Feminizing workouts?

[Laurie]

Sorry about that,  those darn keyboards Fixed it now though 

  Jemmy was closer to Jenny than Maureen was as I was calling her. Now what is she thinking about these site moderators who cannot get her name right? I even said "Hi Jenny" then proceeded to call her Maureen. Oy vey 

[Charlie Nicki]

(Serious yogi here)
Guy or girl, yoga returns the body to the original build pattern. This can make a BIG difference if someone has changed their body's hormones. There are yoga styles for every age, body build and level of fitness. I'm an Ashtangi, started yoga about 8 years ago and practice every day, more for the spiritual aspects than as a form of exercise. At 58 my 5 foot 10/145 pound yoga body looks like I'm 30 something

The body awareness of yoga tends to improve posture. Rolling the thighs in tilts the top of the pelvis forward. This increases  the arch in the low back making the butt stick out and increasing the arch in the chest to compensate.

At least in the US Mid Atlantic, the rules about yoga pants only being worn in public going to or coming home from practice and your top being long enough to cover the top of your bum have pretty much gone by the wayside. Yoga pants pretty much suck in the middle of summer but I haven't give a second thought to pulling on a pair on casual days for at least 5 years...

So yoga can indeed feminize you? Seems like it's the most voted option here.

[JennyBear]

So yoga can indeed feminize you? Seems like it's the most voted option here.

    Yes it can, and it works two different ways. 1. The aforementioned posture and body awareness. 2. Any exercise regimen based on low resistance and stretching the muscles has a propensity to feminize the physique. The mere act of frequent stretching causes current fibers to slightly elongate, losing a fraction of their bulk. It also encourages new fibers to grow in the "lean, slow twitch" pattern rather than the bulky fast twitch. Simply moving a hair slower with added grace will also lend a more feminine appearance to others, and help keep any klutzes we have from bumping into people and blowing their "cover."  This same principle (frequent stretching) also holds true in most martial arts, in particular Tai Chi, which is extremely similar in form, practice, and mindset to yoga. They both have a common origin after all. Tai Chi itself being a blend of early kung fu and ancient yoga techniques. The same could be said for flexibility based dancing, in particular ballet.

HUGS!

[JennyBear]

  Jemmy was closer to Jenny than Maureen was as I was calling her. Now what is she thinking about these site moderators who cannot get her name right? I even said "Hi Jenny" then proceeded to call her Maureen. Oy vey 

    Actually I was thinking, "Well, it's after 2 am. Maybe they're just tired." You both quickly replied and corrected the mistake, once brought to your attention. That's about all I can ask for. I am in no position to judge you for making a simple human error. So, no worries, unless it happens again.  J/K

HUGS!

[Laurie]

    Actually I was thinking, "Well, it's after 2 am. Maybe they're just tired." You both quickly replied and corrected the mistake, once brought to your attention. That's about all I can ask for. I am in no position to judge you for making a simple human error. So, no worries, unless it happens again.  J/K

HUGS!

Hi again Jenny,

   That excuse could work for me because I am on the west coast, but it won't work for Liz because it would have been only about 8 PM for her. She's and upside down under kind of girl.

[JennyBear]

Hi again Jenny,
     That excuse could work for me because I am on the west coast, but it won't work for Liz because it would have been only about 8 PM for her. She's and upside down under kind of girl.

    Still, no worries. And no more thread-jacking. LOL 

HUGS!

[Charlie Nicki]

    Yes it can, and it works two different ways. 1. The aforementioned posture and body awareness. 2. Any exercise regimen based on low resistance and stretching the muscles has a propensity to feminize the physique. The mere act of frequent stretching causes current fibers to slightly elongate, losing a fraction of their bulk. It also encourages new fibers to grow in the "lean, slow twitch" pattern rather than the bulky fast twitch. Simply moving a hair slower with added grace will also lend a more feminine appearance to others, and help keep any klutzes we have from bumping into people and blowing their "cover."  This same principle (frequent stretching) also holds true in most martial arts, in particular Tai Chi, which is extremely similar in form, practice, and mindset to yoga. They both have a common origin after all. Tai Chi itself being a blend of early kung fu and ancient yoga techniques. The same could be said for flexibility based dancing, in particular ballet.

HUGS!

Sounds great. And good to hear it from a professional like you. I will have to start looking into yoga classes then [emoji846]


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[JennyBear]

Sounds great. And good to hear it from a professional like you. I will have to start looking into yoga classes then [emoji846]

    Thanks for the compliment. As I stated before, I care about the health and well being of everyone here. I'd rather put in the time to make sure people are properly educated than run the risk of causing themselves harm or emotional suffering simply because I didn't put in the minimal effort it takes to write a simple thread post or private message. Again, Feel free to message me regarding further explanations or ideas tailored to your individual needs. That goes for all forum members, not just the OP. Just don't ask for Yoga details, I am far from the expert on that specific topic. LOL Flytrap would be a better source of further info there.

HUGS!

