I like to crochet! My fella got me some super fun yarn from a local shop and I love it!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
A Lazy Week
I am one lucky lady! I work at a school so I get a nice 2 week winter break to relax, visit my loves, and do whatever I please.
Bliss
One way I spent my time was through lots of yoga. My body felt amazing and I had two weeks of feeling positive and energized.
Flash forward. Those two weeks are up.
I had made a decision to go to a yoga studio 2-3 times a week and practice the other days on my own in my home. I had such good intentions! Well the first week of work came and went and I went to yoga twice, only practiced once at home, and when I practiced at home it was for 10 minutes. Yikes.
I still believe my decision is reasonable and could be done very easily, so why did I fail?
I love my job but it can be stressful and when the day is over I just want to give my mind a break. At work I have to continually practice patience, self control, and being able to roll with the punches. At yoga I have to practice patience, self control, and being able to roll with what my body can do that day. I feel as though a part of my mind has gone through the paces of yoga, but my body has not.
After going to yoga this morning I could feel the difference in my body. Poses that felt like home before were difficult and uncomfortable this time around. It was a big wake up call! In one week your body can turn into something completely different and starting from square one again can be discouraging. So I have decided that this next week will be different. I will be self accountable, I will take care of my body, and I will show up and do some yoga.
Bliss
One way I spent my time was through lots of yoga. My body felt amazing and I had two weeks of feeling positive and energized.
Flash forward. Those two weeks are up.
I had made a decision to go to a yoga studio 2-3 times a week and practice the other days on my own in my home. I had such good intentions! Well the first week of work came and went and I went to yoga twice, only practiced once at home, and when I practiced at home it was for 10 minutes. Yikes.
I still believe my decision is reasonable and could be done very easily, so why did I fail?
I love my job but it can be stressful and when the day is over I just want to give my mind a break. At work I have to continually practice patience, self control, and being able to roll with the punches. At yoga I have to practice patience, self control, and being able to roll with what my body can do that day. I feel as though a part of my mind has gone through the paces of yoga, but my body has not.
After going to yoga this morning I could feel the difference in my body. Poses that felt like home before were difficult and uncomfortable this time around. It was a big wake up call! In one week your body can turn into something completely different and starting from square one again can be discouraging. So I have decided that this next week will be different. I will be self accountable, I will take care of my body, and I will show up and do some yoga.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Crafts- Winter Crochet Palooza
Circle Scarf with ruffled edges!
Button collar for the winter! Also made some little peter pan collars for Christmas para mis amigos!
Group Fitness Rocks My Socks
I have always been a fairly social person, I enjoy being surrounded by strangers and friends alike. In group classes there is no pressure to make verbal connections with everyone in the room but they are there and their presence is comforting.
Working out solo works well for some people, they get gym memberships, lift weights, go on treadmills, swim laps, and work up a sweat each week. I love that there are super self accountable people in the world, I am just not one of them.
I have purchased gym memberships in the past but I could never really get into it. I would show up feeling awkward in my old sneakers and baggy gym class shirt and scan the room filled with sweaty muscles and barely there clothing items. I feel embarrassed to admit that I was terrified of going anywhere near these Greek gods and goddesses. My eyes would then rest upon the older women doing the elliptical while watching Days of Our Lives, and yes, that is what I spent time doing at the gym.
One day a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go to a Zumba class with her which sounded interesting. I had no idea what Zumba was but I was up for trying something new! Turns out I am terrible at Zumba, I have a really poor sense of rhythm when it comes to dancing and can't shake my hips at all. But I really enjoyed myself! I am much more of a Richard Simmons than a Shakira. Fellow students would laugh when they messed up, most had a smile on their face the whole time, and everyone was giving an honest effort. Thus began my journey into the land of group fitness.
The next thing I tried was Pilates at a local studio. Then I took a modern dance class at the University, which I was terrible at as well. A few month later I took tap dancing lessons at night through a community recreation program where the average age was about 55 and I was a measly 22. Finally my friend got my the birthday present of yoga classes.
Like in my other group fitness classes, in yoga everyone is there giving an honest effort. Sometimes there isn't a smile on every face but after the class in the lobby there is chatter, praise, and enough free tea for everyone as we bundle up to go home. The instructors always make themselves available for questions or just to thank everyone for making it to class!
