hankgretchen

To directly answer your question, I quit lifting years ago in favor of yoga and more integrative type training.

After trying various types of weight training over years. the chances of ending up with joint problems and injury became apparent. And I never really liked or thought it a good idea that weight training for the most part treats the muscles as separate units. Back. biceps, shoulders, etc. And I don’t think it ever really translated well to real world ability either. You can get very strong for pretty much a one shot deal but that’s about it. On the other hand if you want to look like a bodybuilder then weights are the way to go. But then we are all an experiment of one.

Maybe you are just over training and need to back off a bit. Weight lifting at a true high intensity level will wear anyone down that isn’t taking drugs.

The heat may be dehydrating you also. I have never thought that the high level of heat in hot yoga was really necessary but that’s just me.

I am speaking of it in two ways, the yoga way and the strength building opportunity. You are exactly right that the effort is in the hands gripping the heels. My arms are straight when I actually do the pose, and the arms aren’t working, the grip is, my head is on the ground and the stretch is in the lower back. When the arms aren’t straight is when you work the triceps and biceps if you want. I flex and relax various muscles for up to ten seconds or so as there is opportunity in the poses and depending on how or what I feel like doing. Not in all poses, not every time but in most of them I like to flex and feel the muscles. I will sometimes do that at odd angles, for example getting off the floor I will do a finger tip pushup with a hold as in plank or just take up to a minute moving to the up or down position, or just use one arm or what ever strikes me.

I do separate strength training in this way and like it. They are mostly chinese martial arts strength sets that I’ve been doing for years, off and on. Tiger moves invented by John McSweeney is a simplified example.

There is a lot of criticism of this type of strength training but usually from people who can’t do it or have never tried it, or never given it a fair shake.

There is one set that takes 8 months to get to the correct amount of reps and then you do that for the rest of your life. It can take a while before you are capable of even beginning the program and takes some precursor programs that most people won’t do because they are too hard.

I would also say that you are the expert, I certainly am not and thanks for taking the time and effort to post. I truly appreciate it. I am sure that a teacher could certainly help. But the last 7 years, I’ve had a home practice, May not be that good, but it is mine. smiley face

Uh no, That isn’t what it is, at least in the Bikram yoga studios I’ve been in. I did commercial studios for several years and found that that the “boot camp” style is anomalous, usually just one or two instructors, if that. And anyone who has been to a real boot camp finds the characterization ridiculous anyway. People that want to be driven probably like that style. If that’s your deal then by all means go for it.

If a posture hurts in a bad way, don’t do the posture, or modify it until it doesn’t hurt in the bad way. Do what you can and eventually you will be able to do what ever it was that you couldn’t do. If the entire routine hurts then you back off and do something else until you can go back to it.