[Jessica]

Hi girls 🙋🏼 I've been using my elliptical for exercise.  I'm trying to work off the fat on my abdomen while hopefully increasing my butt and thigh size.  Will this exercise help me accomplish this?
Thanks, Jessica 💁

[Deborah]

Hi girls [emoji1384] I've been using my elliptical for exercise.  I'm trying to work off the fat on my abdomen while hopefully increasing my butt and thigh size.  Will this exercise help me accomplish this?
Thanks, Jessica [emoji136]

It will burn calories and so fat and is a good cardio exercise.  It will not do much, if anything, to increase thigh and butt size.  To increase those sizes without just adding fat you need to increase the size of the muscles.  The two best exercises for those particular body parts are squats and deadlifts.  In my opinion the best are heavy barbell squats and deadlifts but there are other variations that are less stressful.


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[JennyBear]

Hi girls 🙋🏼 I've been using my elliptical for exercise.  I'm trying to work off the fat on my abdomen while hopefully increasing my butt and thigh size.  Will this exercise help me accomplish this?
Thanks, Jessica 💁

    I agree with Deborah, with some additions: While it will burn calories and increase your heart rate, which is great for cardiovascular health and yes, does burn body fat in general, it will not target your abdomen. There's a reason people that solely focus on cardio tend to have an overall lean, rather than curvy appearance. While Squats and Deadlifts are great for increasing mass in the thighs and buttocks, they are also very dangerous when not done properly. You have to be trained to do them well. There are alternatives that closely mimic those two in function and results, such as the leg press or inclined sled press. Your routine also matters, as well as how often it is varied. Diet and nutrition are also key factors. You really should give my much longer (novel length) post on page 3 a read. It details specific facts regarding spot increase and decrease.

    Any exercise is better for overall health and fitness than sitting on the couch. So, nothing is wrong with using it. However if you have specific goals in mind, or specific concerns, (arthritic hip for example,) focus on the specific goals and concerns first. It is much easier to address your needs from that angle than it is from starting with any given exercise. We are all here to help. Message me if you feel the need.

    Stay Safe and Good Luck on Your Goals.

HUGS!

[Roll]

Regarding yoga, is it just "go do yoga" in general or are there any specific recommendations here? (ie: Particularly good youtube videos, sites, etc.)

I've tried to do some to increase my flexibility and posture, but I keep running into walls with poses and exercises I simply could not do and got discouraged.

[JennyBear]

Regarding yoga, is it just "go do yoga" in general or are there any specific recommendations here? (ie: Particularly good youtube videos, sites, etc.)

I've tried to do some to increase my flexibility and posture, but I keep running into walls with poses and exercises I simply could not do and got discouraged.

    Flytrap, you wanna take the lead on this one? She is much more of a yogi (yoga guru) than I am. But what I'm getting from her other posts is that while doing it in general has great benefits, some techniques are better than others.

    Regarding running into walls, (hope you meant that metaphorically,) can't or couldn't are not a good frame of mind to be in when trying to improve fitness. You might not have been able to at the time. But real, lasting results come not from major strides, but continuous incremental improvements, aka "Baby Steps." Your diet alone can affect the elasticity (flexibility) of your muscles and ligaments, and hinder progress. Your mindset is equally powerful. Just don't shoot for too high of a short term goal and get discouraged when you fail to reach it. A better goal than attaining a specific pose on any given day would be to get an inch closer each week. Injuring yourself while pushing too hard too fast can have disastrous results, the least of which being no further progress until you recover. Stay Safe,

HUGS!

[flytrap]

Regarding yoga, is it just "go do yoga" in general or are there any specific recommendations here? (ie: Particularly good youtube videos, sites, etc.)

I've tried to do some to increase my flexibility and posture, but I keep running into walls with poses and exercises I simply could not do and got discouraged.

Hatha Yoga is about quieting the mind so the spirit can experience itself. This practice has many benefits for the physical body as well.  It isn't exercise or gymnastics or the about the shapes a person can bend themselves into. It is about movement with intention and focus on the breath.

The best style of Hatha yoga is the one a person will practice. Physical fitness, age and health play a role, but it really comes down to what it takes to quiet a person's mind. Some people need a high level of activity (Ashtanga, Power and Rocket Yoga), regimentation (Ashtanga and Bikram), precision (Iyengar and Anusara), constant flow of movement (Vinyasa or Flow Yoga), music or a teacher to guide them so they can stay focused.  There are also therapeutic classes for people with physical limitations,  restorative/Yin classes for people wanting to balance their Yang energy and Bikram for those who enjoy a good sweat cleanse. Most postures are held for five breathes and are arranged in a sequence that prepares the body for what is coming next. It's ok to experiment with several styles to find  the style that works best.

Yoga is very different from exercise and gymnastics. The shapes a person bends themself into are merely a way to help the mind focus on breath. Progress is not measured by the postures a person can or cannot do and there is no single way to explore them. Postures should be modified to accommodate injuries, an individuals body and their physical limitations.

As a person's practice deepens, it takes less and less effort to quiet the mind. I have gone from doing over 75 to about a dozen postures in my 90 minute practice each day, but hold them from 10-100 breaths. After a few years I began to prefer practicing alone and Mysore style (non led class where the teacher is available for adjustment) because led classes and videos began to intrude on the solitude of my practice.

