Sunday, February 7, 2010

Yoga

I went to my first ever yoga class yesterday.  It is something that I've thought about from time to time over the past couple of years, but laziness prevailed and I never did anything about it.  But, here I am, thirteen and a half months since Liam was born and I still have a lot of leftover pregnancy weight (not to mention the extra 20 pounds I had before getting pregnant), no abdominal muscle tone (which really means a disgusting saggy belly), and we won't even talk about the other areas of my body that are just blah because, well, I am lazy.  So, a few weeks ago when hubby suggested that I start taking a yoga class and that he didn't mind me spending the money to take a class AND he would gladly look after Liam while I went to said class (even if it meant getting up on a Saturday or Sunday morning), I was intrigued and started looking into it.

I found a yoga place nearby that offers a free introductory lesson, so, off I went on Saturday.  It was, well, interesting.  There were only three of us there and the instructor talks A LOT (although she did say that she doesn't talk as much in regular classes) but much of what she said has me intrigued.  I really don't know much about yoga and was looking as this as something to help me getting to better shape.  But apparently it  can be really helpful to relieve stress, anxiety and depression.  Well, hello, why didn't someone tell me this sooner???  If yoga can help my stress level and depression, then I am there!

But then the class actually started . . . wow, some of those positions are hard to get into!  Not that they look easy, but enough people do it that I thought that if you were properly instructed on how to get into said pretzel like positions it would be easier than it looked.  Man was I wrong!  So, you get yourself into this pretzel like state they expect you to stay there . . . and then untangle yourself into another strange pose.  I don't think that it would be quite as bad if you could actually see the instructor so that you knew exactly what a position was supposed to look like, but you send half the time looking at your butt from an angle that you probably never imagined that you could see you own butt from!  It really makes you wonder what the guy or girl who came up with these moves was doing to discover them . . . actually, you probably don't really want to know, cause it was probably weird or kinky or something.

Anyway, in the end, I decided that I would go back.  I am going to sign up for 5 classes and see how that goes.  And see how hubby really feels about getting up on Sunday mornings to look after Liam while I go twist myself into a pretzel.

However, before Sunday, I MUST, MUST, MUST go buy my own yoga mat.  My face spent too much time very close to that mat to be using one that someone else's face and more importantly ass have been on.  I mean, I am sure that they are cleaned and disinfected, but still, I really don't want my face on a mat that someone else's ass has been on . . . eww!

****  Side Note - My abs are a bit sore today . . . this is a good thing, as it means that I still have abdominal muscles, not just a glob of flab where my abs used to be.  I guess they are just hiding under the glob of flab!  Maybe yoga will give my abs the confidence to come out again!  Cross your fingers for me!!

2 comments:

  1. Good luck with yoga, I imagine how hard it might be for beginners (never tried myself, those poses scare the hell out of me). But I am sure it will do good to you. I actually am using some yoga breathing techniques/exercizes in the mornings and even this helps a lot in many aspects, so these sessions should be really of sone use!

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  2. Hi Nicki, I just wrote a big long post, but something messed up and now I have to write it ALL OVER AGAIN! Love when that happens...
    Good for you for giving yoga a go. I've been doing yoga on and off for years. The first thing I would say is that there are so many different kinds of yoga - ones that focus on poses, ones that focus on stretching, ones that focus on breathing and mantras, ones that use ropes and pulleys, and crazy ones that make you do exercise in a room with sauna-like temperatures! (I would recommend AVOIDING that one - I hated it!). So if this one isn't your thing, keep trying different classes until you find something right for you. If I were you, I'd focus on stretching and breathing for now and don't get freaked out by the pretzel-poses. It's amazing how much your toning can improve if you just get in the routine of stretching regularly, plus you will be surprised at how quickly you limber up if you get into a routine. There are usually good early morning yoga programs on tv, and I'm sure Youtube has some video clips as well. I usually try to start every day with a series of easy movements like Salute to the Sun or the Warrior just to wake myself up and get the blood flowing. It only takes about 5-10 minutes and I find it helps you think a lot more clearly before that first caffeine injection. If I find some good video clips of these poses I'll forward them on. Cheers, Sarah

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