PlusAthletic » Yoga http://plusathletic.com Fitness Doesn't Care What Size You Wear! Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:02:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 Get More From Your Yoga Workout with a Simple Yoga Block http://plusathletic.com/get-more-from-your-yoga-workout-with-a-simple-yoga-block/ http://plusathletic.com/get-more-from-your-yoga-workout-with-a-simple-yoga-block/#comments Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:34:45 +0000 CJ http://plusathletic.com/?p=304 Gaiam All Grip Yoga BrickOne of the biggest challenges people face when first starting yoga is keeping your balance moving in and out of the various poses. I know the first few times I did the Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown I found it to be difficult to go as far down into various positions, not because I couldn’t do it, but because I would lose my balance.

Enter the Yoga Block (or Yoga Brick).  By giving you a little bit of extra support at a higher level you can achieve deeper stretches and build strength in a much safer way.  The Gaiam All Grip Yoga Brick takes it one step further by allowing a firm grip from all four directions, helping you maintain better control and stability during practice.

Whether you are a beginner, just getting the hang of yoga or advanced and want to challenge yourself with more advance moves, using a yoga brick as a training aid is a smart move!

Made of a lightweight dense foam the block measures 9 x 2.8 x 5.5 inches and weighs only 5.4 ounces.

You can purchase the Gaiam All Grip Yoga Brick at many sporting goods store and major department stores (like Target) or you can purchase directly through Amazon for under$12.

]]> http://plusathletic.com/get-more-from-your-yoga-workout-with-a-simple-yoga-block/feed/ 0 Plus Size Fitness & Yoga Pants http://plusathletic.com/plus-size-fitness-yoga-pants/ http://plusathletic.com/plus-size-fitness-yoga-pants/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:04:03 +0000 CJ http://plusathletic.com/?p=263 Finding plus size fitness/yoga style pants that not only fit but are comfortable can be a challenge. It used to be  that all the fitness pants I found were either too thin, too short, or would disintegrate after just a few washes. Recently I have had luck with the plus size yoga pants from Old Navy, the Champion brand in tall from Target, and I can always count on the plus size line from Adidas (available at Dick’s Sporting Goods) to last.

Another thing I like about a good fitness pant is that it can go from workout to daily wear pretty gracefully! Below are more women’s plus size fitness (or yoga or walking) pants that are well made, comfortable and will last.

 

 

]]> http://plusathletic.com/plus-size-fitness-yoga-pants/feed/ 0 Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown – A First Impression http://plusathletic.com/jillian-michaels-yoga-meltdown-a-first-impression/ http://plusathletic.com/jillian-michaels-yoga-meltdown-a-first-impression/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:16:47 +0000 CJ http://plusathletic.com/?p=234 Jillian Michaels Yoga MeltdownAccording to my workout plan for the week, today was supposed to be Kettleworx Cardio Week 1, but I did actually do Week 1 last Friday AND I had a “better offer” today – well, not better, just different. I have been wanting to add yoga in to my workouts because as I am getting older (as in over 40), I have noticed a major decline in my flexibility. Coming from someone who used to be rubberband-ish, this is not something I like to admit. I had not bought a yoga DVD yet, because I just didn’t know what to look for. Myndie at The Clean Eating Opera Chic mentioned Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown in a recent post so I figured it was worth a try – especially since the DVD is less than $10 through Amazon.

Amazon rocks because I ordered the DVD on Wednesday and it was here Thursday at no additional charge! I was going to work the yoga DVD into next week’s workout plan, but I just couldn’t wait to try it.

My initial reaction to the Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown.

I was worried that a yoga program would move too slowly for me and obviously Jillian Michael’s has the same thought. She incorporates traditional yoga poses and movements with her step it up kind of a style and turns them into dynamic movements with holds at the end to really challenge your muscles. The athletes she has demonstrating show multiple levels of difficulty which means you can easily start at Level 1 and work on it until you have mastered the beginner, intermediate and advanced versions of the routines.

The workout is 30 minutes and incorporates a warm up and a cool down along with a series of mini routines in the middle to challenge your legs, core and arms. Level 1 was a huge challenge for me! Partially because I am not really familiar with the yoga terms yet, and partially because my upper body is pretty weak. I made it through and expect to be a little sore tomorrow.

The one thing I really noticed when doing the workout is just how much flexibility I have lost. Hopefully by doing this workout along with the Kettleworx workout all winter, I will emerge into the spring with a level of fitness and flexibility that is much better making it easier to run outdoors. I am dealing with the effects of an old ankle break and early stages of arthritis so I am trying to do more indoor working out this winter while it is so cold.

Overall, I think I am going to like this type of yoga workout and think it will fit nicely into my workout plan this winter. And if it is a warm sunny day, I should still be able to get in a walk or light jog, because I feel like I worked out, but I don’t feel wiped out.

And my favorite Jillian quote of the DVD was something to the effect of “you need to get comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable!” LOVE IT!

Have you tried this workout? What did you think? Got a favorite Yoga DVD you think I should try? Share it in the comments below!

]]> http://plusathletic.com/jillian-michaels-yoga-meltdown-a-first-impression/feed/ 0 Stretching and Yoga with Kermit the Frog http://plusathletic.com/stretching-yoga/ http://plusathletic.com/stretching-yoga/#comments Sun, 23 May 2010 00:52:57 +0000 CJ http://plusathletic.com/?p=139 We all know how important it is to stretch before we exercise, but how do you know what stretches to do? Enter Kermit the Frog. Really! I found this great set of photos of Kermit demonstrating 15 excellent stretches that you can do at home or the gym to improve you overall flexibility and prevent injury.

Good stretches for injury prevention

When you visit the site click on the names of the stretches for more detailed instructions on how to do each one. Want to brush up on your yoga poses? Kermit has you covered – check out the Yoga Sun Salutations Kermit the Frog style!

Need more yoga ideas, tips and gear? Here are some of my favorites:

 

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