About 3 years ago, when my youngest was about 15 months old, I returned to regular classes at a local yoga studio taking a once per week Kripalu class. It quickly became the one bit of me time that was non-negotiable. It is the single lifestyle/exercise choice that has led me to where I am today - exercising 5-6 days a week and getting back to a level of fitness I haven't had since before we moved out of Boston to the suburbs 9 years ago.
After almost a year of weekly Kripalu classes, I added Vinyasa to my schedule and eventually settled into a routine of mostly Vinyasa classes. A few times/month I start or end my day with a brief practice at home and I do a specific series of poses after all of my runs - though I don't really consider those post-run poses to be a formal yoga practice.
When two of the instructors at the studio teamed up to offer a M-F daily practice for the month of January, I was very excited to take part and start my day on the mat. I made it to each 6 a.m. - 7 a.m. class this week (even the morning that was -4 degrees F). I will be skipping the regular Saturday class (reluctantly) for the next 3-4 weekends and pick it back up in February.
The schedule is:
Monday: Vinyasa
Tuesday: Restorative
Wednesday: Asthanga
Thursday: Vinyasa
Friday: Kripalu
What have I learned after starting the past 5 days on the mat?
Surprisingly I'm sore - especially in my chest and shoulders. Probably from all of the chaturanga in the Ashtanga and Vinyasa classes. I was too stubborn to try one of the suggested alternates offered by the Asthanga teacher this week (because chaturanga makes me feel bad a$$)- but I won't be next time. I have never had DOMS after yoga before. I guess there is a first time for everything. Brian says it is a consequence of being almost -ahem - 40. "Face it babe, your old". That is true love.
And tired. Could be the dark, cold, early mornings or perhaps I'm fighting something. Maybe it is just hard to practice 5 days in a row?
I miss running. During the past couple of months , I have enjoyed running 4-5 days a week. This week, I haven't run since Sunday. I thought I would run in the evenings after the kids went to bed - but each night I've been going to sleep not long after they have by 8:30 (except Sunday night - for that I blame the Dowager Countess).
Running and yoga need to co-exist in my schedule - they both work together to keep me sane and healthy. But I also need to listen to my body and trust that all of this morning yoga is going to have a positive impact on my body and teach me a lesson of some sort. I will get a at least a couple of runs in this weekend and get creative with my schedule next week.
Surprisingly I'm sore - especially in my chest and shoulders. Probably from all of the chaturanga in the Ashtanga and Vinyasa classes. I was too stubborn to try one of the suggested alternates offered by the Asthanga teacher this week (because chaturanga makes me feel bad a$$)- but I won't be next time. I have never had DOMS after yoga before. I guess there is a first time for everything. Brian says it is a consequence of being almost -ahem - 40. "Face it babe, your old". That is true love.
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| Poor T-Rex - photo credit |
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| What would Violet have to say about that? |
Running and yoga need to co-exist in my schedule - they both work together to keep me sane and healthy. But I also need to listen to my body and trust that all of this morning yoga is going to have a positive impact on my body and teach me a lesson of some sort. I will get a at least a couple of runs in this weekend and get creative with my schedule next week.
For now, I'll take it one workout at a time and aim for getting to all five 6 a.m. yoga classes but realistically, I think my schedule will end up tolerating only three/week. Perhaps the weekend, a couple of runs and some extra sleep will improve my perspective and help me find a way to fit it all in somewhere.
Kim
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