# Somehow I cant picture me saying Namasté



## Xue Sheng (Jun 28, 2008)

I am not sure how this fits into beating trees.. or walls.. but... 

For the first time in about 15 years I did yoga for 1 hour today and I have to admit I feel great. I trained a little Yoga many years ago but stopped because to be honest, as much as I think it is a good thing and I am happy there are people that train it it was just WAAAAY to peaceful for me. 

What I was training was Kripalu but now I am training (ok any Yoga people that read this are about to cringe) Power Yoga and I love it. 

I started training Yoga again a couple of month ago and I built back up to an hour and it is great. Nothing complicated, I am not nor have I ever been into the whole Yoga Inversion thing but todays training was painful, stressful and a bit taxing but surprisingly afterwards I felt better than I did before I started.

Anyone else here ever practice or currently practice Yoga? If so what style?

Or is there some other surprising non MA thing you train that you feel helps your MA.


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## Tames D (Jun 28, 2008)

My introduction to Yoga came recently when I started a fitness training program called P90X. It incorporates a 1 1/2 hour Yoga routine into the program. I'm blown away. I would have never believed Yoga could be such a great workout. But I'm way too new at it to carry on an intelligent conversation. But I plan on staying with it and learning more.


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## Kacey (Jun 28, 2008)

I took Yoga for about a year, maybe 10 years ago.  I really enjoyed it - I've never been that flexible before or since - especially because it was the hour immediately before my TKD class, and in the same location.  The TKD class moved, and I've never found another class that fit my schedule since.  I do still do some of the Yoga stances as part of my stretching, because they work better than anything else I've ever seen or tried.


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## tellner (Jun 28, 2008)

I did one of a bout a thousand Iyengar-derived Hatha Yoga styles for some time. When the Portland Yoga Shala was four blocks away I went there. But they were a little too eager to get everyone into Sanskrit and the Gita as quickly as possible. 

Now I do the Five Tibetans along with my regular training.


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## jks9199 (Jun 28, 2008)

Dr. Gyi has been introducing a yoga system over the last few years.  I confess; I'm not doing it as much as I should -- but I keep intending to start!  He's become very concerned with the number of older martial arts who are almost functional cripples because they're training hasn't included any healing... just hurting.

And he's got a very good point...  I was at a tournament today, and I couldn't help but notice how any guys who were the ones I really looked up to when I started are limping, reliant on canes, or have had one or more hip replacements -- among other things.  

In fact... I think I need to break out the notes tonight, and do some of it!


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 28, 2008)

QUI-GON said:


> My introduction to Yoga came recently when I started a fitness training program called P90X. It incorporates a 1 1/2 hour Yoga routine into the program. I'm blown away. I would have never believed Yoga could be such a great workout. But I'm way too new at it to carry on an intelligent conversation. But I plan on staying with it and learning more.



I did Yoga with Power 90 (not Power 90X) years ago and I do not remember if that was before or after Kripalu. And part of what I did today was from Tony Horton&#8217;s 10 minute trainer&#8230; well 10 minutes of it was anyway 

And just for the record, I am no expert and consider myself very new and I doubt I could carry on much of an intelligent conversation about it either.



jks9199 said:


> Dr. Gyi has been introducing a yoga system over the last few years. I confess; I'm not doing it as much as I should -- but I keep intending to start! He's become very concerned with the number of older martial arts who are almost functional cripples because they're training hasn't included any healing... just hurting.
> 
> And he's got a very good point... I was at a tournament today, and I couldn't help but notice how any guys who were the ones I really looked up to when I started are limping, reliant on canes, or have had one or more hip replacements -- among other things.
> 
> In fact... I think I need to break out the notes tonight, and do some of it!



I have seen and know a lot of old hurt MA men and woman. And until I meant my wife I was one of them (and sometimes I still am) but she is a TCM OMD and I get free acupuncture so I&#8217;m set

But I am finding my return to Yoga is pointing out areas that I never thought of as weak and helping me strengthen them and thereby stopping some of my more persistent problems. And some (not all) of the old injuries seem to be either bothering me less or certainly not as long when they flare up.


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## kidswarrior (Jun 29, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> I did Yoga with Power 90 (not Power 90X) years ago and I do not remember if that was before or after Kripalu. And part of what I did today was from Tony Hortons 10 minute trainer well 10 minutes of it was anyway
> 
> And just for the record, I am no expert and consider myself very new and I doubt I could carry on much of an intelligent conversation about it either.
> 
> ...


