So i'm going back to school later this summer to take a class so I can graduate early. Our school's recreation dept offers yoga and a power stretch class (among other things!), and I think I'd like to take both. (Twice a week for 55 min for a month) Is it worthwhile to take them both? Would it be bad to take them back to back, or is it better if I take them at different times?

... and, out of curiosity, how many of you do yoga or pilates? (and do you take classes or do it on your own?)

oh have any of you guys done the NYC Ballet workout dvds? What do you think of them? I did them a few times back in HS...

I heart yoga! hehe. Anyways, yoga has helped my core strenth, balance, and flexability. Nevermind that it helps stretch out sore muscles better than anything else I've tried. I go once (well, lately I've been trying to twice, but that doesn't always work out. My coach wants me to go twice or more a week). I also try and find time to practice on my own at home. My backspin (along with backspin exercises and other spins) has improved so much since I started doing yoga consistantly.

I would say to definately do the classes on seperate days. They seem like seperate classes that wouldn't mesh well together. Yoga is more calm, medatative, and relaxing. Power stretching seems like a more upbeat and energetic class.

Pilates is also fun. I have a DVD and do some on my own at home. It's really good for enhancing muscle strength. I'm not one of those machine/gym work-out people. But I find that pilates can work on most any muscle group, so I dont' need to work out on a machine at the gym. It can be difficult to do some of the positions correctly though if you've never done any pilates before.

yeah... I haven't done any pilates in ... oh, 4 years, and it was pretty beginner stuff

totally off topic, but i just figured out that the rink where i skate at home is doing a good walk on rate for their summer group classes (which is good, cause i can only go to 3-4 wks of it, so then i can go two times a week or something?), 10% off if you register by june 8th, and 3 passes for FS sessions to celebrate their 10th anniversary of group classes. so i can use those for private lessons potentially. Lol so i'm excited

I have the first NYC Ballet Workout DVD (currently on loan to Mrs Redboots ) and I quite like it. There are some good exercises in there for core strength and control (speaking as an ex ballet dancer) but not too hard to follow.

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Amanda

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance . . . "

My Skating Journal

Whoops - sorry! Forgot I had it. Will try to remember to give it to your coach next week (I don't see her very often as she no longer trains on the same session I do) to return to you after the Mountain Cup.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Don't worry - yoga is my "wrap my legs round my head" method of choice at the moment, so keep it as long as you like!

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Amanda

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance . . . "

My Skating Journal

Now I use a lot of power yoga in my off-ice warmup!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

I take yoga, just beginner stuff at home, and it has helped my flexibility and upper body strength a lot. Pilates helps core stability, which will help spirals, landings and footwork to name a few. Of course, stretching is always good.

I do a 90 min yoga class twice a week. I just started about 6 weeks ago, and I can already tell it's helping. I have better flexibility and body awareness on the ice, so my spins are getting better as are my jumps. Off the ice it really seems to be helping my back problems more than anything else I've tried, so I'm able to sleep better and it no longer bothers me when I'm sitting at work. The classes I do aren't power yoga, they're more focused on slow movement, deeper stretching, and relaxation (good after a hectic day at work, too)! I did a more power yoga type class once (going from position to position much more quickly). I didn't "dislike" it per se, but it didn't really serve my purpose since it was more of a workout and I do enough of that on the treadmill--I take yoga to stretch and relax.

I've done pilates in the past (did a class in college, and my synchro team the past 2 yrs did it once a week before practice). I liked it but I think yoga helps me more.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

Can you take both, then drop one of them after one or two classes, once you figure out which one you like better?

I'm intrigued. . . Are there good stretches as well, or is it mostly exercises?

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I've got the NYC Ballet video, but to be honest since I started taking a class I've realised how bad my technique was for the "real" ballet bits! However it has some great abs workout, which really do work. I use it alongside my class now I know how to do it properly!

