Yoga & pilates & core strength???

Hi guys, I am currently trying to find a few things to a) calm me down and relax me and b) give me some sense that I am not just being a slob and sitting on the couch while I am increasing my calories and not doing cardio to gain weight.

I have tried some beginner yoga and pilates at home and am doing these because I have heard that they can help you relax and also they are good for toning your body.

I would be interested to hear on what people have found of these e.g. is one better than the other for relaxation and toning? Do you do it at home or go to a class? Any other core strength activities you recommend other than just the normal abs exercises??

I am very much wanting to improve my muscle tone and core strength (i want strong abs!) whilst I gain weight...

I am a HUUUUGE yoga fan! It is extremely relaxing but can also be a tough workout and works muscles you never knew you had! It also teaches you to breathe deeply and stay in tune with your body's needs. I have been doing yoga for years, but it has been especially helpful in recovery because I realize now that exercise doesn't have to be about burning calories--it can be about inner peace. Sounds lame, but it's true!

I take a 90-minute Power Yoga class on Sunday mornings (although I haven't been in weeks because I'm not at home). There are also some great DVDs you can get. Rodney Yee is awesome. 

There is also Namaste Yoga on FitTV, which are 30-minute workouts that focus on a different pose or sequence. I also found an MTV yoga dvd and a quick and easy 10-minute DVD. Any local library will have DVDs. Or you can buy them online or even at Target/Wal-mart.

As for Pilates, I've never been a huge fan. It focuses on the core, which is great, but I find Yoga to be much more beneficial both spiritually and also in terms of working the entire body.

Plus, there is always a relaxation sequence at the end that is amazing!

I'm with coco in my love of yoga.  It's so calming and centering.  It's also really good if you're someone like me and hold a lot of tension in certain areas of your body b/c it helps you learn how to let go of the tension.  And, it's something that teaches you concentration and focus. I tend to get really caught up in my thoughts and yoga has taught me how to clear my mind and focus on the present. 

I do 3 classes/week and also do it at home a couple times a week.  When I'm doing it at home I either use some sequences I've made up or gotten fromhttp://www.yogajournal.com/practice/home_prac tice or do Brian Kest's Power Yoga or some of the DVDs made by Gaiam.  I also do Namaste Yoga on cable once and a while or get DVDs from the library. 

I'll do pilates once and a while too but just don't seem to get as much benefit out of it.  It's a good way to mix things up every once and a while though.

Hi guys - thanks for the insights. Sounds to me that yoga might be more beneficial to me than pilates just because I also want to do it for the relaxation and centering benefits.

I think that doing it at home would be my ideal choice but in terms of properly learning the poses etc (I have done a couple of classes previously) I might look into taking a few classes to get into the swing of it.

I know you have both talked about different types of yoga and different session lengths - this is obviously down to personal preference and also time pressures but a) what do you recommend in terms of type of yoga? I have heard a lot of good things about Ashtanga Yoga... b) how long do you recommend for a good session to both feel 'stretched' and 'calm and centered' at the end?

Thanks!!! Feeling very inspired! :)

I started with Iyengar classes, which use props like blocks and straps and is really focused on learning proper alignment.  Starting out with this kind of class really helped me learn what the poses should feel like and how my body should be aligned.  If you can't find an Iyengar class, then a beginners class or DVD would probably be ideal.  Then, after learning the basics, I moved onto other forms of yoga and tried different things. The class I take is Vinyasa/flow (focused on linking movements with the breath) class twice a week, do power yoga at home 1 or 2 times/week, and then do a restorative/relaxation yoga class 1x week.  The classes are 60-75 min (includes about 5 min or breathing/relaxation and the beginning and end) and at home I usually do between 30-45 minutes.  

Oh, and Ashtanga yoga is probably one of the most intense classes so if I were you I wouldn't start out with that.  Maybe try to find a Hatha or Iyengar class or DVD and start with that.  But it also depends on what classes you have access to.  Oh, and here's a list of the different types of yoga.  Hope it helps. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/yoga/types-of- yoga

Thanks ksrunner. I will take a look at the link you sent and sign up for some beginners classes. Looking forward to it!