselves with yoga.

I'm stretched so taut, I absolutely *NEED* my hot yoga. The 105 degree room limbers me up a bit and makes it a little easier for me to stretch without pulling something.

[Obesity Discussion]

I can totally see people injuring themselves with yoga.

I'm stretched so taut, I absolutely *NEED* my hot yoga. The 105 degree room limbers me up a bit and makes it a little easier for me to stretch without pulling something.

My fiancee just went to hot yoga for the first time, and I warned her she was going to be soaked with sweat....she didn't believe me.

Boy did she owe me an apology.

[dshelton]

I think yoga is a great form of exercise. It helps focus your thoughts. Sort of like Tai Chi meditation in motion where your forced to focus on your body and breathing. Just like all exercises though you have to listen to your body and not over do it.

[matt007]

I just did my first yoga class today, hot yoga. Brutal. 20 degrees outside to 96 inside. Probably over 100 since the room was full wall to wall. I recover fast though, took about 30 minutes of walking around outside to get my temp right and back to 100%. Now I feel fine.

[justme]

I have trained a little it of yoga, Kripalu, Power, Hatha and Yoga is not bad for you as long as you do it correctly, have an experienced teacher and do not attempt to do postures that you are not ready for….which if you have an experienced teacher you will not do.

Basically be happy with being an inflexible beginner whose balance needs work and if you are not then why are you there.
The problem occurs when someone goes out and buys a yoga DVD and jumps right in. I recently got a Yoga DVD of Eischens Yoga and I have some background in Yoga but that DVD is far beyond me and it is being presented as if all you need is a yoga buddy and you too can do a headstand. I pretty much feel if someone follows that without a WHOLE lot of yoga background or a real live teacher that they will get hurt.

The other issue is what I already mentioned, an experienced teacher. There are a lot of people out there teaching that frankly, in my opinion, shouldn’t be. And it is there that people also get hurt.

We also have to except out limitations sometimes. Just because they say bring your knees to your chest and everyone else in the room can does not mean you have to or that you can. I can't due to my hips, unless I cross my ankles. If I tried any other way I would seriously mess myself up

[Obesity Discussion]

I just did my first yoga class today, hot yoga. Brutal. 20 degrees outside to 96 inside. Probably over 100 since the room was full wall to wall. I recover fast though, took about 30 minutes of walking around outside to get my temp right and back to 100%. Now I feel fine.

Wait, so after being in 100 degree yoga, walking around outside where it was 20 degrees got your body right?

[matt007]

Wait, so after being in 100 degree yoga, walking around outside where it was 20 degrees got your body right?

Well I had a coat on.

Plus it would have been rude not to walk the girl I went with home and that makes it a longish walk for me.

I think I've snowshoed too much this year because it needs to be really cold to bother me lately.

[Obesity Discussion]

Well I had a coat on.

Plus it would have been rude not to walk the girl I went with home and that makes it a longish walk for me.

I think I've snowshoed too much this year because it needs to be really cold to bother me lately.

I know you Coloradans can be a bit sometimes, but you had me worried for a bit.

That's actually a great thing that you're becoming more accustomed to the cold, it should make your hiking that much more comfortable for you to do.

Maybe you can teach snow yoga since you're so cold resistant, and maybe teach it as a way to focus out the cold. If you could train people to meditate away the cold you could be rich!

[matt007]

I know you Coloradans can be a bit sometimes, but you had me worried for a bit.

That's actually a great thing that you're becoming more accustomed to the cold, it should make your hiking that much more comfortable for you to do.

Maybe you can teach snow yoga since you're so cold resistant, and maybe teach it as a way to focus out the cold. If you could train people to meditate away the cold you could be rich!

I can teach people cave yoga. If you can find a way to fit your body through that passage you're flexible.

[Obesity Discussion]

[justinmsn]

Stretching is the key with any type of exercise.