OK, that's it, no more excuses I'm starting this week...or maybe next.  Yoga is _hard_. But now I'm in danger of becoming one of those old has-been cripples, so I gotta do something. All you good people have convinced me it's Yoga.


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## Tomu (Jun 29, 2008)

Yeah, I do yoga with my wife at home.  She already did some and since I'm about as flexible as iron I started with her.  I really dig it.  I recently purchased a DVD from Quantam Jujitsu.  Its called warrior yoga and its taught by Sensei Jeremy Corbell.  Its not all that different than other yoga that I have done, but the progression is set up with MA in mind.


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## Tez3 (Jun 29, 2008)

I say 'Namaste' most days several times a day lol. It's the polite way to greet the Gurkhas and their families.
I can't find a yoga class near me otherwise I'd love to do it, I have a video but it's not the same is it?


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 29, 2008)

Tez3 said:


> I say 'Namaste' most days several times a day lol. It's the polite way to greet the Gurkhas and their families.
> I can't find a yoga class near me otherwise I'd love to do it, I have a video but it's not the same is it?


 
It is not so much the word Namasté that is the problem it is the "DAMN yoga people (tend to be) are so very calm, peacful and nice" and somehow describing myself as calm peaceful and nice while I am hitting trees, walls and throwing people and getting thrown by people just does not seem to fit .... Xue applies Qinna Lock and then say Namasté


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 29, 2008)

kidswarrior said:


> OK, that's it, no more excuses I'm starting this week...or maybe next.  Yoga is hard. But now I'm in danger of becoming one of those old has-been cripples, so I gotta do something. All you good people have convinced me it's Yoga.


 
There are different styles of Yoga some harder than others and I have actually considered going to a local Iyengar school but their schedule and mine do not match. But I am enjoying Power Yoga with slight undertones of Iyengar. And much to my surprise I have seen a few Yoga lineage disputes that make our MA lineage disputes look like a pillow fight.

More on styles of Yoga

http://www.yogasite.com/yogastyles.html

http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/Types_of_Yoga.htm

http://www.eomega.org/omega/knowledge/yogastyles/


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## kidswarrior (Jun 29, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> And much to my surprise I have seen a few Yoga lineage disputes that make our MA lineage disputes look like a pillow fight.


:xtrmshock



> More on styles of Yoga
> 
> http://www.yogasite.com/yogastyles.html
> 
> ...


Thanks for the links.


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 8, 2008)

Well I took yoga out of the workout and you know I actually missed it this time so I put it back into the workout. 

:uhohh: I fear I may be becoming  [gasp] :anic: ....peaceful :erg:


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## punisher73 (Sep 9, 2008)

tellner said:


> I did one of a bout a thousand Iyengar-derived Hatha Yoga styles for some time. When the Portland Yoga Shala was four blocks away I went there. But they were a little too eager to get everyone into Sanskrit and the Gita as quickly as possible.
> 
> Now I do the Five Tibetans along with my regular training.


 
I'm not very familiar with the Five Tibetans, is that the series of rites that start with spinning around as the first one?  Sorry, I don't know if it has a proper name or not.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 27, 2009)

Well I had an unexpected opportunity to train in classical yoga (whatever that really means) dropped into my lap and to be honest I am going to go and give it a try because I feel I really need to. Over the last few months I have had flare ups of one old injury after another to the point where last week walking was an issue as was standing upright. To be honest walking is still no joy.

A friend of mine, from taiji, that I knew did Yoga I recently found out was a Yoga Therapist and she is going to work with me to next to nothing. So for at least the next couple of months it looks like I will be training yang taiji and Yoga and getting Yoga Therapy and  lots and lots of acupuncture too. Hopefully I will come out of this feeling better than going in and not being a the human pretzel I have always feared yoga could potentially make me.

All this getting reacquainted with my old injuries apparently the result of me not paying attention to what my body has been trying to tell me for lets say oh.. the last 20 or so years.


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## Hyper_Shadow (Apr 27, 2009)

I'm a free runner and I feel that it helps my MA loads. It builds all over strentgh in the body and high level of general fitness. It helps control adrenaline stress and is excellent for training perception and foresight. It also allows me to enter into a seamless state of action that just stems from who I am, much like when I'm fighting. It's quite liberating.
Never done yoga, though I might give it a shot, so many folks seem to swear by it.


