Yoga Workouts for Those With Exercise ADD (Like Us)

Yoga is my go-to  magic relax-pill. There is nothing like a few stretching poses to calm the mind and stretch out the body. However, unlike many yoga DVDs that have workouts in the 45-minute-plus range, I just don’t have the time in my day to dedicate to running, getting my butt kicked at this place, walking the dog and doing traditional strength training and cardio (remember, I have exercise ADD)—in addition to yoga. So when it comes to yoga, I need shorter workouts in a variety of formats to fit my mood, my day and my current needs (stretching, relaxation, etc.). Which is why the website Yoga Download is so darn cool.

We recently got an email about this new site and a coupon code to try its audio and video classes for a month. With options to download workouts permanently or for just a one-time play on your computer or iPod,  you can do a class in about every yoga style imaginable (hot yoga, Vinyasa, yoga with weights, power  yoga, fusion…the list goes on), along with music and meditation downloads. My inner hippity-dippity squeals with delight!

I tried the beginner Goddess Yoga workout (hello, how could I not try that one?), and while it was just audio (it comes with a PDF showing the poses, and the instructor does a pretty good job of telling you how to get into the poses if you’ve done yoga before), it was definitely a relaxing—albeit somewhat cheesy at times—yoga workout. There’s nothing like harnessing your wisdom, womanly powers and sexual energy to make you feel alive, I guess.

I also gave a 12-minute Letting Go of Your Thoughts mediation a go. As you’d expect, it was hippity-dippity but also pretty useful and relaxing. With a nice introduction to calming your brain down, you really do learn to observe your thoughts and let them pass and eventually quiet while you just zen the heck out. After I did the meditation, I slept gooood.

With a variety of instructors and classes for all exercise levels, I really believe there’s a little something for every aspiring yogini on this site. I do wish that there were more video classes (most of them are audio, which can be hard if you’re not a yoga-regular or don’t know all the poses by their Sanskrit names), but with an affordable price tag (most classes are just a couple bucks each and a whole month costs ya less than what one live yoga class would), the site is great for those who travel a lot or can’t make it to the gym.

Will I always prefer a yoga class in person? Yes. There’s nothing like having an in-person instructor to correct your form and be held accountable to. But in a pinch (or with an extreme case of exercise ADD)? This is a no-excuses way to get your yoga on! —Jenn