Know your limits...
...but push
Wendy worked us hard and I was dripping sweat onto my mat well before the halfway point. This is the level 1/level 2 class and there were a number of advanced persons in the class today. These two lithe ladies, in particular, right in front of me, who popped right into headstands like it was as easy as standing on their two feet. I tried not to gape. I asked Wendy to help me into a headstand because that is my goal for right now. I want to nail a headstand. I can get into it, but I can't hold it without a spotter. I don't have the core strength. I am going to have to do a lot of sit-ups and focus on working my core a lot more. It was at that point that I realized most of my ability right now in yoga is based on leg and toe strength (trying to grip the mat and not move) and sheer stubborness. Sorta needs to be the abdominals more!
And then we proceeded to move into more varied handstands. HOLY FUCKING SHIT, people. I can't even explain it. I wish I had a camera. One is called crow pose. This other chick at the end just popped right into this pose, balancing on her hands/elbows bent with her legs splayed out in a V to the side in the air. It was amazing. I was just trying to do the very very basic one where you are balanced on your bended arms with your legs bent to the side, close to the body. I could almost do it to the left side (much more flexible on that side, like obscenely so), but I just flopped onto my back and lost it. I laid back on my mat and just sighed. It was pretty funny, actually. Wendy, the teacher, was saying to go back into downward dog or something, saw me flop and said "Or...you can go into [corpse] pose..." I managed to weakly raise my right hand & do the peace gesture, and people started laughing. Like I said, practice was vigorous, but it definitely was not a "if you can't do this, you suck" kind of thing. Yoga, no matter how much I am envious of the people who can just go into these ridiculous flying poses, is not about competition. Some day, I am going to get into one of those hand balancing things and it will rock. Just have to practice.
Here's one of the poses we (or I tried) to do later: Bakasana Crane Pose. I can almost almost get all the way down in this next one if I use my left leg as the lead. The Asian lithe lady in front of me just went into this like it was nothing: Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose).
It was just fucking crazy, but in a good way. Seriously, I think I'm going to blow whatever tax refund check I get on buying more yoga classes.
The yoga studio rules, Wendy rules and I will someday get a headstand without a problem.
Now if I could just get my niece (almost 13) to go with me. She's such a fucking rubber band, I bet she could do half this shit already. She does tumbling and cheerleading as it is.
I was so energized after class, and in a happy mood.
...but push
Wendy worked us hard and I was dripping sweat onto my mat well before the halfway point. This is the level 1/level 2 class and there were a number of advanced persons in the class today. These two lithe ladies, in particular, right in front of me, who popped right into headstands like it was as easy as standing on their two feet. I tried not to gape. I asked Wendy to help me into a headstand because that is my goal for right now. I want to nail a headstand. I can get into it, but I can't hold it without a spotter. I don't have the core strength. I am going to have to do a lot of sit-ups and focus on working my core a lot more. It was at that point that I realized most of my ability right now in yoga is based on leg and toe strength (trying to grip the mat and not move) and sheer stubborness. Sorta needs to be the abdominals more!
And then we proceeded to move into more varied handstands. HOLY FUCKING SHIT, people. I can't even explain it. I wish I had a camera. One is called crow pose. This other chick at the end just popped right into this pose, balancing on her hands/elbows bent with her legs splayed out in a V to the side in the air. It was amazing. I was just trying to do the very very basic one where you are balanced on your bended arms with your legs bent to the side, close to the body. I could almost do it to the left side (much more flexible on that side, like obscenely so), but I just flopped onto my back and lost it. I laid back on my mat and just sighed. It was pretty funny, actually. Wendy, the teacher, was saying to go back into downward dog or something, saw me flop and said "Or...you can go into [corpse] pose..." I managed to weakly raise my right hand & do the peace gesture, and people started laughing. Like I said, practice was vigorous, but it definitely was not a "if you can't do this, you suck" kind of thing. Yoga, no matter how much I am envious of the people who can just go into these ridiculous flying poses, is not about competition. Some day, I am going to get into one of those hand balancing things and it will rock. Just have to practice.
Here's one of the poses we (or I tried) to do later: Bakasana Crane Pose. I can almost almost get all the way down in this next one if I use my left leg as the lead. The Asian lithe lady in front of me just went into this like it was nothing: Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose).
It was just fucking crazy, but in a good way. Seriously, I think I'm going to blow whatever tax refund check I get on buying more yoga classes.
The yoga studio rules, Wendy rules and I will someday get a headstand without a problem.
Now if I could just get my niece (almost 13) to go with me. She's such a fucking rubber band, I bet she could do half this shit already. She does tumbling and cheerleading as it is.
I was so energized after class, and in a happy mood.
1 comments:
It is the best isn't it!
And to think there are still people who believe yoga doesn't get you fit! Who are they kidding.
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