Yoga for flexibility?

[bcm119]

I'm hopelessly inflexible, particularly in the hams, quads and back, and I can't seem to find the motivation to spend any of my free time doing a thorough stretching routine- any spare moment I have I'm on the bike. So I was thinking that maybe a bi-weekly yoga course might be the ticket, as my girlfriend has been asking me to take one with her and this way I could kill 2 birds...
I don't know anything about yoga, but I'm prepared to be embarassed as I fail to mimick the positions of the instructor. My question is, what types of yoga should I look for to increase flexibility, particularly for cycling? I'd also like to gain some core strength from it too. Can these two things be achieved with a certain type of yoga? Or should I just learn a little self discipline and get into a stretching routine? Dbrk, I'm hoping for a few wise words from you, but others' input equally welcomed...
TIA

[dbrk]

There are many effective styles of yoga but most important is that it should be both _fun_ and well-taught, and those two things are often hard to find in the same place. Anusara Yoga is what we teach---John Friend's system, he started a million years ago with Iyengar and he's the real deal...see the cover of this month's Yoga Journal...yours truly is liberally quoted in a piece that is of mixed quality, imho. anusara.com will point you to a Certified Teacher in your area. Check in with me on a PM and perhaps I can help.

There is no better match to cycling than yoga. It builds strength, flexibility, and develops good habits of breath and balance. When you put the two together everything about riding a bike gets better. I mean, that too becomes more fun. I hear you though: would I rather do an asana class or go for a ride? That's easy. But the problem, such as it is, is that unless I can increase my flexibility, muscle/bone alignment, and balance, the bike is just not as good as it really can be.

Too many people teach yoga who are well-meaning or clueless. Too many teach it like it is _just_ fitness of another sort, it is most decidedly not. Yoga engages body, mind, heart, and it requires serious, thorough training. Personally I would stay away from "hot" yoga because it's not healthy nor is it very serious. Yes, that is Bikram. I should not say that, it is very impolitic. But what the heck: most "hot" yoga room are just prescriptions for getting injured or sick, imo. There are lots of good systems and I'm not just "promoting" Anusara but that is certainly a system with good teachers and sensible, proven methods.

dbrk

[Kevan]

a couple years back, I took to the gym. I would go do my situps and weights then join in on a 45 minute spin class, then I'd hit the lockers and change to my swim suit and do laps for 20 minutes, then back to the locker and change for my yoga class. The course wasn't particularly difficult, but the stretching, the breathing, the woman instructor's gentle voice, put me in such a state of relaxation, I was pure puddy afterwards.

Ahhh...the joys of unemployment! :D

[Elefantino]

I think that's a great idea. As I remember, he was very flexible.

[Dekonick]

Dbrk - how do you feel about some of the softer martial art styles? I believe that they also merge well with cycling, especially styles like Akido, and tai-chi. (not the tai chi you see in the park - similar, but not the same)

I know I am flexible because of studying the martial arts, and having hypermobile joints. The stretching that is itegral with the MA can only be a benefit to any athlete. If I could start over I would pick Akido, or ju-jitsu, even yoga - if it were properly taught.

May I submit that if you cant find a good yoga class you consider finding a tai chi or akido type MA studio? Just my $.02

:D