For as long as I’ve been in the fitness industry, I’ve always put off trying yoga because it looked like it was just stretching, and I never really saw anyone that was truly fit doing it.

It wasn’t until I tried the P90X power Yoga DVD that I became hooked! I loved how intense it was and how I was stretching, elongating and
strengthening muscles didn’t normally work. The core twisting postures felt as if they were releasing any impingements in my hips and lower back. The balance postures help me tackle an area of my fitness that I had never really tapped into… Isometric exercises and working on balance.

I had herniated a disc back in August of 2007 while training for one of my upcoming motorcycle races. I got relief after some Inversion and chiropractic treatments. I still felt little twinges here and there on occasion that just let me know I wasn’t out of the woods with my back pain.

It wasn’t until I started doing Yoga that I noticed the occasional twinges going away. I can abuse my back to no end with my training and motorcycle riding as long as I do yoga 1 – 2x per week in conjunction to my normal workout program.

I’m a big believer in Yoga as the one way to stay back pain free. I’ve been a personal trainer for 10 years and I’ve finally been grabbed by the Yoga bug. I love power yoga and I’ve recently begun doing Bikram Yoga. I love it. It’s not as intense as power Yoga but just stretching in the 103 degree room helps you become even more and more limber. I actually wore my heart rate monitor last time I was in there and I averaged 140 beats per minute during the 90 minute class.

Yoga is a great addition to my current strenuous workouts. I don’t think that anyone who practices yoga 2x per week could have back pain. The
flexibility and strength that it gives you in your hips, lower back and muscles is incredible. I also agree with Joy that there’s nothing better for healing the body of muscle imbalances. I’ve identified many imbalances in my hips and these would have certainly caused me great pain and injury in the future.

As the owner of a personal training company that serves the Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia area www.achieve-fitness.com I’ve been recommending yoga to all of our clients and trainers.

Dennys Passeto, CPT
Certified Personal Trainer
Owner of Achieve Fitness personal Training, LLC
www.achieve-fitness.com

Filed under: Guest Bloggers by Yogagirl
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