I desperately miss my power yoga class from Hudson. I had the best teacher and I think that's part of the problem with trying to find a class down here-- I've tried at least a half dozen different teachers and had a difficult time finding a class that I felt had the right combination of intensity and common-sense approach. The class I went to in Hudson had every body type known to mankind in it, all different levels of ability and yet, Carson made each class feel as if it were tailored just for the individual. Great, great teacher.

And with respect to the amazing things that yoga can do-- pre-power yoga

Barb, what made the power yoga "power"? I'm assuming it wasn't gentle flowing hatha yoga, but would you mind describing it a little?

A Danish chain of gyms is now offering membership free of charge, with the only caveat that you have to show up, in order for the membership to be free. If you fail to show up once per week you will be billed the normal monthly membership fee for that month.

You know this is probably an immensely profitable business model...

So, Barb, at the risk of "none of your damn business, Trudy" did your skin shrink down with you and did you do anything to encourage that?

I've lost fortyish pounds so far and ::knock wood:: it seems to be behaving.

Power yoga is usually a vinyasa yoga based on ashtanga.

From the department of what crazy parents do to their poor children, via a friend in CA:

On an unrelated note, I was at D's soccer game this weekend standing beside a new [name of school] dad who's son is in kindergarten with D. I learned that they are wondering when home work will start. Suspecting that they were worried it would be too much I instead discovered that they have been prepping him for homework since the age of 3 by giving him an hour of math, spelling and various other homework everyday.

Power yoga is usually a vinyasa yoga based on ashtanga.

Damn. I was hoping Barb would describe it and I wouldn't have to google.

:: off to Google ::

Sorry, Steph. Vinyasa is a series of postures linked by the breath (a flow). Ashtanga is a specific series of poses linked by breath - that is, wherever you go, if you attend an Ashtanga class the poses will be the same, in the same order. Power yoga classes were developed by people in the US who had studied ashtanga, so similarities exist. One of the big differences that people notice right away is that you don't really hold postures in a flow-type class for more than a breath.

eta: Ashtanga was my yoga of choice in CA.

One of the big differences that people notice right away is that you don't really hold postures in a flow-type class for more than a breath.

Although it really varies by teacher and class.

So, Barb, at the risk of "none of your damn business, Trudy" did your skin shrink down with you and did you do anything to encourage that?

I don't mind answering at all, Trudy. First off, keep in mind one of the major things that happened while I was so overweight was that I had both of my kids (starting weight, 225 lbs) in a fifteen month time span. I only gained 25 lbs each with them while pregnant, but the skin, she suffered big time.

So-- basically, after losing 110 pounds, everything basically went back except my lower stomach, the insides of my thighs, my boobs, and my lower jaw. The only thing that really bothered me, honestly, was my jaw. I felt as it if made me look really old and just bleah-- while I normally don't try to let my vanity take over, this was one case, it was the duck from hell that wouldn't stop nibbling. I was the kid who had a difficult adolescence appearance-wise, was told in my early twenties that I'd "grow into my looks" and by my late twenties/early thirties was very overweight and I'm not one of those people who can carry their weight gracefully. Add to that the fact that I have a stunningly beautiful mother and sister and spent my childhood being compared to them-- well, yeah. We have a Blue Light Special on Issues, Aisle Four.

So two years ago, I had what's called a mini facelift, just to take care of my jawline and I'm really, really happy I did. It's a stupid, silly thing, probably, but it just made me feel like I was where I was supposed to be.

The rest, I figure this is why we have fabulous scientists inventing Spanx and Wonderbras.

Sorry, Tep-- I was answering Trudy's question, but I was about to get around to yours, although Sparky answered it perfectly. I loved it because of the flow and the breathing. After a good class I'd leave feeling more than a little high because of the deep breathing.

And unlike a more gentle hatha yoga, the constant movement suits my personality better. I like the physical challenge, although, again, with a good teacher, there are all sorts of variations each practitioner can do in order to up or lessen the intensity, depending on ability and strength. And by the end of class when we were cooling down, I was usually so drained, that my mind could actually calm itself enough to lie there and just flow in corpse pose

ETA: the other thing I really liked about this yoga was that you really could build up physical strength, but physically, you wouldn't bulk up. (I think Pilates is supposed to be very similar.) You get long and lean and strong as well as flexible. This is a big plus for me because my shoulders and upper arms, in particular, have a tendency to take on weightlifter qualities if I strength train too much.