Originally Posted by
Hellbilly
Sure seems to be a lot of advice on this thread already, but IMHO, you need to find what works for you. Everyone is just different enough that what works for them may not--or will not--meet the needs of someone else. Some like gyms, others hate them. Some like weights, others despise them. Some like cookies, others realize that they might as well hot glue them around their middle instead of eating them. So, everyone is different.
Personally, I'm fond of intensity, so yoga/pilates is just another stretching session for me. I could never look to that discipline to build strength.
ATTN YOGA PEOPLE: Please re-read sentence number two before ranting about how yoga-can-do-everything.
Bodyweight exercises (i.e. situps, pushups, crunches, planking, etc) work well, but I've found that I need to do high reps as well in order to meet the level of intensity I need. Check out
www.crossfit.com for a lot of great, free information. And free is a great word...
Good luck!
Hellbilly - FYI- Yoga is a Bodyweight Exercise and Pilaties incorporates all of those things you mentioned... BUT.. I agree on the muscle building portion thats why i cross train and lift weights also.. i like to Mix it up.. oh and try Bikram Yoga.. just once..
I'd also have to disagree with you on the building strength portion, it really strengthens all the other underused muscles in the core,Legs and back.
But yeah.. find whatever you enjoy doing but remember the body adapts so a good varied schedule should work for everyone regardless of the exercise.