Going to group fitness classes has helped me enjoy and show up on my road to good health. Seeing everyone together trying their best is inspiring and keeps it all fresh!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Down Diggity
It was a pretty intense (for me) vinyasa flow class in a "warmed" room. I still am not to keen on rooms being hot in yoga but I loved this class and my instructor!
This was the first male instructor that I have ever had in a yoga class and at first I was worried that maybe it would be strange, but it wasn't! It was awesome! He was a very dynamic instructor, he gave good instruction, encouragement, and had fun with his class. At one point he even said "alright get into your down diggity" at which point I burst out laughing while getting into my down dog. Being able to laugh in class is wonderful! With that weight of silence off my shoulders I was able to breathe deeper and have a blast! He also said "reach to the skizle".
So remember:
"Down diggity" = down dog
"Reach to the skizle" = reach to the sky
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Yin Yoga (bonus instructor tangent)
Yin yoga was very similar to my gentle yoga experience. It works deeply into muscles and
connective tissues through extended holds of postures. The class description said that is was great for meditators & those who lack flexibility because it works deeply into the body. The focus is less on fitness and more
on restoration, de-stressing, & relaxation.
Yin Yoga really focuses on the connective tissue especially in the
hips, pelvis and lower spine, and emphasizes deep tissue opening and
restoration.
I enjoyed the structure and focus of this class but soon realized there was an issue... the instructor. I realize this isn't focusing on the yoga but I learned that there is an instructor type out there that is not meant for me.
My friend and I arrived early and were laying on our mats and getting to a calmer place when the instructor burst through the door, loudly sighed, and said "Chill". I wasn't sure what she meant by that but I took it as we will be "chilling" in her class. Most instructors tell you either before or at the start of class if you need any props, this instructor did not and was rather ticked when the whole class didn't have a blanket, a block, a weird pillow thing, and a strap. Soon it was discovered that there were not enough straps for the class and the instructor exclaimed "In my classes you are always expected to bring a strap" in a very high-and-mighty tone. She then whined about how this had interrupted our flow, which it hadn't, she had interrupted it.
As the class finally got under way she made clear that she did not approve of yogis that "show off" in their yoga practice. As double jointed person I tend to bend a bit extra in certain ways, trust me I'm not doing it to show off. I tried to tone back my double jointedness, resulting in me not really stretching anything at all, and she still gave constant comments about how we shouldn't push ourselves or really be stretching hard.
The instructor then told us how she's published in the Huffington Post. She also sprayed us with stuff and wiped oil on our foreheads. Apparently she usually uses cotton swaps for the oil but since the class was "too big" she just poured it on so it got into your hair, ears, and eyes. I might add that no where in the course description did it mention the sprays.
Throughout the class there were other strange remarks that were hard not to raise an eyebrow at, was she having a bad day? Is she one of those pretentious yogis that you thought were just a parody in comedy skits? Maybe she just doesn't know that she sounds crabby? Or, maybe it was just my friend and I that were put off by her teaching method.
I am sorry that this didn't focus on Yin Yoga all that much but I learned that the instructor plays a huge role in what I take away from a class.
The instructor did have a point though, Yin Yoga is not about pushing yourself physically but rather doing restorative poses.
I will be giving Yin Yoga another try, but with a different instructor.
I enjoyed the structure and focus of this class but soon realized there was an issue... the instructor. I realize this isn't focusing on the yoga but I learned that there is an instructor type out there that is not meant for me.
My friend and I arrived early and were laying on our mats and getting to a calmer place when the instructor burst through the door, loudly sighed, and said "Chill". I wasn't sure what she meant by that but I took it as we will be "chilling" in her class. Most instructors tell you either before or at the start of class if you need any props, this instructor did not and was rather ticked when the whole class didn't have a blanket, a block, a weird pillow thing, and a strap. Soon it was discovered that there were not enough straps for the class and the instructor exclaimed "In my classes you are always expected to bring a strap" in a very high-and-mighty tone. She then whined about how this had interrupted our flow, which it hadn't, she had interrupted it.
As the class finally got under way she made clear that she did not approve of yogis that "show off" in their yoga practice. As double jointed person I tend to bend a bit extra in certain ways, trust me I'm not doing it to show off. I tried to tone back my double jointedness, resulting in me not really stretching anything at all, and she still gave constant comments about how we shouldn't push ourselves or really be stretching hard.
