Exercise like yoga but not yoga

[bethben]

For various personal reasons, I won't do yoga, but need a yoga like exercise.  I need an exercise that helps with trauma.  So, something calming and focusing on mind/body.  I've thought about barre exercise, but the expense is pretty high for that.  Suggestions on what I should look for?  

[Kidlit]

Pilates?  My favorite is Robin Long’s Balanced Life program, and she happens to be doing a free challenge right now.  She has a membership site, but I have only done her free stuff.

[Farrar]

T'ai-Ch'i?

I'd call a yoga studio unless you're that opposed. Often they have stretch and relaxation classes geared toward older folks or people with medical needs that are so far removed from yoga that they won't even call it yoga. 

[bethben]

I also need a community.  I need to get out of my house.  I stopped doing crossfit because I felt like it was too much stress on my body.  They thrive on short intense workouts.  I've gotten mild injuries in the past two months because I was lifting weights tired.  The community they had was great and I did like that, but have been considering for months if I should leave.  Then I dropped a 50+ barbell onto my back (I had just finished an intense circuit and lifting was next on the list) and got a nice bruise but it could have been a lot worse.  I have to make sure I can take care of my disabled son and can't have an injury that may compromise that.  My backup right now is Peloton classes online.  I can do a bike ride that gets me all sweaty and burns calories but doesn't make me tired for the rest of the day.

Edited March 7, 2019 by bethben

[Jean in Newcastle]

Tai chi 

[itsheresomewhere]

Tai chi.  I find it very relaxing much more than yoga.  It might not look like you are getting a workout but it does.  Yoga Gold is geared towards those with injuries or movement issues.  They can be kind of fun depending on the people taking the class.  If you are looking to something with a bit more pep, there is Zumba.  They have classes for people with joint issues and they are fun. 

Edited March 7, 2019 by itsheresomewhere

[Farrar]

What about dance classes? I know a couple of women who are super into salsa as exercise. And there's definitely a community to dance studios and a wide variety of different options and levels of intensity.

[alisoncooks]

Classical Stretch/Essentrics - they have DVDs and streaming, but I don't know if they'd have classes near you. 

[Carol in Cal.]

I wonder whether you would enjoy Zumba?  From what I understand, it has dance moves but also an upbeat, fun vibe.  Have not tried it myself, though.

[bethben]

2 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I wonder whether you would enjoy Zumba?  From what I understand, it has dance moves but also an upbeat, fun vibe.  Have not tried it myself, though.

I've tried zumba.  I'm horrible.  So.very.horrible.  It makes me feel like an awkward 13 year old.  😜

[itsheresomewhere]

2 minutes ago, bethben said:

I've tried zumba.  I'm horrible.  So.very.horrible.  It makes me feel like an awkward 13 year old.  😜

You need to try the older people ( class for those who are not as coordinated  due to age or injuries) class. We are all awkward and no one notices.  Last class I did with them, if someone got it right now everyone applauded.  We are march to our own beats. Lol

[Carol in Cal.]

4 minutes ago, bethben said:

I've tried zumba.  I'm horrible.  So.very.horrible.  It makes me feel like an awkward 13 year old.  😜

heh

My husband is like that with all aerobic type classes.  He needs to be his own class of one.  But he did try and like tai chi because it was slower.  He didn’t think it was much of a workout until afterwards, LOL.

[Bluegoat]

An aquafit class might work for you.

[BeachGal]

1 hour ago, bethben said:

For various personal reasons, I won't do yoga, but need a yoga like exercise.  I need an exercise that helps with trauma.  So, something calming and focusing on mind/body.  I've thought about barre exercise, but the expense is pretty high for that.  Suggestions on what I should look for?  

 

TRE -- Trauma release (or releasing) exercise might be worth checking out. You can find videos on YouTube. Either Peter Levine's or David Berceli's. They are designed for trauma and many who've done them have had profound results. Berceli designed his exercises to treat his own PTSD, I think back in the 1970s. If you're not getting the results, though, you might want to work with someone for a single session.

Stephen Porges's Polyvagal Theory and trauma ties in with TRE as well.

[gardenmom5]

several martial arts can be calming.  akido, is one.  the one that keeps going through my head - I cannot think of the name....

pilates,

barre,

 

some good "trauma" work is one that focuses on the psoas muscles.  you can find them on youtube.  or TRE- trauma releasing exercises.  those aren't "yoga".

somatic.

[ktgrok]

5 hours ago, Bluegoat said:

An aquafit class might work for you.

Yes, I really really liked them when I did them after surgery, and when pregnant. And some of them, depending on the instructor, were actually a great workout! 

Also, not sure what the reasons are for the yoga thing, but there is such a thing as Christian Yoga. It's for Christians, by Christians. I know someone who teaches it. Might make you more comfortable?

[Jaz]

How about Les Mills BodyFlow? It's offered at quite a few gyms around here for $20/month memberships - for the whole gym and other classes too. It has yoga style moves to music so it's more flowing. It has a Tai Chi warm-up and pilates for abs. There is a relaxation time to relax the muscles. Only one instructor includes meditation if that's your concern, and I just leave her class a few minutes early.

Edited March 8, 2019 by Jaz
punctuation

[Liz CA]

2 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Yes, I really really liked them when I did them after surgery, and when pregnant. And some of them, depending on the instructor, were actually a great workout! 

