S/o yoga thread

I saw a Groupon for a local yoga place and decided to try it. I loved it. I went to that place for several months and learned all the poses. When my daughter was home from college for the summer she wanted a faster paced yoga so we went to a studio that offered Hot Yoga. That wa a workout!
Every place I have been has been different but the instructor is always helpful.

Yoga has been a good thing for my running, I'm mostly injury free. I've been doing yoga and running for about 3 years now. 

I started when I was in college because I needed a PE credit and ended up really enjoying it. I've been practicing on and off for about 8 years now.

I did it a few times at a gym years ago. I liked it, but didn't get hooked until 4 years ago at a small studio close to work. They offered lunch time yoga. It took me 2-3 classes a week for 6 months to really figure out what I was doing, and about 3 more months for it to start to click and make sense, so about 9 months til I felt like I knew what I was doing. Now I attend various classes (vinyasa, yin, aerial, ashtanga, restore) and have a solid home practice. I mediate more regularly, tho that is still a challenge.

I really think finding the right studio, teacher, style makes all the difference. It's a very personal choice. I gravitated towards power vinyasa and ashtanga, a more disciplined, fast paced approach. For me I've gone thru various stages of the journey, if you choose to learn about philosophy, you may have the same experience. At times I just practice karma yoga, not physical. I've learned to take things off of my mat and into everyday life. Imo, breathing is the most important aspect of a good yoga practice. I've learned that postures/asana don't matter.

I've always be active, worked out, gone to gym, but yoga changed the shape of my body as far as toning. My core is stronger, my waist became smaller, legs stay lean and toned. I never intended to learn arm balance or inversions, but with regular practice it has become a part of it. I still sometimes can't believe I can hold myself up on two hands, crazy.

For me the mental, emotional benefits far out weigh the physical. I could go on and on. I've recruited quite a few people to try it who have ended up loving it, some had to stop because of physical limitations/age, but there really is a class/style for everyone. I see all shapes and sizes and levels. If you go to a good studio, with a good teacher, and esp more experience students, no one is looking at you, I promise. Because as you practice, you learn to become more focused on your own mat, sometimes I practice with my eyes closed or you are also taught to unfocus your gaze.

There's no place for ego in yoga, tho it happens, but its all about learning to let go.

I highly recommend trying a studio/teacher trained in the far east if possible. Unfortunately becoming a yoga teacher in the US has turned into a business, dime a dozen, and there are some not very experience teachers.

When people do yoga "regularly", how many times a week is that? How much time commitment does it take to see improvement?

I do yoga videos a couple times a week to supplement my usual workouts. I don't go to classes, I don't like group exercise classes. I am more flexible and ave more muscle control. I also read yoga is good for your libido but can't confirm or deny

I've been doing yoga for about 18 months and began it as a way to help my sore back. The fact that it helps with stress and flexibility and so much makes it even better.

I do one class a week at a studio and then once or twice a week at home. I pay for 20 classes at time, so it's fairly affordable.

I started a yoga thread the other day - I just started my 4th week this week and enjoy it. I started because I had severe pain in my upper back/neck and shoulders. Like so bad I could barely get relief after seeing a chiro 3x's a week and going for massages 2x's a week (spending upwards to $200.00 a week) to try and get relief. We had a new place open a couple of months ago close by work and they were running a special 21 days for $21.00 and I thought I can do that. Within the first week I knew this is what I was lacking in my life. I got so much relief the first week I knew it could only get better. So here we are 4 weeks later and loving it. I am going 5 days a week - I'm lucky it is so close to work and a co-worker and I walk (weather permitting) there and walk back. It takes us about 15 mins to walk there and 15 back (we both walk fast) - We like the "lunch break" class at 12:00 - 12:45. But we also will mix it up and go to the 8:00 class. I've gone to the evening class and the afternoon classes too.