The instructor then told us how she's published in the Huffington Post. She also sprayed us with stuff and wiped oil on our foreheads. Apparently she usually uses cotton swaps for the oil but since the class was "too big" she just poured it on so it got into your hair, ears, and eyes. I might add that no where in the course description did it mention the sprays.
Throughout the class there were other strange remarks that were hard not to raise an eyebrow at, was she having a bad day? Is she one of those pretentious yogis that you thought were just a parody in comedy skits? Maybe she just doesn't know that she sounds crabby? Or, maybe it was just my friend and I that were put off by her teaching method.
I am sorry that this didn't focus on Yin Yoga all that much but I learned that the instructor plays a huge role in what I take away from a class.
The instructor did have a point though, Yin Yoga is not about pushing yourself physically but rather doing restorative poses.
I will be giving Yin Yoga another try, but with a different instructor.
Craft- ugly coffee table
 |
| Ugly coffee table |
 |
| Sanded upside down coffee table |
 |
| Primer on the coffee table |
 |
| Blue coffee table |
Hot Yoga
So let me just tell you how I got into this situation-
My friends and I were studio deal shopping and came across a studio that had $30 for 30 days unlimited yoga for new students. Clearly we hopped on board, clearly we didn't fully read the class description before we went. My friend and I walked into the room and it was hot and humid, like more hot and humid than anything I have experienced in my life. I instantly was dripping with sweat and gasping for air, living in Wisconsin does not condition the lungs for that type of temperature. We also didn't realize how long the class was- 90 minutes. That's 1 hour and 30 minutes. That's a long time to be in there!
The course description that I skimmed over clearly stated "appropriate for beginner and more experienced students alike" but my body disagreed. My friend ended up laying on the mat for about 30 minutes and I went in between child's pose and sitting on my butt the whole time. Towards the end I couldn't lift my arms above my head without tipping backwards and blacking out a bit.
Speaking of blacking out about 20 minutes in, still into the warm up, the instructor asked another new student in front how she was doing and the student replied "fine, just blacking out a bit". That was about 20 minutes in.
After the class the instructor told the new students good job said that we would feel better soon, I mostly felt like I was going to puke all night.
The other students around me were very inspiring, I literally have no idea how their bodies can handle it! When reading the testimonials online after the class the make-up of the students doing Hot Yoga were marathon runners, fitness experts, and people doing yoga for years. So if you are not in super great physical condition, maybe work up to going to a full on Hot Yoga class.
I also looked up different opinions and studies on the benefits of Hot Yoga and there were a lot of disagreements. Some experts say it just dehydrates you while others claim it detoxifies your system. Basically I decided that everyone is different and the only way to know is to just give it a try! Also remember that you are paying for the class and if half way through you can't handle it you are allowed to leave!
So lessons learned:
1. Read course description thoroughly.
2. Check to see how long the class will run.
3. Read testimonials!
Yoga Flow (Vinyasa)
Yoga Flow is my dream come true! It is a medium intensity class, one step down from Power Yoga, that builds strength, flexibility,
and balance. It's a flowing sequence of postures
synchronized with your breath.
Yoga Flow is more formally called Vinyasa Flow Yoga and seems to allow the instructors a lot of creative license based on their students energy and levels. With all the fluid movements it felt almost like I was dancing on my mat!
So lovely, creative, and it pushes my boundaries both physically and mentally!
We did some pretty intense warrior poses, some basic arm balances, and inversions while always coming back to our "vinyasa"- plank, chaturanga, into down-dog. Let me tell you that down dog feels amazing after holding a warrior pose! We also did a million Sun Salutations!
Vinyasa Flow a very approachable class and every pose has a beginner, medium, and advanced stage that is offered by the instructor. So if you're looking for a class that can be altered to your level of strength and flexibility, while still leaving the door open to really push yourself, this might be the class for you!
Yoga Flow is more formally called Vinyasa Flow Yoga and seems to allow the instructors a lot of creative license based on their students energy and levels. With all the fluid movements it felt almost like I was dancing on my mat!
So lovely, creative, and it pushes my boundaries both physically and mentally!
We did some pretty intense warrior poses, some basic arm balances, and inversions while always coming back to our "vinyasa"- plank, chaturanga, into down-dog. Let me tell you that down dog feels amazing after holding a warrior pose! We also did a million Sun Salutations!