The best way to begin a yoga practice is by going to a Foundations/Beginners class. It is very important to learn the basics about protecting the body from injury and linking breath to movement. If that is not possible, "Yoga With Andrianne" is a popular way to learn traditional Hatha Yoga at home. https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

[JennyBear]

Physical fitness, age and health play a role, but it really comes down to what it takes to quiet a person's mind.
As a person's practice deepens, it takes less and less effort to quiet the mind.

    Sounds similar to the Zen meditation techniques I learned while studying Martial Arts in Japan. Meditation is absolutely necessary for advanced breaking (bricks and boards) techniques. It can realign chakras an speed up healing. Also helps to harness and focus the Chi, which can lead to astounding feats of strength, or the elimination of all pain from the body, including freezing temperatures. For Martial Artists, it can also help you to predict an opponents movements just as if they telegraphed them (overly obvious next move.) Only downside is, without mastery, you can be vulnerable in a deep meditative state, as you are temporarily unaware of your immediate surroundings.

    Referencing your PM, I'm learning from you as well. I may have a lot of experience and be sort of a Jane of all Trades when it comes to health, nutrition, and fitness, but I'll be the first to admit that I don't know everything (at least, not yet. ) We should definitely trade notes, lol.

HUGS!

[flytrap]

A martial arts friend of mind and I spend hours discussing the parallels you mention between the two disciplines. Yoga too has its dark side and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have their roots in Buddhist philosophy. The most significant difference between yoga and the martial arts we have been able to see is the level of fitness and health required by each. There is much value to exploring yoga postures as basic as standing at attention and breath retention and control techniques (Pranayama) are available by people restricted to wheelchairs or even beds. Although my friend's health no longer allows him to practice martial arts, at my urging he made an easy transition to yoga.

I am looking forward to trading notes!

[elkie-t]

Many martial arts borrow yoga postures for muscle stretching and warm up. So many martial artists aren't strangers to yoga, although approaching it with a different mindset.


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[elkie-t]

Btw, I am going tomorrow to my first yoga class...


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[JennyBear]

Many martial arts borrow yoga postures for muscle stretching and warm up. So many martial artists aren't strangers to yoga, although approaching it with a different mindset.

    Not so much borrowed as sharing a common origin. While an individual artist may specifically use yoga to stretch, the art itself (at least the vast majority) traces its origins back to south central asia, the same region that gave birth to yoga. A lot of practitioners of traditional martial arts practice zen Buddhism, just like Yogis. Tai Chi, which started as a very yoga-like stretching and meditation routine before becoming a philosophy and combat art in its own right, demonstrates this quite well. A lot of Martial Arts borrowed directly from Tai Chi, which, in turn shared its origin with yoga. Both of these, Yoga and traditional Asian Martial Arts are derived from Quigong, which began in the southwestern region of what is now China. It then migrated in various directions, with local inputs and modifications giving rise to the variations we have today.

    There are martial artists that are complete strangers to yoga, (have no idea of its tenets, philosophies, or techniques,) but approach things with the exact same mindset. Much like being transgender, it's a pretty broad spectrum. Western competitive athletes may have no clue that their stretching exercises, such as those used by hurdlers, wrestlers, footballers (both types) and baseball players, are based in Tai Chi, Yoga, or both. It's the same concept as how both Islam and Christianity owe their existence and can trace their roots to Judaism. A practitioner of one or the other may have no knowledge of the parent religion, but still approach it in the same manner, and with an equal degree of reverence.

    Good to hear that you are going to your first class tomorrow. I hope your yogi is a good one. Too often, a curious and motivated beginner gets turned off of one discipline or another due to a narcissistic, misogynistic, or incompetent instructor, and loses the fire that got them started in the first place. I hope you have fun, remain healthy (uninjured,) and if lucky, learn something from the experience. Stay Safe.

HUGS!

[JennyBear]

A martial arts friend of mind and I spend hours discussing the parallels you mention between the two disciplines. Yoga too has its dark side and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have their roots in Buddhist philosophy. The most significant difference between yoga and the martial arts we have been able to see is the level of fitness and health required by each. There is much value to exploring yoga postures as basic as standing at attention and breath retention and control techniques (Pranayama) are available by people restricted to wheelchairs or even beds. Although my friend's health no longer allows him to practice martial arts, at my urging he made an easy transition to yoga.

I am looking forward to trading notes!

    I totally agree. I'm not one of those fan-girls or egoists that claim my discipline/s is/are any better than anyone else's. As to the wheelchair and bedridden example, both schools of thought can be of service. There are several black belt level martial artists that are wheelchair bound, some completely paralyzed from the waist down, like Carl Hodgetts (who ironically enough, practices kickboxing.) I myself, have taught a handful of people self defense techniques that they can use while incapacitated and don't require the use of the lower body. As long as you can breathe, you can do either, martial arts or yoga. However, for martial arts, one may have to limit their preferred discipline to one that accommodates their limitations better. I couldn't do everything, but was able to do basic defensive katas while bedridden in the hospital with an EG tube for a few weeks, so anything is possible. We just have to keep our minds open. Stay safe.

HUGS!