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In my experience, the secret is highly correlated to the preparation that I do before the work even begins. What this means is practicing a daily combination o

• a3voices 13y ago
  Going on a walk outside in the morning like I do is probably better exercise than yoga.
  • brodney 13y ago
    Why do you think that?
    • a3voices 13y ago
      Because your body is in motion the entire time.
      • brodney 13y ago
        I'm a little biased because I do practice yoga. But I also walk. And, for me personally, yoga is always a more vigorous workout. I can't imagine how walking could ever approach the level of intensity yoga provides.
        • deleted 13y ago
          [deleted]
        • rhizome 13y ago
          Well, they're different exercises. Walking burns just about the same number of calories, though.
          • lem72 13y ago
            According to this, Yoga burns more calories at all intensity levels: http://www.weighttraining.com/features/burning-calories http://www.weighttraining.com/features/burning-calories
  • grecy 13y ago
    Agree, and going Nordic skiing is better exercise than using a Nordic Ski machine. One of the massive benefits of living 60 deg. North, where it's winter 9 months of the year.
  • AbhishekBiswal 13y ago
    Plus it's easier to do than yoga.
    • elwell 13y ago
      Yes, and you can combine it with other purposes (travel). I intentionally get off the bus at an earlier stop so I can walk through a quiet neighborhood to my apartment.
      • AbhishekBiswal 13y ago
        There's a difference between walking to your house exhausted and walking for no reason. I like to go for a run everyday, I feel good after it. Never tried yoga, and don't have any plans to try it.
  • Arjuna 13y ago
    "Going on a walk outside in the morning like I do is probably better exercise than yoga." I also enjoy walking (and hiking). My personal take is that, rather than viewing one form of exercise as being superior to another, I view different forms of exercise in how they can serve me and fulfill me in their own, unique ways. Yoga serves me in a different way than walking does, and vice versa. By the same token, kettle-bells serve me in a different way than yoga does, or mountain biking does, or any other fill-in-the-blank exercise activity does.
  • dredmorbius 13y ago
    Fitness activities are goal-dependent. There is no one "best" exercise, and generally a balance of training methods is used to achieve specific goals. There are different modalities to exercise. Many of them are complimentary. All of them hit a rate of diminishing returns in finite time. What you do (how you train / what your fitness routine is) depends on your goals and needs. Generally, there are: • Short-term energy systems training: high-intensity cardio. Characterized by high-intensity intervals, Tabata, fartlek, or similar training protocols. A Tabata workout runs 4 minutes. • Long-term endurance energy systems training: this can help train the body to more efficiently mobilize fat stores. It's what many people think of as "exercise": long, slow, steady-state activities such as walking, cycling, etc. • Strength training: high-level resistance training to near failure in the 1-20 reps range, generally. This contains within it additional modalities: strength, hypertrophy, endurance, isolation, compound, plyometrics, speed / Olympic lifts, etc. Also involves progression, periodization, and micro / meso / megacycle training variation. • Prioreception / fine motor control: not entirely the same thing, but essentially training your coordination and skills. This could be gymnastics moves involving strength and balance, pitching or tennis accuracy, or fine motor control utilized by musicians. • Mobility work: much of the asana practice of yoga delves into this, but myofascial release (self-induced or received massage), heat and cold therapy, etc., play into this. • Relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, visualization: different aspects of relaxation, many involving stilling the inner voice. The meditative practice of yoga is an embodiment of this. • Rest and recovery. Anyone training hard becomes a sleep whore. An eight hour minimum, and often sleep binges of 10-12 hours, aren't uncommon for athletes in serious training. • Diet. Fueling the engine, specific to your goals, is key. Micro and macronutrients, timing, and caloric content are the major factors. "Yoga" itself is a multi-form discipline (the eightfold path) of which asanas (poses) are only one component.
• adam12 13y ago
  I agree that you don't need a gym. You really don't even need any equipment at all. There are some great cardio workouts on YouTube.
  • mrtron 13y ago
    The MVP of gym equipment is kettlebells.
• impendia 13y ago
  How much yoga do you do in the morning? Is there a set amount you recommend? I often go to group yoga lessons (90 min., in the evening), but an hour and a half is a bit much for the mornings ;) Thanks!
  • happimess 13y ago
    My strategy is to do sun salutations until my body fully warms up, and then do a handful of (usually standing) poses that seem like they'd feel good. It may take me 10 or 15 minutes. More is great, of course, but even a brief session does wonders.
  • Arjuna 13y ago
    90 minutes is legendary! I work a 45 minute morning yoga routine. That seems to be an optimal amount of time for me to do some good work and find my bearing. After warming up, the core of the routine is a modified version of the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation). For example, the flow for this is: 1. Start in a standing position like Mountain pose, but with hands in Namaste. 2. Stretch the arms up and out to either side (parallel to the floor) and bend forward (like a dive). 3. Move the arms in and reach down to the floor. 4. Flow into plank (push-up position: palms on the floor, elbows slightly bent and knees off the floor). 5. Flow into upward dog (knees off the floor). 6. Flow back into plank and do a push-up. 7. Flow into downward dog. That is the start of the routine, and everything revolves around it. For example, after step 7, I perform different asanas, like Warrior I, Warrior II, Reverse Warrior, Triangle pose, etc. Then, I flow back by reversing the steps (i.e., 7 through 1). Near the end of the overall routine, I close out with balance asanas, including Chair pose, Side arm balance, Warrior III, etc. Once my coding day is done, I rock a 45 minute round of some other form of exercise (i.e., not yoga). I personally find that a twice-a-day routine really helps me with my cadence and outlook in all aspects of my life. Hope that helps!
• User8712 13y ago
  The gym has one main advantage, you invested time to get there. When I had a gym in my apartment building, I'd put on my gym clothes, go down there, and workout for an hour without a problem. Once I was there, I had no trouble staying. Now, I have some gym equipment in my room. This doesn't work nearly as well. I'll start to workout, then check that forum post to see if anyone replied, then I'll browse YouTube for some music, then I might do a few sets, and finally I get distracted by something and quit. For me, the gym, or biking outdoors works best. Once I'm on my bike, I'll mess around for hours. If I try to bike indoors, I'll last about 2 minutes.
  • alleycat 13y ago
    This has been my problem also. I've kinda solved it by dedicating one specific empty space in my place to working out (a room or what not), with the one mental rule that I'm not allowed to exit this area at all until I've finished my workout.
• munimkazia 12y ago
  Sadly, for me, my work day starts with a crazy hectic 90 minute commute to work. By the time I reach the office, there isn't time for anything else but to get started on work.