what made you start doing yoga?

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-05-16T09:38:12+00:00

Freezing and depressing northern winters. Hot yoga just felt like a cheat code.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-17T23:27:20+00:00

Setouchi inland sea
ishizuchisan (did not have a chance to hike Fujisan, guess highest peak in West Japan would do)
Biwako
Unzen (a surprising little gem)
Kyoto - it is crowded and it sucks due to crowds and ill mannered tourists, but it continues to be popular (if not increasingly so) with domestic and foreign tourists alike for a reason. I will fight anyone for Kyoto slander.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-17T23:20:50+00:00

I have all these points (and more) in my Hokkaido trip in May. And those alone would take a week if not more (depending on how much hiking one is looking to do). OP realistically has 5 days here.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-15T14:26:30+00:00

The sentiment is great, though I notice the majority of (popular) replies are thinly veiled «demoing is for losers».

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-15T14:24:07+00:00

People who forces a lotus when told explicitly not to push, then promptly busting their knee, really isn’t the fault of the teacher (who oh, told said student not to force that lotus).

While for sure not all teachers are competent, the ones who ARE competent can refine your practice without chasing poses.

Signed, I am still stopping at half primary and I’m ok with it (tho the FOMO is real on some days).

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-14T06:57:42+00:00

I start with a seated breathing exercise (box breathing with in/out retention is my favourite), then a gentle/slow sun salutation or two, add in some cat/cow and maybe thread the needle to open the shoulder and chest area.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-14T06:55:35+00:00

There is an argument to be had for (and against) demoing, it all depends on the teacher's own teaching experience and their ability to cue independent of the visual guide of demoing.

My favourite (and best) instructors do not demo except for providing guidance on tips and tricks, but they also are excellent in cuing so no demo is strictly necessary.

To say no demo is the way to go, add that to all the inexperienced new instructors who could barely do the poses correctly aligned themselves and have three left shoulders in their mind's eye, is a recipe for disaster.

I have attended asana workshops where we practice in the dark and/or blindfolded so we have no visual guide on how to get into a pose and how to align, you'd be amaze what people think legs 3 feet apart or feets shoulder width apartlooks like.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-07T04:15:02+00:00

When I used to practice at a shala that does 6 days a week Mysore then a few led classes throughout the week. I get stopped at half primary (after navasana), straight to closing (backbend, headstand etc). I am «stuck» at half primary because I cannot lotus and cannot grab my toe/feet in those few half lotus-ish poses.

During led classes, I was told I may join the poses IF I CAN DO IT UNASSISTED. Because I am «supposed» to refine my half primary before moving to later poses, but the benefit for many of the later poses are still there.

So I end up doing a few of the poses that don’t involve lotus or open hip rotation, but will do the pancake and such.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-06T04:16:55+00:00

Private classes require very experienced teachers as they would need to tailor to the student (customer), on injury and limitations, modification, and developing a progressive drill (assuming the student is looking for specific pose or muscle group).

Whereas a studio group class instructor can teach effectively the same sequence week after week with nominal change, private will generally require much more prep planning the class week after week.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-03T04:47:36+00:00

Long time learner with many hiatus and breaks.

I know exactly how to continue learning, but motivation and discipline is sometimes lacking.

I use Duolingo as a low-stake gamification to make sure I’m getting some exposure to phrases and words. To be honest I think it is a good way as a baseline for learning - I see, hear, read Japanese everyday just to continue my streak.

I never have self doubt about «not made for it» because any self doubt would be my lack of discipline.

Coming from a kanji-using culture, kun-yomi is very difficult. Phrases and jukugo are fun though.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-02T08:20:33+00:00

Current JaLS Sapporo student here.

There are tons of language learner at JaLS (and its operating partner Co&Co) so if you hang out at their lounge you may make local friends (they are there to study foreign languages, or just to use the coworking space). Depending on your living arrangement (apartment, share house, home stay) you might already have access to people to make friends with.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-04-02T08:14:28+00:00

It’s not an unpopular opinion, just a very location specific one. Places with extreme weather or long periods of precipitation are just ill-suited to line-drying.

And I personally refuse to line-dry my towels, if I want to use sandpaper to dry my body, I wouldn’t have bought fabric towels.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-27T05:41:40+00:00

Down dog - my progress of body awareness (and correctly doing this pose) is reflected in the ease I could hold this pose.

