Could an occasional dabbler follow B Kest's Spinal Strengthening CD?

[deanne]

I love the versatility of Bryan's (& others') CDs. You really can pick & choose tracks to work on what you want or to fit in what time you have available. You don't HAVE to do all 90 minutes at once!

I just got SS & did Track 1/ CD2 this AM (hip openers). I can't wait to do the whole thing! I also love Long, Slow & Deep!

Deanne

[Daphne M]

Originally posted by Lisa TV
Daphne, are you looking for a long practice like that--90 mins? Or are you looking for something to open your back and shoulders that you can add on to your post-workout stretches?


Lisa

I know myself and I know that I will NEVER do 90 minutes of yoga in one swoop. I wish it were not so ... but it is.

Can I break it up into smaller parts and still keep to the spirit of the practice? From Deanne's post, it sounds as if that's what she does. Is that right, Deanne? If not, does anyone have any recommendations for a shorter yoga workout that would reverse an encroaching hunch? I usually like very quiet, calm yoga, but for some reason, I like Bryan's talkiness. He has a way of talking me into positions I never thought I could do.

Charlene, thanks for the loan offer. I can't take you up on it because it takes me eons to return things. I am postally-challenged. But you're really kind to offer.

[Lisa TV]

Originally posted by Daphne M
Can I break it up into smaller parts and still keep to the spirit of the practice? From Deanne's post, it sounds as if that's what she does. Is that right, Deanne? If not, does anyone have any recommendations for a shorter yoga workout that would reverse an encroaching hunch? I usually like very quiet, calm yoga, but for some reason, I like Bryan's talkiness. He has a way of talking me into positions I never thought I could do.

There's a segment on Erich's Backyard Beginner vid that's all shoulder and chest openers that I think is terrific. It'd be a 5-10 minute add on for you, if you cued up the vid to that spot (it may be on dvd now, it wasn't when it first came out).
Do you have a regular post-workout stretch routine that you run through on your own? You might consider adding a few yoga poses to that like "thread the needle", eagle (raising your arms up as high as possible), cow face, stuff like that. Let us know if that's the direction you'd prefer and I know the yoginis will come out with many more than that.


Lisa

[rad]

Originally posted by Daphne M
I know myself and I know that I will NEVER do 90 minutes of yoga in one swoop. I wish it were not so ... but it is...but for some reason, I like Bryan's talkiness. He has a way of talking me into positions I never thought I could do.

Yep. Never thought I could do 90 minutes of yoga, let alone 9. I HATED yoga! But as you said very aptly Daphne, "Bryan has a way of talking me into positions I never thought I could do." Or would WANT to do, in my case. And then when the session is over, because as far as time goes, it does pass very quickly, wow, will you feel amazingly wonderful.

And anyway, as Deanne indicated, it's apparently well-chaptered because she did one track on the second CD and seemed to have enjoyed a satisfying session.

Enough said. I'll step down from the altar and stop proselytizing.

[deanne]

Can I break it up into smaller parts and still keep to the spirit of the practice? From Deanne's post, it sounds as if that's what she does. Is that right, Deanne?

Yes! That is right. Yoga CDs are soooo versatile. Just skip right to where you want to work. I often find that it feels so nice, I just keep going!

I find Bryan's very easy to use because the booklet tells you just how long each track is, and I can skim through the illustrations to see what the exercises are. He *is* pretty clear about what you are supposed to be doing. You don't have to constantly refer to the booklet.

Spinal Strengthening's tracks are:
CD1
Track 1: Spinal Balncing (6:19)
Track 2: Side Arm Balances + (14:08)
Track 3: Seated Poses (17:05)
Track 4: Prone Poses (8:12)
Track 5: Camel & Lateral Poses (10:37)
Track 6: Standing Poses/Adv. Series (9:50)
CD2
Track 1: Hip & Leg Openers (8:11)
Track 2: Inversions/Finishing Poses (16:46)

Long, Slow & Deep's tracks are:
CD1
Track 1: Shifting Gears (4:31)
Track 2: Warm up, Right side (6:58)
Track 3: Warm up, Left side (5:59)
Track 4: Spread Leg Stretches (9:29)
Track 5: Reclining Leg Stretches, Right (11:40)
Track 6: Reclining Leg Stretches, Left (10:59)
Track 7: Plow/Shoulderstand Series (7:38)
CD2
Track 1: Tiriang Series, Right (9:44) foward bends
Track 2: Jilly Mack Series, Right (4:42) hip openers
Track 3: Tiriang Series, Left (8:56)
Track 4: Jilly Mack Series, Left (4:39)
Track 5: Counter Poses for the back (3:14)
Track 6: Forward bend and fist (12:03)
Track 7: Finishing Poses (10:34)

HTH! Deanne

[SharonNYC]

Spinal Strengthening is long, but it's tracked -- you don't have to do the whole thing.

My problem with his CDs is just that I find Bryan very annoying. He's a little more annoying in CD form than he is in the Power Yoga series. My solution: play music at a relatively high volume to drown out some of his Bryanness. The practice itself is very nice and easy to follow. (I just wish he'd shut up already!)

[suebella]

Originally posted by SharonNYC
Spinal Strengthening is long, but it's tracked -- you don't have to do the whole thing.

My problem with his CDs is just that I find Bryan very annoying. He's a little more annoying in CD form than he is in the Power Yoga series. My solution: play music at a relatively high volume to drown out some of his Bryanness. The practice itself is very nice and easy to follow. (I just wish he'd shut up already!)

I don't want to be a buzz kill here, but Bryan's CDs are different from that original power yoga series in that Bryan really lets his personality loose on them. There are more than few folks who find him very off-putting in these practices. It is really something to keep in mind.

You will learn a lot about Bryan while you're doing SS or LSD, even if you break it up into segments. Whether you like what you learn is obviously a personal thing.

I really like both practices, LSD and SS, and I agree that you can split them up to fit your time frame. In fact, they are among my favorite practices. I have a high tolerance for Bryan though.

[SharonNYC]

...another thought: Karen Voight's yoga stretch from Yoga Focus begins with some very nice shoulder stretches and then goes on to legs, hips etc. I think it would be a wonderful stretch after running or biking -- all floorwork. The shoulder stretches are like those Erich Schiffmann (I think he is/was her teacher) includes in his book. (Lisa's post is making me long for that Schiffmann DVD -- yes it's now in that format -- I just checked -- did not order...yet.)

There's another stretch my anusara teacher has me doing: stand facing a wall, extend your arm along wall with heel of hand pressing into wall (like administering a karate chop), turn body slowly away from wall while maintaining arm pressure on wall. I've been doing it everyday and it's a discernible big effect on opening my front shoulder and chest.

[rad]

And I wish people here would shut up already. It's such a turn off for others who are contemplating a yoga practice. But, hey, that's life, isn't it? And yoga is life, so I just take a breath and not be nearly as reactive as I would like to.

[SharonNYC]

Originally posted by rad
And I wish people here would shut up already. It's such a turn off for others who are contemplating a yoga practice. But, hey, that's life, isn't it? And yoga is life, so I just take a breath and not be nearly as reactive as I would like to.

Didn't mean to offend. Just trying to give my honest opinion.