Guest guest Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Yes, definately. The greatest difference for me has been in my arms and stomach muscles. c_karakatsanis <no_reply> wrote:Has any gained any strength from practising Ashtanga? ashtanga yoga Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2004 Report Share Posted March 31, 2004 Jeff, Please could you elaborate on that ? I gave up weight training myself . Cannot say that I gained/maintained strength in all body parts . Tanya. --- Jeff <jeffazi wrote: > While I haven't been practicing Ashtanga for very > long, I have > definitely gotten stronger. In fact, when I started > practicing > Ashtanga, I gave up weight lifting (because it makes > me too tight in > the shoulders and elsewhere) and I expected to lose > some strength. > But, just the opposite has occurred. > > jeff > Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. http://taxes./filing.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Hi Tanya, I always dreaded my doing weight training regime. If I lifted to gain strength (high weight, less reps), I got very stiff and lost a lot of flexibility or injured something, usually my shoulder. When I lift for endurance and stamina (low weight, high reps) I didn't see any strength gains. I've recently learned that there are ways to lift to gain strength while maintaining flexibility. In fact, one source (a book on stretching and flexibility) maintains that strength training is essential for dynamic and active stretching gains - passive stretching doesn't require as much strength. I've begun a stretching for flexibility regime that incorporates proper warm-up and stretching sequencing - light warm-up, dynamic, and sometimes active stretching before exercise and passive and isometric stretching after exercise when muscles are sufficiently warmed up. I've already noticed a lot of improvement in range of motion, and the ability to stretch actively and passively. You mention that you can't say that you have maintained/gain strength in all body parts since you gave up weight training. I should say that I didn't do any weight training below the waist. I tried it several times and it always made my calfs and quads very stiff and prone to cramping. I do cardio (power walking on 12 degree incline treadmill, stair-stepper, elliptical cross-trainers, rowing machines, stationary bikes) 5 days per week, 30 to 45 minutes per day at varying intensities and this keeps my legs strong and lean. Yoga has been key to all of this. The pace of Ashtanga (great for cardio health) and some of the poses and transitions between poses (the plank pose, the pose where you sit in lotus and lift your body up and hold it for a period of time, and several others) have all made me stronger. I understand that many yoga poses are considered weight bearing and function much like lifting weights for strength gains. For a great article on stretching and flexibility (which includes the definitions of some of the terms I used above, see: http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masrjb/Stretch/stretching_1.html The book I referenced above is called, "Stretching Scientifically" by Tom Kurz. Another good book is "Sport Stretch" by Michael J. Alter. The former is better is your goal is increased flexibility. I hope this makes sense and helps. : ) jeff In ashtanga yoga, Tanya Judge <judge_tanya> wrote: Jeff, Please could you elaborate on that ? I gave up weight training myself . Cannot say that I gained/maintained strength in all body parts . Tanya. > > --- Jeff <jeffazi> wrote: > > While I haven't been practicing Ashtanga for very > > long, I have > > definitely gotten stronger. In fact, when I started > > practicing > > Ashtanga, I gave up weight lifting (because it makes > > me too tight in > > the shoulders and elsewhere) and I expected to lose > > some strength. > > But, just the opposite has occurred. > > > > jeff > > > > > > > Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time. > http://taxes./filing.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2004 Report Share Posted April 5, 2004 Thanks Jeff. That was helpful . I guess I need to modify my practise to get more upper body strength which is lacking . regards, Tanya. ps. that is a good website you mentioned. --- Jeff <jeffazi wrote: > Hi Tanya, > > I always dreaded my doing weight training regime. If > I lifted to gain > strength (high weight, less reps), I got very stiff > and lost a lot of > flexibility or injured something, usually my > shoulder. When I lift > for endurance and stamina (low weight, high reps) I > didn't see any > strength gains. I've recently learned that there are > ways to lift to > gain strength while maintaining flexibility. In > fact, one source (a > book on stretching and flexibility) maintains that > strength training > is essential for dynamic and active stretching gains > - passive > stretching doesn't require as much strength. I've > begun a stretching > for flexibility regime that incorporates proper > warm-up and > stretching sequencing - light warm-up, dynamic, and > sometimes active > stretching before exercise and passive and isometric > stretching after > exercise when muscles are sufficiently warmed up. > I've already > noticed a lot of improvement in range of motion, and > the ability to > stretch actively and passively. You mention that you > can't say that > you have maintained/gain strength in all body parts > since you gave up > weight training. I should say that I didn't do any > weight training > below the waist. I tried it several times and it > always made my calfs > and quads very stiff and prone to cramping. I do > cardio (power > walking on 12 degree incline treadmill, > stair-stepper, elliptical > cross-trainers, rowing machines, stationary bikes) 5 > days per week, > 30 to 45 minutes per day at varying intensities and > this keeps my > legs strong and lean. > > Yoga has been key to all of this. The pace of > Ashtanga (great for > cardio health) and some of the poses and transitions > between poses > (the plank pose, the pose where you sit in lotus and > lift your body > up and hold it for a period of time, and several > others) have all > made me stronger. I understand that many yoga poses > are considered > weight bearing and function much like lifting > weights for strength > gains. > > For a great article on stretching and flexibility > (which includes the > definitions of some of the terms I used above, see: > > http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masrjb/Stretch/stretching_1.html > > The book I referenced above is called, "Stretching > Scientifically" by > Tom Kurz. Another good book is "Sport Stretch" by > Michael J. Alter. > The former is better is your goal is increased > flexibility. > > I hope this makes sense and helps. : ) > > jeff > Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway http://promotions./design_giveaway/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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