Let me start off by saying this before I go any further, I am not, by any stretch of the word, good at yoga. I do yoga in my livingroom, by myself, to a video, or looking at a book or magazine. I have watched videos on youtube, and I own 2 or 3 videos...plus there are some decent videos on demand or through excercise TV...I have never set foot in a yoga studio...nonetheless, I feel really good after yoga...I have stretched my muscles, cleansed my mind, and released the achyness in my body....Did I say it feels good? WELL, IT DOES, for sure.
I generally do "vinyasa" or flows that involve downward facing dog, plank, upward facing dog, etc etc...The part I love the most is the poses, or "asana" I love trying new poses and trying to the the poses I can do better...holding them longer, figuring out how to breathe and staying balanced has always been a struggle for me, but I am learning...(ha!)
The three poses I love the most are; "the tree"
Like this pose right here
It makes me feel so good, I can hold it for 60 seconds if I want to, and that is no small feat, I tell you.
it just makes me happy...
I also love the dancers pose....I can't hold it as long as "the tree" pose...but I am getting better at it...I am getting a little more bendy and am able to raise my leg a little more...when I started my back was almost completely flat...I cant bend as much as I wish I could, but I am getting there...
This pose always makes me smile...and sometime laugh...at myself...cause I am on the floor..BUT IT'S FUN! no doubt about it...
The third on I love to do is the bow...no falling here..
cause you are on the floor, on your belly already...
just like in this picture
It feels so good on my chest and the backs of my legs...sometimes if I am out of alignment(which may not be anybody elses case, except mine) this pose pops me back into place...my spine, that is...it gives me energy
So that's all I got on yoga, for now,(I will let you know if I figure anything else out)...I LOVE it...makes me feel so good, it challenges you and really builds your core( I am living proof of that) If you have thought about it before, but kinda shyed away from it...just GO FOR IT...it's awesome!
Jen, I am loving your blog in general and just had to give you a big thumbs up for this post. I LOVE yoga! I had also resisted doing it for years, because I am just not that coordinated or balanced. A friend who was teaching a class finally convinced me to give it a try, and I got hooked. My favorite thing about yoga is that you can really start wherever you are and do what is right for you, and it always makes me feel better mentally, physically, and spiritually. So YAY! for the yoga shout out!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carmen! You are exactly right about starting where you are and doing whats right for you...I love it too! I combine it with other things, but I love how it makes me feel, especially when there is something that I just know I couldnt do, and when I do, I feel so accomplished! It revives me...thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteI take yoga classes at the gym now along with a few other classes. I can say I really enjoy it too:)
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