Maine Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Jacki, tell me about your yoga.
Do I remember you go to the donation-based place in Falmouth? Maybe I totally made that up. Were you moderately bendy when you started? How often do you go?
Anyone else who yogas, chime in. I'm trying to decide (again) if I want to try it out and I'm an obsessive question-asker/researcher.
Re: Jacki, tell me about your yoga.
You didn't make it up! And I LOVE to talk about it, lol.
I go to Yogave in Falmouth (www.yogave.com), which is a donation-based studio. You can buy a monthly unlimited pass, or donate per class. There is no minimum donation per class, which is great because it makes yoga accessible. I've met some really great people there and a lot of the instructors are amazing.
I started going there when a nestie I knew from a national board, who ended up moving to Maine and becoming an IRL friend, invited me. I was recovering from a really bad sinus infection that knocked me out of half-marathon training last year and needed to get active again. My first class was HEATED vinyasa flow, lol, I almost passed out but quickly became hooked.
Before starting I was not very bendy, and I have a knee injury that I work around in my left knee. Yoga has changed my body more than any other fitness activity ever. Full stop. Right now I go about twice a week but need to up that to 3 or 4. If you are ever interested in going to Yogave definitely PM me, I have some recommendations to offer as far as classes or instructors, and I would love to meet you there!
Right now they are doing a "back to basics" on Saturdays with two really great instructors. Awesome way to get started without the pressure you may feel jumping into an all-levels class (which most of the classes there are). All-levels is great because it will push you, but if you're new, it's also good to have the opportunity to really learn the basics and have personal attention and adjustment by the teacher!!
Oh, I have heard great things about that place!
I used to be really into yoga before I moved here and have just been lazy (for over a year and a half) about finding a place to go. I recently met a gal who loves Lila, which is in Portland, and hope to look into signing up for a class there soon.
Where I used to live, there weren't a ton of options and I think I am overwhelmed with studio choices now and it's keeping me from making a decision and a commitment...I miss it greatly, though. I find it very calming and empowering at the same time. Plus, it can be a great workout. I also tend to use a lot of the stretching moves for post-workout cool-downs when I'm doing more strenuous activities.
For me a big thing was the instructor. Keep in mind that if you find yourself not connecting with the teacher, you can always try another class or another studio. I've had teachers that I really loved and ones that just didn't do it for me and it makes a world of difference.
Good luck!
Butting in....where do you go in the Kennebunk area? The gym I used to go to closed and love taking yoga and Pilates classes. In my, hopeful yet probably unrealistic mind, I'd love to find a place to take 1-2 classes a week after the baby is born.
Maeghan- do you go somewhere down here?
I've tried a few yoga dvds and I just can't stay motivated to get through it by myself. I have always been into more aerobics type tapes at home, but I feel like if I was in a class I would be more apt to follow through (and know that I'm doing the poses correctly).
I've also done quite a bit of mat Pilates and I wouldn't consider it high impact. Though, to me, when I think of high impact, I think of joint impact, which had always been a concern to me because of an old knee injury. Pilates was something I was doing at home in conjunction with physical therapy to help rebuild strength and flexibility. I don't do it too much anymore because I've become obsessed with Jillian Michaels' DVDS, but I used to use the Windsor Pilates workouts all the time. Mari Windsor is a bit annoying, but I found her series to be really effective.
This helps for me. I tried yoga a couple times at home with an online video - like 10 min. each, nothing major - but it wasn't till I went to a class that I really enjoyed it. Having an instructor to adjust you helps a lot, and being surrounded by other people is motivating for me. Not in a competitive way but in a really cool, collective energy kind of way. I know that may sound weird, but it's nice. That's why it is really important to find a studio and instructor you connect with. For me, that's a big part of the benefit - the community aspect of it - and the physical stuff feels far better when that community stuff is there.
I go to Quest Fitness in Kennebunk and am really happy with their yoga and pilates classes, they also have a variety. Not just general yoga and pilates.
I don't think of pilates as high impact. I think of high impact as jumping, hurting your joints etc. As far as which is harder? For someone who has joint issues, I think yoga is harder. There are more planks etc, although the pilates does have some of that in it.