Also, not sure what the reasons are for the yoga thing, but there is such a thing as Christian Yoga. It's for Christians, by Christians. I know someone who teaches it. Might make you more comfortable?

 

I do Yoga poses for stretching my back and relaxation without all the "fluff" around it. I think it depends on your mindset more than the pose itself.

[wintermom]

Indoor wall climbing seems to tick many of the boxes you're looking for. There's a community, it's not intense or stressful on joints, and it requires focused mind/body. It could be calming or stimulating, depending on what you're looking for. 

[Ausmumof3]

Pilates?  That seems to be like yoga without the religious aspect of that’s an issue for you?  

[Negin]

Classical Stretch and/or Essentrics

[KungFuPanda]

Would you consider a beginning bellydance class?  You'll use a lot of the same muscles as Pilates, but it's very gentle on the body.  It won't be like zumba because it's not a full-out cardio workout that relies on your ability to pick of choreography instantly.  The beginning levels are very kind to the body.  These classes also tend to lead you to a group of women with serious support system potential.  If not bellydance, another form of dance.  If not dance, maybe a walking club, gardening group, ANYTHING that leads you to an activity to occupy your mind and body and let you meet some great people.

I don't know where I'd be without my dance friends. We've been through everything together.  I also have a special needs son who requires a great deal of physical care, transfers, etc.  Having a regular 'thing' outside of the house keeps be sane, fit, and balanced.  

[Targhee]

Tai-chi

[bethben]

11 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

Would you consider a beginning bellydance class?  You'll use a lot of the same muscles as Pilates, but it's very gentle on the body.  It won't be like zumba because it's not a full-out cardio workout that relies on your ability to pick of choreography instantly.  The beginning levels are very kind to the body.  These classes also tend to lead you to a group of women with serious support system potential.  If not bellydance, another form of dance.  If not dance, maybe a walking club, gardening group, ANYTHING that leads you to an activity to occupy your mind and body and let you meet some great people.

I don't know where I'd be without my dance friends. We've been through everything together.  I also have a special needs son who requires a great deal of physical care, transfers, etc.  Having a regular 'thing' outside of the house keeps be sane, fit, and balanced.  

I too have a son like yours.  I need community.  Zumba was too much -- Bellydancing?  I don't know...I'll just have to look around and see what is available.  Barre classes look interesting.

Edited March 9, 2019 by bethben

[KungFuPanda]

10 hours ago, bethben said:

I too have a son like yours.  I need community.  Zumba was too much -- Bellydancing?  I don't know...I'll just have to look around and see what is available.  Barre classes look interesting.

I thought of this thread today when THIS article drifted across my FB feed. https://rehabreviews.com/screw-yoga-id-rather-belly-dance/

Personally, I LIKE how yoga makes my body feel for several days after I’ve done it. There’s a yoga workout on Amazon for back and neck pain that I’ve streamed several times. However, it does not feed my soul like dance nor does it consume my mind and body so that I can focus on nothing else but dance class. I also never made true, lasting friendships in yoga. (In fairness, I never attended a class regularly enough.)

Finding the thing that makes your heats sing is worth the search. 

[Junie]

I really liked a Tai Chi class that I was in a long time ago.  There was nothing spiritual/mystical/zen about it.  It was just gentle martial arts.  I liked that I was able to do almost everything that the class did (even with severe arthritis -- and even while 9 months pregnant).  

[bethben]

48 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I thought of this thread today when THIS article drifted across my FB feed. https://rehabreviews.com/screw-yoga-id-rather-belly-dance/

Personally, I LIKE how yoga makes my body feel for several days after I’ve done it. There’s a yoga workout on Amazon for back and neck pain that I’ve streamed several times. However, it does not feed my soul like dance nor does it consume my mind and body so that I can focus on nothing else but dance class. I also never made true, lasting friendships in yoga. (In fairness, I never attended a class regularly enough.)

Finding the thing that makes your heats sing is worth the search. 

I really liked Crossfit.  I liked getting stronger.  I liked being able to do something that showed I was progressing and mastering moves that I always called "the bane of my existence".  But, after I broke my foot (unrelated to crossfit), the trainer said to give it until March because there were some moves I wasn't supposed to do and when I got back full mobility, I fell and hurt my wrist.  Then two months after that, I dropped a bar on my back that left a nasty bruise but could have been way worse. I cannot compromise me being able to take care of my disabled son by an optional activity.   I got tired of lifting heavy things after a lot of physical exertion and am leaving that sport to younger people or people who have consistently lifted weight for years and/ or people who have excercised at that level for years before hitting my age.  I have got to have something less prone to injury.  Everything exercise is prone to injury, but at least with some, if I listen to my body, I can avoid it because I'm not lifting heavy weights or doing stuff off a bar three feet over my head.  

[Slache]

Ballet Beautiful (this is exercises for ballerinas, not ballet moves)

Serpentine (belly dancing)

Praise Moves ("yoga" for Christians)

[TechWife]

How about Pilates? Lots of core work, IIRC.

Also, if you liked the community of crossfit, you might like Orange Theory Fitness - it's basically group circuit training (rowing, treadmill, etc.). Crossfit has a reputation for causing injuries (for their focus on quantity over quality/safety) - I'm not surprised you got hurt & hope you are healing well.