No photos this time…just a little something I’d like to share with everyone.
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Today I was lamenting to myself how much more I enjoy doing things like yoga or taking long walks rather than hitting the gym for a sweat inducing weight lifting session. I mean, it works for millions of people, and I do lift weights and go to the gym…but somehow, for me, it just feels wrong. Like, I don’t enjoy the exercise factor as much as I should…it becomes more of a routine and a thing to check off the daily “to-do” list. IÂ was fretting about this this afternoon when the last thing in the whole world I felt like doing was going on the elliptical machine in my apartment gym.
So, I started googling yoga classes on your ipod and I found my salvation!!! Seriously!!!! The website is called www.yogadownload.com and it features dozens upon dozens of full length, instructional yoga classes that you download and can play via your mp3 player. The classes range from $1.95-$4.95 and are grouped in categories such as power yoga, bikram, hatha, relaxation, core….ect. I figured it was only 5 bucks to spare, so I went ahead and downloaded the 90 minute Baptiste power yoga class. OH.MY.GOD! I am so sore! I was sweating buckets on my floor! It was amazing. I don’t feel like I had that kind of workout in ages. The class as challenging, funny, meditative….everything I could have asked for and more. It ran circles around anything I could have done at the gym and was super challenging—I feel like I just had a fantastic workout! Because I am so obsessed with it, I went back and just bought 4 more classes! I bought a morning class, a lunchtime one, a detox one and a core one…2 are 30 minute classes and 2 are 60 minute classes because I thought I could do these instead of bust my butt and go to the gym every morning before work.
So yeah—just wanted to share! I’m pretty picky when it comes to yoga and I give this a huge thumbs up! Yall need to seriously check this out….
ibex hk
June 28, 2008 at 11:09 pmCOOOL! these sound so fun and very convenient. Thanks for the link~
enjoy you’re weekend, your break is SO soon- almost there – you totally deserve it!
Jill - GlossyVeneer
June 28, 2008 at 11:40 pmI love yoga. I’m also a runner and found that stretching after runs was always an irritation to me. Then I found the ‘Yoga for Runners’ download on iTunes and it’s the perfect cooldown for me. I love having it on my iPod, it’s a great way to stretch out and align my joints and muscles after a long (or short) run. I can’t wait to checkout this site!
My hair stylist, she decided a couple years ago that the gym scene wasn’t for her. She does yoga everyday now, varying the types of yoga to keep a good rounded exercise plan and she said she feels far better than she ever did when she was forcing herself to go to the gym when it went against her nature. She’s very mindful of her body and mind connections and it seems to work well for her. Maybe that’s what will work for you!
Alicia
June 29, 2008 at 12:05 amI’m heading for a vinyasa class at 11 am later. Really looking forward to my weekly class despite being so tired due to lack of sleep.
Sometimes I’m not in the mood to do yoga as some moves can be so ‘painful’ to hold but I always feel better after a class.
Julz
June 29, 2008 at 12:06 amTHis post is fabulous. ENough said. Cheers to it all <3
polly
June 29, 2008 at 1:11 amHey Jenna! We just got back from vacation and was happy to read your blog! I too, am a yoga nut. 🙂 I prefer Anusara style, not as fast as vinyasa and very detailed and fun loving. Have you ever done yoga with an anusara teacher? I also love Baron’s DVD’s. I have that Rodney Yee one you recently got, too!
I have another yoga website (FREE) that you can download classes on your computer and see them like a TV… each class is 60 minutes. They are all different styles and levels of practice. I love Neesha (the Anusara teacher) I think you’d love her, as she is very sweet and funny and seems to be like you! (although I don’t know you, but can tell from your blog that you seem like that) 🙂
You might try it out. It’s http://www.yogatoday.com
I am a little behind… but did you get that job at Publix? I forget if you heard back from them? I never go to Publix as I live up north, but on our vacation we stopped by one, and I thought of you back there icing cakes. 🙂
Have a fun night. Hope you enjoy your break from school! Sorry so many questions in one post. Love, Polly
Meghan
June 29, 2008 at 3:10 amJenna (and/or whoever else!) – I have a question! My school’s gym has yoga class, but it’s not really a class, everyone just shows up and they pop in a video (or so I’ve heard, and thus plan to never attend). I took one yoga class back in high school and absolutely LOVED it and would love to do a combo of yoga and running on alternating days of the week. My problem is, I don’t have the means to attend an actual yoga class, so do you think something like Polly mentioned in her post (yogatoday.com) would allow me to start practicing yoga even though I’m very experienced? Or should I just try to hardest to make it to a class?
I’d love to be able to download yoga “classes” to my ipod, but I’m a visual learner so I’m not quite sure how that would work out.
Thanks!
nicole r.
June 29, 2008 at 3:18 ami totally agree with you, jenna!! I dont even remember the last time i did any cardio that wasnt in the form of hot yoga (i dont care what anyone says—this is DEFINITELY a cardio activity! god how i love hot vinyasa…not a bikram girl, i need speedy yoga haha). i hateee the gym. i hate the whole vibe of the gym. sounds cliche, but don’t you just feel so much better about yourself in the yoga atmostphere? i never tried yoga download, but i think i actually can download some for free!! in new york a few weeks ago, we had “solstice in times square” where the times square alliance hosted an entire day’s worth of FREE classes outside in the middle of times square in honor of summer solstice!! i went, and they gave us a gift bag full of coupons for free classes at studios all across the city (as well as a free mat!), and one of them is (i thinkkk) for yogadownload, so I’ll have to check that out!!
polly
June 29, 2008 at 12:27 pmHi Meghan!
You will be great with yogatoday.com. They have all levels. All 3 teachers are wonderful and you can pick and choose from past classes, and the cool thing is all the classes are filmed outdoors, which I love! Let me know what you think.
polly
June 29, 2008 at 12:31 pmHi Nicole R!
If you love speedy yoga (which is fun too) you will find some yogatoday.com classes that are perfect for that. Adi and Sarah teach some more advanced classes that will seriously kick you in the butt. I love they yoga atmosphere too. I used to teach bootcamp classes, body conditioning, ran often, etc. Now I’m just a yoga girl. 🙂
Lauren
June 29, 2008 at 12:49 pmJenna, thank you for posting this link! I downloaded 3 of the classes yesterday evening, and just did the power yoga one you recommended. Oh my God, I loved it! I wasn’t in the mood to go running this morning but still wanted to get a heart-pumping workout, and that totally did the trick. Such a fantastic website!
Mandee Lei
June 29, 2008 at 9:13 pmI just want to say how thankful I am to both Jenna and Polly for the great links. I have struggled for a long time with exercise and healthy eating. My brain understands the “rules” or guidelines of nutrition and fitness, but my heart never feels connected to the process. When I changed my eating habits, very similar to what Jenna did, I noticed a huge change. I stopped logging my foods into my food diary and started to eat intuitively again. I found enjoyment and happiness in food all over. I was still struggling with what to do about exercise. The gym started to feel like a chore. I love weight lifting but hate the gym atmosphere and really hate structured cardio like treadmills and the like. I have always been the health nut at work and amongst my friends and family, and too be honest I felt nutty! I would work 9hrs and then FORCE myself to the gym for an hour like it was my second job. It’s just so refreshing to feel healthy, happy, and ALIVE again!