One of the first things people say to me when I tell them I teach yoga: "I could NEVER do yoga. I'm not flexible". Listen up here friends. Admit it: you say you couldn't do yoga, but truth is, you're scared! I was too! I was scared to go because I knew that I would suck. And let me tell you, I did.
My first experience with yoga happened in university. I am bow-legged and have huge, mother-of-all-else hips, so to sit down on a hard surface, cross-legged, for even 2 minutes, was like death to me. My butt hurt, my knees were stuck way up in the air, I could barely sit up straight. Everyone else was sitting perfectly still in Lotus pose (how the HELL do people make this pose look so easy?) and I was struggling to just sit.
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| Yeah, yeah. You make Lotus look so damn easy, realistic-looking cartoon chick. |
Fast forward a few years later, when a regular Sculpt class attender named Tanya told me one day after class how much she loved yoga. I laughed and explained to her my first experience. She told me about a woman named Gudrun who taught at a small, privately-owned gym just around the corner from me. Tanya is really fit and strong, so I decided to take her up on it.
Little did I know that Gudrun was, in fact, my dream woman. She took my breath away, literally. The class was HARD! Not just in a sit-in-lotus-for-45-minutes hard. She challenged me with what felt like a million downward dogs, chattaranga push-ups, arm balances, planks, and some really awesome poses. I left feeling inspired and wanting more- I wanted to challenge my body in a new, different way. Plus, I wanted to be her.
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| Here she is. God damn. |
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| Are you impressed, Gudrun? I shaved my legs for you. |
She asked me to call her.
Me.
My idol, dream woman.
She asked me on a date.
I think I peed my pants. Happy day, she noticed me! All those times that I gave myself a pedicure in the car on the way to yoga class paid off! I am still beaming. I think I'll play hard to get.
What yoga pose do you find extremely challenging that others find easy?
Lotus pose, hands down. As a yoga teacher, this is the core pose that I'm just supposed to be able to do. Not happening. I also hate Hero pose.
What inspires you to get to the gym?
A killer class (and Gudrun) will get me to the gym every time. It is SO IMPORTANT to find a class and an instructor that suits your needs! Just as personalities clash in every day life, sometimes your workout styles can, too. If you've always loved to dance, then why not go to a cardio dance class or Zumba? Make it enjoyable and you'll get there more times than not.
Any fun fitness classes you'll be trying this weekend?
Any fun fitness classes you'll be trying this weekend?
My noodle arms don't allow me to do chattarunga push-ups and I hate it because every instructor does about 87 in their class. boo.
ReplyDeleteWhat inspires me...hmm... I just like to sweat! I don't always need classes to get me there. I just think of all the treadmills and can imagine how much they miss me so I go visit them. The boot camp I go to gets me excited to go. It forces me to work on my strength and I love that.
I will probably be working out solo most of the weekend trying to get jacked...and I teach spin on Sunday :)
PS you will LOVE paddle boarding. Did it Hawaii and almost died. I mean that literally.
PPS is this what happens when the boys go to prom? We sit at home and blog stalk? yep.
ReplyDeleteGreat story, and like you I always poo-poo'ed those people I saw laying back on a mat in yoga with their eyes closed then would come out and say how they had such an awesome workout. You can bitch slap me too if you'd like. :) That said, I think finding the right yoga instructor is key, but that goes for all classes. I used to think that same thing about pilates, until I met my Gudrun in the form of Tracey. She kicked my butt and now I know that yoga/pilates isn't just a lazy person's workout.
ReplyDeleteAs for what inspires me, it's knowing how awesome that endorphin rush is during/after. When I start my day off with a sweat I feel like I accomplished something and then feel so much better the rest of the day.
I’ve been intrigued by yoga for years. I bought a yoga for dummies book, yoga for beginners and some DVD that my fiancé enjoyed much more than I did, but for different reasons. I guess I’m afraid to go to a “real” yoga class and make an ass-ana of myself. I have this recurring vision: scantily clad me, sweating and bright red, in the corner of a yoga studio, grunting while wrestling with my own limbs. Something about that just doesn’t relax me at all.
ReplyDeleteThese days what’s getting me to the gym is TRX. Although, my first my reaction was “what’s with the swing?” After my first session I felt like a rock star! I was challenged by something totally new and I used muscles that I didn’t know even existed—or, at least, ones that I hadn’t seen or heard from in years. The following morning I still felt like a rock star, but for different reasons: I was sore EVERYwhere, stiff, and wondered what the hell I had done to myself. I got back on the proverbial horse, though! What’s a few days of yelping every time you move or sit down vs. finding a new workout that excites you almost as much as post-Halloween discount chocolate?