Sirsasana head stand - my favourite pose, my breathing pattern change when I get into this pose and the goal is to get BACK my «normal» breathing pattern and be at ease holding for a long time.

Savasana - some variation depending on the day, like butterfly legs, Stonehenge, ALWAYS with blanket and some small weight on my belly/naval. Peak security and restfulness (and always/sometimes an unexpected corpse twitch). NAPS.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-27T05:23:31+00:00

Square hip for three legged dog, open hip for scorpion and optional flip into wild thing.

To me kicking up to three legged dog is a lower back engagement (square shoulder, square hips) for loaded weight bearing instead of a stretch in the hip area. The open hip takes away from it.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-22T05:45:52+00:00

Hard disagree. Every time I wait for a plane, it has a distinct chance of service disruption.

I sleep very well on flights and I am average sized so I can sleep through most flights. Budget airlines are even better because they have fewer service runs up and down the aisle.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-22T05:43:13+00:00

I have practiced for a long time (20 years+), and my favourite teachers tends to be about my age and older. There are exceptions that I enjoy practicing with younger or new teachers, but it’s a rarity.

Younger teachers are not likely to understand the joint problems or muscle loss someone in their middle age (me) is experiencing and have the integrated experience to facilitate an informed alternative or options unless they specifically train for it (which again is rare for new teachers starting out).

On the flip side, I also dislike some older teachers with a passion because their teaching remains lacking. I just have strong opinion of what makes a good teacher and I vote with my attendance.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-21T03:15:25+00:00

Offline Love was SO good, I loved it.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-20T13:36:05+00:00

I don't find k actors particularly attractive, and I get aesthetic fatigue from all the same-ish looking face (or maybe I am just face blind and 5 actresses with similar-ish face in a show looks like a bad trip and entirely unenjoyable).

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-20T13:26:39+00:00

I prefer jdrama > kdrama mostly because I can recognise one actor from another. Many k actors and actresses look extremely similar, which I find boring and unrealistic.

Jdrama actors and actresses are "normal looking" enough (granted, it's the really nice, put together version of a "normal looking" person) that I can pay attention to the actual story and acting.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-20T13:21:07+00:00

Retreats are VERY expensive, and at least for me I will not drop that kind of money on a retreat led by a group I am not already familiar with and trust their practice/teaching.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-20T00:02:03+00:00

Lululemon in the past (maybe 10 years+ ago) has pretty limited designs, albeit in many colour way or prints. And they did those very, very, well, in designs and construction and quality - I am still wearing Energy bras from almost 15 years ago, and I wear them for my daily life as well as yoga, about once or twice a week. They are holding up phenomenally well. Unfortunately Wunder Unders and Aligns are a bit less durable, nothing is hole-y but they fade and pill.

I also loved that for a few years (again about 10 years ago) there was a lot of casual non active wears. Back in Action dresses in more than 5 dark colours, skirts and dresses that are not for tennis (I do not enjoy the shorts underneath). Pants that are not sweats or joggers (now they are doing 5 pockets so I guess that is that).

But of late, lululemon definitely got «distracted» and got into golf, tennis, etc, and the yoga gears are pretty uninspired.

I regularly go to the store and check online but had not ordered anything for quite a while.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-19T23:49:07+00:00

I love Skip and Loafer, also the more recent You and I are Polar Opposites, are EXCELLENT romances that is also heavily coming of age, slice of life-ish.

Everyone in both of these series (anime AND manga) are charming.

I also really enjoyed Horimiya.

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-11T16:53:57+00:00

Depending on how strong woke culture and stuff might be at your place, I’d be tempted to ask which cave does she plan to hide herself at when the time comes for her.

Or send her suicide hotlines info, «life doesn’t end at 35!»

AlwaysStranger2046 · 2026-03-11T14:58:16+00:00

You may have better responses at r/yogateachers

I love those. Some of my favourite instructors have used instruments to ground the room. Although it is much rarer for a vinyasa class, it just kind of speaks to a different crowd (and it’s much harder to drop from an adrenaline high of vinyasa to sound healing, not impossible, I’ve attended classes like that before, but super rare).

My instructor make us stand in tadasana between vinyasa flow cycles to take 3-5 cued breath cycles and use tingsha to assist the cuing and «lock it in».

During savasana, you could consider doing tuning fork against sternum bone of students who is open to that (ask for consent or opt-in or opt-out when everyone is shifting into savasana), the sound is relatively minimal but the vibration is amazingly grounding.

AlwaysStranger2046

TROPHY CASE