The second class, a week later was the same. I was not able to stop thinking about work.
By the third class I tried really hard to focus on yoga. It worked. Work was still on my mind but I started to focus more on the poses I was learning. Over time, and by listening to my instructor I was able to stop thinking about work at all during my class. After about 6 weeks I started looking forward to going to yoga during my lunch hour to give myself a mental break from work.
I also started attending a yoga class given by Indira at my church. She was a doctor in India who really understood the body. When I first went to her class I didn't like it. She was older and moved slow. I didn't feel like I was getting a good workout. However, after a couple of classes I realized she would observe her students to determine what poses we would do during the class. For example, she could tell when I had a lot of tension and tightness in my shoulders and she would include shoulder and neck poses in class. I started to look forward to going to class to remove tightness and tension.
I also took a couple of classes at the community center. The instructor was from Jamaica and had a really cool accent. She was strong and powerful. I didn't like her class at first because it was so hard. I was sore for days after her class because she included so many strength training poses. However, as I got stronger and better at the poses I started to enjoy her class.
Currently I am taking yoga classes at a studio. The instructor is experienced and changes the poses for every class and is always focused on improvement. She pushes me which I don't like but guess what? I noticed that I am now able to do several poses I was never able to do like Crow and Half Moon.
Health Magazine (May, 2018, page 90) indicates that "Participating in a yoga practice increases circulation and oxygenation, flushes organs and glands, strengthens and stretches the entire body.
The health impacts are great, but I also go to yoga class because I feel energized and relaxed after class.
If you decide to try yoga, go to the class at least three times before you decide if you like it (you may not like it the first two times).
What is your favorite yoga class?
My favorite yoga class was when I was pregnant. During class was the only time that I did not have back pain, sciatica, or foot pain. I did take Sporatic yoga classes after that but I found that as my “me-time” became more limited, I had to choose between an aerobic exercise class and yoga. Lately my life has become even more chaotic and I find myself choosing 30 minute circuit training booster classes. Have you done any research on this mode of exercising? Is it worth carving out 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week or should I try to focus on one or two hour long classes?
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