I’ve really gotten into it

by JD in Portland , Portland OR, Thursday, January 02, 2020, 14:55 (2310 days ago) @ Jay

Pros:
Rejuvenating, energizing.
Helps a ton with flexibility which is important as you get older.
Helps with balance.
Helps with overall self awareness.
Gets you to understand the importance of breathing.
You feel much better afterwards even if you are not always comfortable during.
A good teacher can manage all levels and the fact that you are new to it isn’t a giant barrier like say in golf. Find a level 1 class for sure to start. Vinyasa is the most basic style though Ayengar while less common is a great way at to learn yoga imo.

Cons:
It’s not aerobic enough to help with weight loss.
It’s highly dependent on the teacher and there’s a million of them out there. Finding the right fit can take a bit of trial and error. Seek recommendations.
Some teachers can be simply too woo woo and I personally don’t go for the super Indian classes with the Ohm, the intense Indian music and referring to every pose in its Indian name.
It’s completely non competitive and you have to block out that you simply are trying not to fall over while everyone around you, invariably young attractive women, are highly skilled at it and making you look foolish if you think of it in those terms. No!
It’s not the slightest bit intuitive. You have to listen to the instructions and move accordingly and sometimes more quickly than your ears to brain to body are quite ready to manage.
It’s a process. You have to stick with it.

I do weights or resistance during the week, 2-3 times, and then yoga every Sunday and sometimes Saturday too. I have a teacher I swear by.
It’s overall been really good for me. My wife bought me some classes thinking it might help with stress. I didn’t want to do it and was ready to quit after 2 classes but it’s my favorite thing now.