At Home Workouts: DVDs & Podcasts

TGIF!  It hit 82F here on Wednesday, the mid 70s on Thursday, and Friday and the weekend are supposed to be great.

I recently received this combo set of 3 DVDs that Yoga Jornal sent me.

Baron Baptiste, Seane Corn, and Shiva Rea.  Three pillars and all such strong, prominent forces in the yoga community.

I enjoyed the DVDs and each teacher has unique teaching style and so it was interesting to go from Baron Baptiste’s more intense, power-based practice to Seane Corn who incorporates a more spiritual aspect of yoga into her teaching style to Shiva Rea’s free flowing, somatic movement filled dvd.  All the dvd’s were different, and all were enjoyable!

I have a comprehensive post on Yoga FAQ’s where I touch on everything from other yoga DVD recommendations, to music, yoga clothing, how to score free yoga classes in your area, and much more.

I’ve been a certified yoga teacher for a decade now (although I am not currently teaching as I explained) but I like to share my yoga info, expertise, tips, and tricks that I’ve picked up along the way in my twelve year personal practice in the hopes of answering some of your Yoga FAQs.

In that post I can also be seen wearing some pink Be Present pants.

And I routinely live in my other Be Present pants.  Like when I met up with Marla

Or met up with Amber

Or just about any day of the week, for part of the day, I always have a pair on.

So I was thrilled when Be Present sent me a pair of their new Kona Pants!

Drawstring, lightweight, pockets, cropped at the knee…perfect! I will wear these out, no doubt.

I love Be Present!  I have been a fan of theirs for years, long before this pair of pants.  They are truly, my #1 go-to for pants not just for yoga, but for day-to-day life.  I don’t want jeans.  I want my Be Present pants.

From my last post, it was fun to hear what you’ve been plugging along with this week and also great feet talk.  Yes, I am a bigfoot. I could talk shoes and feet all day.  And so could you based on the fun comments. And thanks to all my big-footed readers for delurking and commenting!

Questions:

1. Do you use any DVDs for your workouts?

About a year or so ago, it seemed that P90x, Insanity, and Turbofire were all over the blogosphere on healthy living and food blogs.  Since then, I haven’t seen those mentioned as much but everyone now talks about bodyrock.tv

I have not used any of those.

Why?

Probably for the same reason that I don’t use cookbooks much.  I am a wing-it type person with my food and workouts.  I like to tweak and create things according to what I am feeling or craving, in that moment.

Whether it’s in the kitchen or with workouts, I don’t like things to be overly scripted.  Although cookbooks or DVDs can help to inspire me, I don’t really use or follow them much and when I do, it definitely not verbatim.

I found myself craving just doing what my body wanted to rather than following the dvd’s at some points, but that’s because I am just that way and also coming at the dvd’s from the perspective of a teacher, I am know “what to do”, how to sequence poses, classes, and what things I would have follow other things whereas the average person needs more guidance and much more of a scripted dvd and class to follow.

2. What is your take on podcasts, DVDs, online videos, youtube videos, and at-home workouts that you don’t attend an actual class?  Yay or nay?

Here are a few of my pros & cons about working out at home with online downloads or dvds.

Pros:

Workout at your own pace

Workout at a time convenient for you

Fits into your schedule when you have the time

No drive time, parking time, shuffling in and out of gyms, locker rooms, studios, etc.

No one cares if you’re wearing dirty workout clothes with stains on them

You can quit if you’re not into the workout/video without any stigma

You can tweak the workout based on what you want that day

Cons:

No one there to inspire you.  Looking around a class and seeing others who are in great shape can inspire me.

No one there to correct bad form or “errors” in form that could lead to injury.  This is my biggest caution for newbies and yoga dvds.  You really ought to go to classes for awhile before you start practicing at home exclusively because you could be practicing bad form which is a recipe for injury. Learn the ropes from a qualified teacher before you do everything at home.  Most people don’t practice or workout exclusively alone at home either, anyway.

Boredom/no group or class energy

At times, a little bit too easy to quit the workout and stay motivated when you’re by yourself

Hard to get motivated to start the workout if there’s no class you’re attending.  Knowing you don’t have to “rush” to the gym or studio to make that 6pm class may make it easier to just blow off the at-home workout all together.

What do you think about at-home workouts and DVDs/podcasts?  Found anything you love or that’s been working out great for you?  Anything you’ve tried that you weren’t into at all?

3. Workout apparel that you’re loving?  Or any gym/yoga studio clothes that double as your real life clothes?

I am the queen of my drawstring pants, Target sports bras, and pull on yoga pants doubling as my daytime wardrobe.  There are worse things, right? Function and comfort is why I do it!   And so do many other women if looking around my area is any indication.

Don’t forget to enter my Coconut Oil Give Away.  Winner announced tomorrow (Saturday)!

P.S. Related Posts that may be of interest:
Fitness Experiments – What I’ve Tried, What’s Worked, What Next
Daily Workouts Streamlined – 20 Minutes at Home
I Quit The Gym
Abs: How to Get Them & Tough Love
Morning Workout Tips