Vinyasa Flow a very approachable class and every pose has a beginner, medium, and advanced stage that is offered by the instructor. So if you're looking for a class that can be altered to your level of strength and flexibility, while still leaving the door open to really push yourself, this might be the class for you!
Gentle Yoga
The first yoga class I went to was Gentle Yoga, it was a low intensity class rooted in
Hatha and Yin yoga, including elements of meditation and pranayama
(breath-work) for balance and relaxation.
I struggled a lot with this class, it was very slow moving with lots of emphasis on breath which is something I am not good at.
Throughout my life I have been involved with very physical activities that kept my constantly moving so this concept was completely new! I was supposed to hold a pose, and just... hold it? It took everything in me not to fidget. I also had this constant urge to get up and run laps around the room and leap over my fellow students. Like I said, it was a struggle for me. It was also an hour long and trying to be quiet and calm for an hour is WAY harder that I thought.
While this is not a class that I can do everyday I can appreciate the new perspective it gave me. I needed to quiet my mind and sync myself up and this class offered some structure to do so.
I have found it very helpful at night when I can not seem to fall asleep. I start by either setting an intention or just letting my mind flow, sometimes I repeat a sort of mantra in my head such as "release, relax, appreciate" or anything I am dealing with at the moment.
If you are like me and your mind is racing all day this is a class that you should look into to supplement your yoga and health practice.
I have tried a couple different routines on youtube and I love Tara Stiles' "Before Bed Time Yoga"- the intro is a little long but the routine is very calming!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guT7gt-lBes&list=PLF51468E0577E15B6&index=12
I struggled a lot with this class, it was very slow moving with lots of emphasis on breath which is something I am not good at.
Throughout my life I have been involved with very physical activities that kept my constantly moving so this concept was completely new! I was supposed to hold a pose, and just... hold it? It took everything in me not to fidget. I also had this constant urge to get up and run laps around the room and leap over my fellow students. Like I said, it was a struggle for me. It was also an hour long and trying to be quiet and calm for an hour is WAY harder that I thought.
While this is not a class that I can do everyday I can appreciate the new perspective it gave me. I needed to quiet my mind and sync myself up and this class offered some structure to do so.
I have found it very helpful at night when I can not seem to fall asleep. I start by either setting an intention or just letting my mind flow, sometimes I repeat a sort of mantra in my head such as "release, relax, appreciate" or anything I am dealing with at the moment.
If you are like me and your mind is racing all day this is a class that you should look into to supplement your yoga and health practice.
I have tried a couple different routines on youtube and I love Tara Stiles' "Before Bed Time Yoga"- the intro is a little long but the routine is very calming!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guT7gt-lBes&list=PLF51468E0577E15B6&index=12
My First Post
Starting a blog is something that I have often attempted and never accomplished. Finding the right combinations of interests has been difficult but I believe I have finally nailed them down-
Let me first explain my relationship with yoga-
Starting in October 2012 I received a wonderful present from a dear friend, 20 class passes to a local yoga studio. I had always felt drawn to yoga but my wallet said otherwise. The classes I went to were wonderful, the instructors encouraged creativity and exploration throughout the class and I left feeling inspired.
Alas, 20 classes later I was faced with a decision- either pay about $200 for 20 classes more or give it up. I wanted to make yoga a priority in my life, but knew I couldn't afford it. Luckily the same dear friend brought to my attention that if you are a "new student" many studios have discounted rates! Thus started my studio hopping adventure!
yoga, crafts, and g-free foods
Let me first explain my relationship with yoga-
Starting in October 2012 I received a wonderful present from a dear friend, 20 class passes to a local yoga studio. I had always felt drawn to yoga but my wallet said otherwise. The classes I went to were wonderful, the instructors encouraged creativity and exploration throughout the class and I left feeling inspired.
Alas, 20 classes later I was faced with a decision- either pay about $200 for 20 classes more or give it up. I wanted to make yoga a priority in my life, but knew I couldn't afford it. Luckily the same dear friend brought to my attention that if you are a "new student" many studios have discounted rates! Thus started my studio hopping adventure!
My hope is to share my experiences with different studios, instructors, and styles with you so that maybe you can find your path to personal health a little easier.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)