This mortgage account executive wasn�t expecting much when his girlfriend talked him into trying yoga a year ago. He had been an athlete all his life�-how hard could it be to bend and breathe?

�It was a struggle getting through the whole session,� the Birmingham, Michigan, native admits of his first Bikram class. Years of soccer and even his four-times-a-week workout regime of intense cardio and weight-lifting didn�t prepare him for yoga�s physical challenge. �It�s the greatest workout I�ve ever had,� he says. �It gives me the same benefits as running and weights, but better.�

Better because the core strength and endurance he�s gained from balancing Stick pose, Locust, and the like have improved all of his workouts. Now he�s hitting the gym five to six times a week (plus about four yoga classes a month), running faster, and lifting harder. �When I�m in the middle of a lift,�� he says, �and I start to pay more attention to my breathing, I immediately gain energy and can maintain my focus for a longer period of time.� He also notes that he�s lost 10 pounds off his already trim 5-foot-9 frame.

Better, too, because it has helped him deal with the pressures of his high-stress job. �When you have a tough or long day and you�re tired, yoga gives you energy,� he says.

Milford�s tip: Just do it. �I was intimidated because I�m not flexible,� he says. �But you move at your own pace and set your own standards.