for someone who loves to have interaction in deep, audible sighs throughout the day, you’d think a breath-focused workout like yoga can be up my alley. You can be incorrect. I’m a self proclaimed yoga hater. As a gaggle HIIT instructor, I like the fast pace, loud music, and added intensity. I actually struggle with the slowdown. Overall, I’m go go go go, and I do not take a ton of time to stop and smell the roses, so to talk.
So at any time when I’ve tried yoga or meditation up to now, I’ve been incredibly frustrated because I’ve spent all my time fascinated with all of the things I would like to do later and going through my shopping list in my head.
But there is a reason they call yoga “practice”: It can take time to adapt. Yoga just isn’t only about constructing physical fitness, but in addition mental strength. (The poses themselves are really just considered one of them eight pillars of yoga.) “When you do yoga, you begin along with your body as a workout, and I feel like that is the first layer,” she says. Brian Leelab coordinator and instructor CorePower Yoga. “For me, after seeing the difference in my body, there was a change in my mind.” Lee says that the literal meaning of the word yoga is “unite”, so in your practice you unite body and mind.
Knowing I had a tough time slowing down, I made a decision I’d embark on a month-long yoga journey to see if I could challenge myself to a change of pace. The rule was that for one month I needed to do 4 or five classes every week. (I never recommend doing any sort of workout seven days every week, even something low impact.)
I began my journey at my local CorePower Yoga, which offers athletics-based flows, often in heated studios. Oh yeah, did I mention I hate being hot? I’m a Colorado girl, so heat just isn’t in my blood.
I walked out of the gate heavily with their Yoga Sculpt class. This includes yoga, cardio, and strength training to assist speed up your metabolism and construct muscle. It gave the impression to be the closest I could get to a HIIT class while doing yoga, so I assumed I’d prefer it essentially the most. Spoiler alert: I didn’t do it. I spent many of the class cursing myself under my breath and the remaining lying in a pool of my very own sweat (or was it tears?), taking deep breaths until I could move again.
I’ve decided that Sculpt probably won’t be my favourite. Although I actually have to say that I used to be incredibly impressed with the trainer who not only trained but did many of the movements with us – I believe yoga instructors could also be among the strongest people on earth.
The next class I attended was C2. The CorePower website describes the C2 as a “difficult vinyasa flow” that features harder positions. I used to be surprised that that is my favorite style of activity despite the fact that it’s slow and purposeful. I liked the positions by which we were balancing on one leg essentially the most. Although I won first place within the state gymnastics competition in seventh grade, that a part of me has long since vanished. So I used to be joyful to see if I could still balance on one leg or if I still had some flexibility. (Of course I’m very competitive – I’m Enneagram 3, a conqueror. If you realize, you realize.)
On the fourth day, I do not know what happened, but let me let you know, I felt like myself. I walked past the mirror and looked and said, “Damn, you look hot.” Was there any physical change at that time? No. But the reflection I saw me within the mirror was excellent.
While I do know I didn’t see physical results this early, by the tip of the challenge I definitely saw them. I saw a visible difference in my triceps and loved it. My upper body is kind of muscular, but I’ve all the time struggled to get defined triceps. Never again! I’m shocked that it was too cold to wear sleeveless shirts, because I’m able to put them on. I also noticed improved core strength. I’m unsure saw my abs, but I definitely felt them. I noticed that some abdominal exercises that was difficult for me up to now, I could now do with ease, which was a pleasant feeling.
For the remaining of the month’s challenge, I used to be wavering between, “When is that this month going to finish?” and “Oh wow, I feel really great after this class.” There were days when the warmth within the studio was simply unbearable. I all the time paid attention to the thermostat. The classes I took ranged from 95 degrees all the best way as much as 108 degrees and made me realize that I can be happier if yoga was done at temperatures I would really like to be outside. (There are some who love hot yoga and others are me.)
I took part in some online videos offered by CorePower because I used to be curious to see how motivated I can be to do yoga in my home. The answer is: probably not. The classes were good, but I’m someone who must be a part of a gaggle to remain motivated.
When I first committed to this challenge, I asked myself, “Why?!” and took considered one of those deep, audible sighs that I like a lot. I felt like I used to be adding something to my already long to-do list.
But by the point I used to be done, I used to be sort of missing yoga. I never thought I’d say that. What I miss most is an hour out of the day to tune in to my body and mind. While I’ve seen the visual effects, and specifically gained super core strength, what I’ve noticed essentially the most is how much I like myself. Practicing yoga forced me to spend time with myself, and I discovered that I’m fucking awesome if I say so myself.
Practicing yoga forced me to spend time with myself, and I discovered that I used to be fucking amazing.
Every time I walked out of sophistication, I had a way of calmness that I never get after a HIIT class. I feel great and stuffed with energy after HIIT, but not restful. Both forms of training make me feel ready to overcome the world, but in other ways. Now I see the benefits of each forms of coaching. Lee puts it simply: “Someone with an athletic mind has to do something else to complement what they’re already doing.”
Yoga is like that for me. Since I accomplished a month of yoga, I’ve been taking time for myself more purposefully, however it wasn’t similar to practicing yoga. Mainly it consists of me lying still on the couch for 10 minutes a day. This just isn’t savasana, however it just isn’t no savasana.
I’m gonna go to the record and say I’m not a yoga hater anymore. I’m a yoga lover now! While I not see myself doing yoga 4 to 5 times every week, I’ll add yoga to my exercise program at the very least once every week. I like the calm I feel after each class and my body can profit from stretching too.
Lee’s advice when deciding whether so as to add yoga to your fitness routine is that this: “Changing your body is the final thing it is best to worry about. Your body will change irrespective of what. You should be willing to open your mind. Be able to listen and do not say anything for a second. Really, just go inside.”
That’s what I’m going to remove from this experience. I’ll remember to take a while to slow all the way down to reconnect with myself. Change will all the time come, however it starts from inside.