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## Aikikitty (Apr 28, 2009)

I started going to a yoga/pilates class (both in the same class) twice a week since January.  It is soooooo hard, but I feel so good after class.  I am very proud to say that for the first time in my life (that I can remember) I can touch my toes!  I couldn't even do that as a kid.  I'm also excited that I'm getting more flexiable and stronger.

I have no clue what style of yoga we're doing.  I wasn't aware until this thread that there were different styles.  I only thought there were just the "hippy instructors" and the other ones that are more fitness oriented.  Mine is more fitness and I like it that way.

Robyn


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 28, 2009)

The Opal Dragon said:


> I started going to a yoga/pilates class (both in the same class) twice a week since January. It is soooooo hard, but I feel so good after class. I am very proud to say that for the first time in my life (that I can remember) I can touch my toes! I couldn't even do that as a kid. I'm also excited that I'm getting more flexiable and stronger.
> 
> I have no clue what style of yoga we're doing. I wasn't aware until this thread that there were different styles. I only thought there were just the "hippy instructors" and the other ones that are more fitness oriented. Mine is more fitness and I like it that way.
> 
> Robyn


 
First style was Kipalu second style was power yoga but I found I couldn't take the "hippy instructors" so I left Kripalu and went for the more fitness oriented Power Yoga which I have been doing a lot on my own. However my friend who is big time into yoga feels the same way I do about the "hippy instructors" and is much more serious. She has also pointed me in the direction of an Iyengar teacher. But until now Yoga has always been secondary or on the back burner as compared to my CMA

But I have discovered, much to my surprise that lineage (by style) fits in Yoga make lineage fights in CMA look like a party.


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## girlbug2 (Apr 28, 2009)

Recently, my cardio bag class has incorporated some Yoga stretches into the warm up and cool down. It' s a particular type of Yoga which name I forget. It is challenging to hold the positions, however, the underlying sensation that I take away from it is BOREDOM.

I'm sure that for some people it is highly beneficial, but so far, not for me. I haven't noticed any diiference in my flexibility or strength. It doesn't make me more peaceful, unless you consider "sleepy" a form of peaceful. To tell the truth, I'm a cold-blooded sort, I take cardio bag class because I need help getting my blood pumping, I've never had a problem slowing down or focusing.

Sorry, I won't be jumping on this bandwagon anytime soon.


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## crushing (Apr 28, 2009)

I can see how yoga may be beneficial.  I do enjoy watching Namaste on FitTV.  Must be the soothing sounds.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 28, 2009)

crushing said:


> I can see how yoga may be beneficial. I do enjoy watching Namaste on FitTV. Must be the soothing sounds.


 
Be honest.. why do you REALLY enjoy watching Namaste on FitTV... :uhohh: NOT that I would be watching it with any other motive than an interest in Yoga mind you 

Yoga just seems like what I need at the moment and since I got the opportunity dropped into my lap I best take advantage of it and see if it is all it is cracked up to be. To be honest I have been looking at a few schools around me lately and none really impressed me, to much new age stuff and as previously mentioned too many "hippy instructors".

My first look at Yoga was many years ago and Kriplau and when I left I was literally telling people that although I most certainly do see benefit to yoga it is just WAAAAAAY to peaceful for me. But I was very happy that there were people out there that were that peaceful.


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## CoryKS (Apr 28, 2009)

Xue Sheng said:


> It is not so much the word Namasté that is the problem it is the "DAMN yoga people (tend to be) are so very calm, peacful and nice" and somehow describing myself as calm peaceful and nice while I am hitting trees, walls and throwing people and getting thrown by people just does not seem to fit .... Xue applies Qinna Lock and then say Namasté


 
If you love your work, I'm sure you will remain calm and peaceful even in the heat of arborcide.  If not, pretend that Namaste is Sanskrit for "Die tree!  Die! Die! Die!"  Use the William Shatner/Wrath of Khan yell for best effect:  "NAMASTEEEEEEEE!!!"


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 28, 2009)

CoryKS said:


> If you love your work, I'm sure you will remain calm and peaceful even in the heat of arborcide. If not, pretend that Namaste is Sanskrit for "Die tree! Die! Die! Die!" Use the William Shatner/Wrath of Khan yell for best effect: "NAMASTEEEEEEEE!!!"


 
:lol:

NOW your talking MY language


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 28, 2009)

I just found out what I am going to learn is Hatha Yoga.


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## crushing (Apr 28, 2009)

Xue Sheng said:


> I just found out what I am going to learn is Hatha Yoga.


 
Sounds like a Star Wars character.

