I have been serious about yoga only for the last 4 months. Yoga is something that I knew that I should be doing. Several friends talked about the wonderful benefits they were getting from their practice, and felt that it was the most important exercise that they did. I have dabbled in yoga on and off for years, but never committed to doing it regularly. I would do some yoga stretches at home, and that was the extent of it for me. There were several reasons for this. One reason was that I was putting my aerobic activities at a higher priority. I decided that zumba and walking were more important for maintaining my weight and staying fit. Also, I was never very good at yoga, with questionable performance on the balance poses. Lastly, I did not like the idea of taking off my shoes and exposing my ugly feet to other class members.
One day I decided to try a class at my gym called YogaFit. This class was described as being related to Hatha yoga. The class is described by the instructor as an "active" yoga practice, meaning that poses were held for a relatively short time before going on to the next one. For those of you who have never attended a yoga class, there are standard "yoga" poses that are done throughout the class. Terms like "Warrior One", "Downward Facing Dog", and "Triangle" are among those poses, and there are many others. While many yoga classes were all about holding these poses for awhile, the YogaFit class moved pretty quickly from pose to pose. This concept actually appealed to me, as I felt like I was getting a decent workout with the constant movement. But I was also working on my flexibility, balance and strength- the things that all yoga classes are known to emphasize.
For me, the one aspect that set this class apart from others I have attended was the wonderful instructor. She had a warm, pleasing, non-intimidating tone that I could relate to. She didn't criticize people - she would come around the classroom sometimes and give suggestions if needed. But she always stressed that the goal was not perfection - the goal, she stated, was to let go of competition, everyday worries, and stress. She said that throughout the class, and also praised us each time that we completed a rather complicated series of poses.
I must say that after attending 2 of these classes, I was sold on this type of yoga. I felt so focused, and I did manage to relax and work hard on my body at the same time. I attend two classes a week, one hour each, and these two hours are my time to just be in a different world. It is not a social class for me - I think class members are focused on their own bodies, and we really don't compare ourselves to each other. It is not an easy class at all - I really work my muscles, and my balance is constantly challenged (although I am getting better!).
For those contemplating yoga, but who have never attended a class, I would encourage you to try it. Don't worry about not knowing the poses. Good instructors will help with this. I like to stand near the back of the class when I am trying it for the first time, but some like to be closer to the front, so that the instructor can see them. Don't worry if you aren't perfect at first - you will get better as you attend more classes. But most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable with the instructor. If a yoga instructor constantly criticizes instead of gently suggesting, I would steer clear. Other people I know have had that experience, and it was not at all beneficial, and they never went back to yoga.
For me, adding yoga to my workout has been the best thing I have done for my fitness, particularly my mental fitness. Focus is the part of yoga that I particularly appreciate. I am totally focused on the moment, my body, and peacefulness. I love yoga so much that I don't even worry about exposing my ugly feet to the world. I am at peace with my feet!
No comments:
Post a Comment