I do yoga twice a week. It has totally helped my core (in terms of strength, though unfortunately I still have a bloatobelly). My camel spin is definitely better doing yoga regularly, as my technique sucks, but the core strength gives me the ability to muscle it. It also helps with peace of mind and "feeling" your wrong positions in skating (it gives you incredible body awareness). If all the ice rinks in the world closed, it's the only thing I like (almost) as much as skating. I can't say enough about yoga. The only thing I hate is the ending corpse pose. That hurts my back more than anything. It's supposed to be the "reward" for all your hard work, but it makes my funky spine scream like the dickens. The other thing I like is the non-competitive aspect. Yes, some people still do, but the place I go it is totally discouraged, and you're told to focus on yourself.

The abs part of this workout is great. I do a condensed version of their ab workout most nights while I watch TV, and it has definitely helped my core strength (as well as my appearance in a bikini!)

Around here I know of a few places which have free yoga and pilates sessions, and though I haven't been all that much, I do drop in periodically and I feel that it definitely helps as long as you push yourself to your own comfortable limits rather than just going through the motions (which will do next to nothing). I usually end up getting quite exhausted after an hour of either, and it exercises a lot of the more subtle muscles that are very important in skating.

I really need to start going to these things regularly myself.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

I'm pretty sure that no amount of pilates or yoga would help me look better in a bikini.

(sorry, couldn't resist! )

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

You have got to talk to your instructor about how Shivasana hurts your back - he/she should be able to help you with some accomodations so that you do not hurt yourself - placing a bolster under your needs or a blanket under your head or something so that you feel comfortable. Is the floor too hard? Try a thicker mat or placing a blanket between two mats. It shouldn't hurt - this is the point in your practice where you need to really rest and absorb the class as this is a good way for your body to integrate your practice.

Please get help -- and if your instructor blows you off, time to look for someone else!!

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I so agree. I too love yoga. My instructor says we can put the soles of our feet together and spread our knees for shivasana. Or, she says put a rolled-up towel under your waist.

I've tried everything to get my back not to spasm during Shivasana. And I've had the most awesome instructors who have tried to help me (in fact, Shivasana is my test for a studio/if I get a "tude" over a period of time, or if I get a negative vibe from several instructors, then I get PO'd/aren't we told to modify if something hurts?). I've tried the bolster, the legs up the wall, pillows, etc. I did do Shivansana in reclined butterfly for awhile, but unfortunately I got a hip injury that made that painful (I'm back to being able to do that now/my hip is 95% good, knock on wood).

I just now accept myself and modify and do it with my knees up and bent when I feel the need, and I really feel relaxed. The studios I frequent the most are very supportive of me/that, and that's why I love yoga. I've been practicing in my area long enough that most of the really great people are there for me, and it means the world. I'm a daredevil on the ice, but a scared bunny lying on my back and in pain. Everyone has their "it" thing. Mine are cobra pose and shivasana. Axel, no problemo!

Whew - I'm glad of this! Well, doing it with knees bent and even propped together is perfectly okay and yes - finding instructors who help you modify is the key - my teachers TOTALLY encourage modifications in all poses/levels - this is something I respect a lot in my yoga studio.

I've been in classes where people have pulled my hips up and back while doing downward dog and I'm saying the whole time, "No, don't do that - don't do that - this is what I do!" and they are saying "No -no no, it is wrong" - you better believe I never went back and never had anything good to say about them.

It's interesting in skating, although my coach will modify to accomodate, she is more likely to try to aim for the "perfect" position to make something work - and I totally respect that in skating, which of course, is more of a performance - so I can totally understand that you can do an axel (although I never did one) but that Shivasana and cobra are hard for you. I am one who has a difficult time and is uncomfortable in (get this) - Child's Pose.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I LOVE child's pose! hehe. And in the corpse's pose, I prop up my knees with a bolster to help keep my lower back from arching too much.

I used to love child's pose when I was younger (hmm... as I get away from my childhood further and further it becomes more and more difficult...) - but I am one of those people who has a very strong body, but I am not at all flexible and that has caught up with me as I've aged - so child's pose my body kind of stacks up (big legs) and I don't feel so comfortable - of course I have learned to modify it but I am jealous of those that just seem to be resting their heads comfortably on the floor...

But I love yoga and it empowers almost every aspect of my life, for which I am eternally grateful (if I didn't practice both physical and meditative yoga, I can't imagine where my life may have taken me over the years).

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/