Here is the wiki:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 28, 2009)

crushing said:


> Sounds like a Star Wars character.
> 
> Here is the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga


 

Strong is Hatha. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can :yoda:


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## Xue Sheng (May 6, 2009)

And so it beginstonight I go and find out just exactly how inflexible I am


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## Xue Sheng (May 6, 2009)

Back from the session and all I have to say is wow.

That was impressive; I have never got so much detail before in any Yoga class I have been in or from any yoga person I have talked to.

I LIKE IT!!!!


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## JadecloudAlchemist (May 6, 2009)

When do you get the Didgeridoo?


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## Xue Sheng (May 6, 2009)

JadecloudAlchemist said:


> When do you get the Didgeridoo?


 
Next month


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## Xue Sheng (May 21, 2009)

WOW!!!

This is MUCH harder than I remember or than I was doing and all I am currently doing are some basic exercises and a simple sun salutation and it is so COOL!!

A Private Yoga lesson with a Yoga Therapist gets you TONS of correction and oh yeah don't forget to breathe.... There is a lot more to Yoga than I knew and I absolutely love it. 

After this I will say the same about Yoga DVDs that I say about MA DVDs. They are at best a supplement to training with a good teacher.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 1, 2009)

I am beginning to think philosophically you cant "seriously" do both MA and Yoga. You can use Yoga to support your MA though physical training such as I was doing before with Power Yoga but I do not think you could use MA to support Yoga. You could do Yoga lite and MA lite I think but then you are not really doing either IMO.

I am rather happy I went down this path for a bit and I am still on it, I have had a lot of posture correction and I needed it. But I am getting right back to where I was many years ago when I went this route and tried to train Yoga more seriously, it is just way to peaceful for me. 

However this is just a thought that popped into my head this weekend (while looking at Systema stuff actually that is soon to cause anther post) and I could just as easily figure out my next weekend I am full of. well you know. But I have asked my Yoga instructor about it and I have also asked her why she quit MA

Just a thought :asian:


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 8, 2009)

Well my official Yoga training has come to an end... :hmm: must be Im now a master :lfao: . Not close, I have a whole lot more to learn and I honestly do not believe I could ever learn enough to call myself a teacher of Yoga little alone a master of it. A yogi I am not possibly Yogi bear but that is about as close as I could get.

My work schedule and teachers schedule have hit head on and work won (I keep saying it gets in the way and must go but does anyone believe me noooooo ). But I must say I have trained yoga before but I got so much more out of this short time than any other I have ever had. Her knowledge of things yoga is amazing. I have gained a lot more respect for yoga than I previously had, although I was fairly impressed with it before. I do believe I have a good beginners practice that will keep me going but I already see much of my past MA training creeping in and last week I stopped fighting that and the results were great. 

Which answers a previous post of mine that I do now think at some levels they work fine together and possibly at all levels.


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## searcher (Jun 8, 2009)

Xue-I am not sure how I missed this post when you first started it, but I teach Power Yoga.   If you are after strength and flexibility, it is what you want.   I train in other variations, but Power is my thing.

Keep going and it will continue to help you out.    If you are ever in Kansas, let me know and you can have fun in my class.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 8, 2009)

searcher said:


> Xue-I am not sure how I missed this post when you first started it, but I teach Power Yoga. If you are after strength and flexibility, it is what you want. I train in other variations, but Power is my thing.
> 
> Keep going and it will continue to help you out. If you are ever in Kansas, let me know and you can have fun in my class.


 
Thanks, I first trained Kripalu for a very short time, many years ago and then Power Yoga, but no official teacher that was on my own with DVDs based in my Kripalu and then most recently I trained Hatha. I liked what I was learning in Hatha and I received incredible detail in the postures I had never had before and it has helped immensely. I was looking at an Iyengar school near me but I have to be honest, after much thought on this I do not think I truly want to get into Yoga as much as my Hatha teacher and the Iyengar teacher are. I am first a martial artist.

However I do believe I will be taking this back to Power Yoga now that I can no longer get to classes with my Hatha teacher and, for me, I really look at Yoga as more of a support to my MA training than a training all itself and Power Yoga does that quite well and I rather liked it. But I was doing some things wrong that my recent teacher corrected and that is a good thing

I was looking for a Power Yoga teacher in my area but so far I have been unable to locate one. I thought I found one a month ago but when I called they were no longer teaching there. 

However I am rather happy I did train Hatha this last month it was an eye opener and I learned a lot. 

I even said Namasté at the end of every class and workout for the entire month. 

And if I am ever in Kansas I may take you up on that.


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