yoga for cavers

[topcat]

I've been doing some yoga classes in an attempt to get this ageing body to flex a bit more.  It has been quite successful, but much of the class time is taken up doing stuff that I feel has little relevance, ie not all yoga is stretching, or stretching in a way conducive to caving.

So, has anyone come across a more targeted sequence of exercises that misses out the less helpful components of a typical yoga class?
Maybe I should get some 1:1 ?

TC

 

[Bob Smith]

Unhelpfully, the only stretching exercises that I have found for both climbing and caving have been spending time climbing and caving . I too would love to know of a suitable regime to ease me back into it. Although I can still spend hours at a time working inside a 19" server rack without too much discomfort.

 

[Maj]

I find crawling around Mendip caves  helps. 

Maj.

 

[JasonC]

If you go to a good yoga class - especially if you're not in the first flush of youth - I think you'll find all the exercises helpful even if there's little immediate relevance to caving.  In fact, I'm struggling to think of many exercises which wouldn't benefit caving - as it's very much a whole-body activity.

I used to go to a class where there was - I felt - an undue emphasis on chanting and left after a series of lessons on Ayuvedic medicine, which was a complete waste of time.

But the one I go to now is good - all fairly physical, and there are almost as many blokes as women, unusual in itself.

If you can't find another class, you could do worse than a few salutes to the sun, some twists (seated and lying), hip stretches (handy for awkward climbs and traverses  ) - but it's all good.

 

[SamT]

Echo what Jason said. My class is ashtanga so pretty physical.  Plus it's at the climbing wall so they tailor it for climbers.  It's great.

 

[topcat]

Echo what Jason said. My class is ashtanga so pretty physical.  Plus it's at the climbing wall so they tailor it for climbers.  It's great.

Sounds ideal.  My class is ashtanga too and is mostly good, but I could do without the ritual stuff [can't see the chants helping down a cave!] and the head-stand stuff is US for me as it aggravates my neck problems.  Too many salutations too.  I'm usually the only guy there but that's not an issue.

Perhaps I should switch to Pilates?

 

[old spot]

Try to find a "fitness yoga" class - no chanting - relaxing - imagine yourself in a field... stuff, just the hard bits

 

[paul]

Yoga for non-Cavers:

and Yoga for Cavers:

 

[TheBitterEnd]

 

[SamT]

 

[Pegasus]

 

[Simon Beck]

Although i have attended yoga classes in the past for brief periods and really benefited from them, i personally prefer the basic yoga workout provided by the many dvds available out there. These have really aided me in keeping the aches and pains at bay in general but also and especially where recovery is concerned after tough trips. As long as you have enough room at home and the dvd is easy to follow and you can be arsed, then you can't really go wrong. Although attending classes from time to time or to begin with does really help.
On the issue of specific exercises, i'd say you'd probably benefit in the long run from prescribing to the whole package, but i'm not even a novice let alone an expert on the subject.

 

[Burt]

I use these occasionally; they may well be cycling specific but seem to keep me flexy.

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/stretches-cyclists

 

[CatM]

Simon, do you have any particular DVDs you would recommend for a yoga beginner? I fancy giving it a go but probably can't commit to a regular class. That cycling website looks good but I imagine a DVD might be easier to follow (trying to change poses while flicking through the pages could be tricky!)